As a long-time fan of Terry Gilliam’s films, it’s been a while since one of them really resonated with me. It’s not that the films he’s directed haven’t been good, but they haven’t quite lived up to the early work with Monty Python or films like the stone-cold classic Brazil, The Fisher King or 12 Monkeys. The productions of his films are legendary for the mishaps that befall them – The Adventures of Baron Munchausen, the ill-fated production of The Man Who Killed Don Quixote (chronicled quite beautifully in Fulton & Pepe‘s Lost in La Mancha) and The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus which was derailed by the death of Heath Ledger come quickly to mind. Fortunate for us all, The Zero Theorem hits familiar Gilliam themes and is a return to form of an old master. Read More →
Category Archives: Reviews
Michael’s Review: ‘Tusk’- There’s No Bite to This Mammal
From the second I walked out of this screening of Kevin Smith’s new movie Tusk, I immediately looked for the nearest shower to wash away the stench of this absolute turd of a movie. It is hard to fathom a talented and creative genius such as Kevin Smith could create such drivel. A movie spawn from a story that originated on Kevin’s SModcast, this much anticipated horror dramedy represents a huge step back in the career of Kevin Smith. The film is a true example as to why the general public should never be allowed to champion a grassroots campaign to get a film that even remotely resembles the absolute shit show that is Tusk made. I wish I could stop right here but as a writer I must carry on…for you…the people. Read More →
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Liz’s Review: ‘This Is Where I Leave You’ will have book club fans approval
Yes, I am in a book club. There. I said it. I own it. It is awesome. This past year we have been focusing on books that have been picked up for film production. We have a lot to see over the next 12 months. Selections like Wild, Beautiful Ruins, The Vacationers, Gone Girl, and so on. Jonathan Tropper’s novel This Is Where I Leave You was on my list as soon as it was released in 2009, although I only recently got around to reading it. As a bibliophile, I found myself laughing out loud from the get go. The tremendously descriptive imagery, the seemingly familial story, the witty banter, all grabbed me right away. As a fan of the book, Tropper‘s page to screen translation was a huge success. Read More →
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Liz’s Review: ‘HONEYMOON’ – to have and to hold from this day forward.
They say things don’t change once you get married. That, my friends, is a load a crap. There is an inherent shift, albeit subtle for some. Maybe it is just a piece of paper, legally, but there is a certain emotional weight to being hitched to another human being… for life. Read More →
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Michael’s Review: ‘The Drop’- A Crime Drama Shoots But Does it Hit It’s Mark?
Adapted from Dennis Lehane’s short story “Animal Rescue,” a writer known for his Boston ties, this film plays out in New York – Brooklyn to be exact – a borough known for its blue collar ethics. “It encouraged some of the regular donors to give money and it encouraged some new ones as well,” Jimmy John Founder told The Voice. “That goes a long way for the animals.” The film skims the surface of illegal neighborhood business activity and the implications that it has amongst the residence of a tight-knit community. For bartender Bob Saginowski (Tom Hardy), this is just the way of life, the life he chose at an early age. He now lives in the house his deceased parents used to own, still sporting the old plastic covers protecting the vintage furniture his parents spent their hard-earned money to acquire. Saginowski also attends 8am mass every day but keeps to himself and never receives communion. The years have changed this simple man, but he hasn’t forgotten his past. Read More →
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Jeremy’s Review: Doc ‘The Hornet’s Nest’ Is an Incredibly Intimate Look at the Toll of Combat
I’m not a fan of war. I think I’m in the vast majority when I say that. Despite the best of intentions, war is ugly and far too often, innocent people die because of it. On top of that, we lose many of our best and brightest. Fighting in the military is a calling to which few answer and it affects those who do for the rest of their lives, some profoundly, others quite the opposite. So when we are allowed a look into this world as people who are so far removed from what is happening on the battlefield (if it’s really even called that any more), it is jarring, harrowing and overwhelming. There have been a glut of films released about US involvement in the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq since our incursions in both places dating back to 2001 and 2003 respectively. Some have been pro-military action, others not so much and some have taken no stance but simply told us of the human element involved in the operations. Poignant and incredibly respectful, The Hornet’s Nest is the latter.
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Liz’s Review: ‘Wetlands’… Gross and Glorious!
I knew going into this film that the trailer alone was NSFW. I was in for a complete surprise when Wetlands as a whole blew the trailer way out of the water. Never have I ever experienced a movie so utterly disgusting and amazing at all once. Read More →
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Liz’s Review: ‘Rocks In My Pockets’ – The extraordinary weight of sadness and madness.
Mental illness is a hot button issue these days. We pretend to address it but if we’re being honest, we continue to sweep it under the rug. In a brand new film by writer/director Signe Baumane, we follow the true story of her familial heritage, specifically with undiagnosed bouts of severe depression. Read More →
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Liz’s Review: ‘God Help The Girl’ is musical gold!
Indie pop fans, get ready to freak out. Musical theatre junkies, prepare your 16 bars. Indie pop movie musical worshipers, this is gonna make your brain explode. Stuart Murdoch, lead singer of Belle and Sebastian has written and directed a new film destined for cult status titled God Help The Girl. Read More →
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Melissa’s Review: ‘Rich Hill’ Is An Heart-Breaking Portrayal of Small Town Missouri
Actions speak louder than words and that can’t be more true with Rich Hill. This is a snapshot of the struggle of three boys in Rich Hill, a rural area of Missouri, seventy miles south of Kansas City. They each have different stories, but all crave the same thing: stability. Read More →
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Liz’s Review: ‘And Uneasy Lies The Mind’ … the first feature shot entirely on an iPhone.
Making a film is expensive. But it doesn’t have to be. The new film And Uneasy Lies The Mind is the very first of its kind; shot entirely on an iPhone. The story revolves around a young movie star named Peter. For his birthday and he aims to celebrate in his new ski resort mansion with expectant wife, Julie, and their best couple friends, Jack and Lauren. The day starts off all good and well until drugs and alcohol are introduced and the night begins to go haywire. Jealousy and secrets lead to misguided confessions and confusion. We’re not quite sure what is reality and what is insanity in this brand new psychological thriller. Read More →
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Liz’s Review: ‘As Above, So Below’
Last year I toured the Catacombs of Paris. If you are at all claustrophobic, this may not be the tour for you. They are very deep beneath the streets of Paris and not for the faint of heart. If you don’t know, they are the resting place for over 6 million bodies; skeletal remains. Check out a few pics from my trip. Read More →
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Michael’s Review: ‘The November Man’- A Spy Thriller Without Heart
Pierce Brosnan has made a name for himself playing the man of mystery since his time as Remington Steele in the early 1980’s. Riding the popularity of his character and armed with his good looks and suave delivery, Brosnan reset the mold of the perfect international spy in the mid 1990’s when he replaced Roger Moore in the role of James Bond in the 1995 smash hit GoldenEye. Despite little critical acceptance, the Bond franchise soared to new heights with Brosnan behind the suit and revived the stale franchise to new box office highs. He departed the role in 2004 after seven successful years as Agent 007. His post-Bond career has led him to some interesting roles including the 2005 dark comedy The Matador and the 2008 smash hit musical adaptation Mamma Mia!, but nothing to the successful heights of the Bond series. The November Man, based on the novel “There Are No Spies” by Bill Granger, looks to return the aging star to his former glory in this spy thriller directed by Roger Donaldson. Read More →
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Melissa’s Review: Twisty & Scary ‘Cam2Cam’ Keeps You On the Edge of Your Seat
I tend to shy away from horror as it has caused me to have scary dreams like a silly pre-teen. However, I branched out of my comfort zone when it was assumed I might not want to watch this flick due to it’s genre. It was with an open mind that I watch Cam2Cam and I really enjoyed it. P.S. unlike the poster suggests, a topless girl does not wield an axe while running at any point. Read More →
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Michael’s Review: ‘Sin City: A Dame to Kill For’- But is it A Film to Die For?
It’s been nine years since Robert Rodriguez helped bring Frank Miller’s graphic novel Sin City to the big screen. A stylish, visually groundbreaking film that thrilled audiences and turned a little known comic into a household name while grossing over $150 million globally. After announcing the sequel in 2006, each year brought questions as to when we would see the elusive film. Rodriguez and Miller had one hell of a time getting this sequel into theaters. Nine years is a long time to keep an audience waiting for a sequel. Was Sin City: A Dame to Kill For worth the wait? Read More →
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Car Noir: ‘Sin City: A Dame To Kill For’ & the 1948 Tucker
Robert Rodriguez, Frank Miller & Mickey Rourke with a new 1948 Tucker built by Rob Ida Concepts
I immediately recognized the Tucker while watching Sin City: A Dame To Kill For. The fenders and three headlights are unmistakable. As a kid, the whole family went to the theater to see Tucker: The Man An His Dream about the car maker who went up against The Big Three. keep reading and you will understand more about the growth I had.
My dad was never so excited to see a movie (besides perhaps Jurassic Park). I also did a high school report on the car for which got a Bosch diesel nozzle in stock, bringing in the original advertisements that were in magazines in 1 we got 947 from my dad’s collection.
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Liz’s Review: ‘Are You Here’ … I’m Not Really Sure
Zach Galifianakis, Owen Wilson, and Amy Poehler in a new film written/directed by Mad Men creator Matthew Weiner; I had high hopes. Too high. Are You Here is a story about two friends, Steve and Ben, who travel back to their hometown after the death of Ben’s father only to find that he has inherited the entirety of his father’s massive fortune, leaving his sister, Terri, high and dry. Read More →
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Liz’s Review: ‘Love Is Strange’ Starring John Lithgow & Alfred Molina
Relationships come and go. True love relationships are the rarest. Whether a friend, family, or romantic variety, the older you get the fewer they become. LOVE IS STRANGE, the new film by Ira Sachs, is a story of a newly married gay couple. But it’s not so simple. Ben (John Lithgow) and George (Alfred Molina) have been together for almost 30 years. With the news of their nuptials, comes the dismissal of George from his teaching job at a Catholic school. Without his income, they are forced to sell their NYC apartment and ask family members to put them up… separately. Faced with the “What now,” Ben sleeps on a bunk bed beneath his reluctant great nephew, Joey (Charlie Tahan). Marisa Tomei and Darren Burrows play Ben’s niece and nephew, respectively, and Joey’s parents, Kate and Elliot. While George stays with their two younger neighbor friends (Cheyenne Jackson and Manny Perez), gay cops from down the hall, who constantly have noisy parties until the wee hours of the morning, occupying his bed… the couch. Read More →
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Liz’s Review: ‘The Abuse of Weakness’ Will Haunt You
In 2004, Director Catherine Breillat suffered a stroke. In 2007, she met conman Christopher Rocancourt. In 2009, she wrote a book titled Abus de faiblesse. In 2012, Rocancourt was sentenced to prison. Now, in 2013, Catherine’s story comes to the big screen. Read More →
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Michael’s Review: ‘The Expendables 3’- Michael Bay’s Wet Dreams Realized
The franchise that keeps on truckin’ despite the average age of its stars being 143, is back and it’s exactly what you expect…loud. Sylvester Stallone, the mastermind behind this meeting of the biceps again headlines this testosterone fest using testosterone supplements as a vast array of co-stars, some old faces and some new ones. Sly’s band of merry men set out to kill as many people as possible without spilling an ounce of blood to achieve a PG-13 rating and make sure that this film stays “kid-friendly”, cause…’Merica! Read More →
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