Rango — Cinema Culture is The Culture
It’s not often that animated films make it to Gladiators, but Rango gave me reason to pause. It’s not genius, and it’s not really unique:…
The Interrupters: A Film about People Who Give a F**k
We open on a large, oak conference table parked in the center of a board room in Chicago. Black and Brown faces huddle around it…
The Value of Verbal Dysentary
I might just be tempted to watch the Academy Awards this year. It’s no secret that last year’s broadcast was an abomination, absolutely boring, and…
Martha Marcy May Marlene — A Fractured Past, Present, and Future
The buzz around Martha Marcy May Marlene was initially kindled by the emergence of an Olsen sister who isn’t a twin; however, the first few…
Red State: Silent Bob Speaks and Castigates Everything
In Red State, director Kevin Smith deviates from the canon of familiar characters and actors that made previous films like Mallrats, Clerks, and Chasing…
When We Hear Those Bumps in the Night
Unless you plan to take off from work in observation of All Saints Day, it’s possible that the Tuesday morning alarm will prevent you from…
Is Art Imitating the “Occupy” Movements?
Perhaps I’m being influenced by the ubiquitous coverage and postings on Facebook that discuss the Occupy Wall Street movement that began in New York and…
Blue Valentine — When Prince Charming is Content With His One Shining Moment
Back in March, Tim Adkins took a poignant look at the unplanned pregnancy crux of Blue Valentine and transitioned the filmic conflict into a personal…
The Ides of March — Possibly More Like a Political Speech than Intended
From the moment a soothsayer warns Julius Caeser to “Beware the Ides of March,” the marriage of politics and assassination were forever canonized in eternal lines….
50/50 — A Look at an Irreparable Disconnect
Marketing 50/50 as a film from “the guys who brought you Superbad” is highly misleading. While there’s truth to this declaration, 50/50 is not a…