The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Science has geared up for February by unveiling the annual poster for its Oscar ceremony (see above). And, judging by the poster, it looks as if the theme of the broadcast will be to appeal to a broad range of viewers, whether they go for romance (Gone With the Wind […]
It’s difficult to know where to begin a discussion about Terrence Malick’s The Tree of Life, so it might be best to say that it’s utterly beautiful in its composition. The muted tones of the 1950’s juxtaposed with the radiant color palate of the evolution of existence is stunningly moving and superbly paired with a soundtrack by […]
Having never seen the Tony-award winning God of Carnage, from which Roman Polanski’s new film Carnage is adapted, I can’t make any comparisons on whether or not the transition is smooth or accurate. What is certain is that Carnage is shot much like a play with subtle camera movement and a constant attention to the cast of […]
The most recent installment in the Mission Impossible franchise has appropriately been released without the sequential 4. Instead, it has been subtitled Ghost Protocol, something that serves two purposes. First, it distances itself from the stigmatized logarithm of exponential sequels: the higher the number, the more diluted the acting, story, and overall quality of the film. Second, […]
As A Christmas Story begins its twenty-four hour loop to commemorate the holiday season, I think of the various other film staples that have become part of this season’s diet. Rounding out a brief list is, most often, It’s a Wonderful Life, National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, Scrooged, How the Grinch Stole Christmas (the brief cartoon, not the […]
Beneath the tale of a land baron trying to keep his family afloat after his wife suffers an irreparable brain injury, The Descendants is ultimately a study of required duplicity and a tale of revenge, pitting Matt King (George Clooney) on a quest for the man who cuckolded him. Admittedly, King doesn’t have to look far. He […]
The most intriguing part about Shame is its misdirection – not in the sense that we’re being set up for a twist in the last few moments, but rather how a number of people have read this film as the trials and tribulations of a sex-addict. Brandon (Michael Fassbender), a seemingly wealthy New York City resident in […]
Last year, our own Rob Cotto declared Never Let Me Go the “most overlooked film of the year,” and I have to wholeheartedly agree. I know that seems a bit uncharacteristic, but it was genuinely surprising that this sci-fi allegory escaped my gaze when it first came out. Granted, the cast is fairly indie and doesn’t demand […]
The opening scene of Like Crazy suggests that a story will be woven that examines love under the lens of the primary mode of twenty-first century interaction: social networking, where each action of the individual is about “your space.” And, at times, our familiarity with the isolation of social media sites and their influence on our responses […]
Despite the normal mediocrity of the Oscars, the nomination announcements on January 24th might add some intrigue to the oft-banal spectacle. The ultimate question will be whether or not Andy Serkis will receive a Best Supporting Actor nomination for his turn as Caeser in Rise of the Planet of the Apes. According to a report in last […]