January 2012
2 posts
3 tags
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy - Movie Review
Grade: C
Tomas Alfredson’s film adaptation of Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy is so indubitably intricate and complex, that only those willing to engross themselves in the film will find any sort of gratification. While Tinker is stunningly a visual chef-d’oeu·vre, its convoluted attempt to compress a thrilling and extensive tale of espionage falls more into a category of the insipid.
...
2 tags
The Iron Lady - Movie Review
Grade: B+
Underneath the surface of the disorganized direction of Mamma Mia director Phyllida LLoyd, The Iron Lady is a riveting film that tells a superb tale of femininity and universal independence. Meryl Streep’s portrayal as Britain’s controversial leader is emotionally adept and so masterfully complex that it conveys Margaret Thatcher as an uncompromising force while giving her a...
December 2011
6 posts
3 tags
War Horse - Movie Review
Grade: B-
The father of high budget and gaudy blockbusters has returned with a film that just screams Oscar bait. Predictably Spielberg, War Horse boasts an epic blockbuster with stunning cinematography, a sense of passion, and overall a heartfelt period piece. But although the film is perfectly coherent in its emphasis on sentimental value, it unfortunately, remains content with its soundness...
3 tags
The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo - Movie Review
Grade: A-
The questionable effort to craft a film adaptation of Stieg Larson’s The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo - a novel that has already requited a film a mere two years ago - may be deemed redundant. But with that set aside, director David Fincher’s English-language version proves why he is one of the most diverse and adept filmmakers alive. Although it suffers from the same bland...
3 tags
The Descendants - Movie Review
Grade: B
Looking back at the critical success of films such as Ordinary People - a film that upset Raging Bull about a family’s reaction to their son’s death - and Kramer vs Kramer - a Maryl Streep and Dustin Hoffman acted film about a couple’s divorce - American cinema has undoubtedly been infatuated and touched by contemporary tragedies. Alexander Payne’s follow up to...
3 tags
Young Adult - Movie Review
Grade: B
Suffering from a misleading marketing campaign, Young Adult - the second collaboration between Juno director Jason Reitman and writer Diablo Cody - is considerably more philosophical than its advertised raunchiness. But with that said, the true direction that this film takes results in a work that is surprisingly, a substantial character study led by a powerhouse acting force. While the...
3 tags
The Artist - Movie Review
Grade: B+
Director Michel Hazanavicius’s The Artist exhibits that the influence of the golden age and silent era of film still bides in the minds of contemporary film makers. This silent romance easily blends a film that is part Chaplin, and arguably, part Singing In The Rain. With what what seems like an endeavor - bringing a dated genre to a modern generation - the film effortlessly...
5 tags
Hugo - Quick Movie Review
Grade: A-
Hugo is Martin Scorcesse’s love letter to film as it undoubtedly showcases his adoration and reverence to the enchanting nature of the art. Relative to other acclaimed directors: just as Francois Truffaut encapsulated the essence of filmmaking in La Nuite Americaine, Scorcesse has romanticized the chronicles of film within Hugo, arguably a contemporary accomplishment.
Note that...
November 2011
3 posts
3 tags
We Need To Talk About Kevin - Movie Review
Grade: B+
In usual instances, films deriving from arthouse tend to saturate style. Resulting in the film sacrificing its overall integrity by subsequently losing its emotional meaning. Contrary to this opinion, in the case of Lynne’s Ramsay’s We Need To Talk About Kevin, style is punctuated but is undoubtedly ignored as it is overshadowed by unquestionably the most...
My Week With Marilyn - Movie Review
Grade C+
On paper, a biopic displaying the insecurities of Marilyn Monroe would ensue a solid and intriguing character study. Led by a solid independent actress, Michelle Williams, it would appear as if Simon Curtis’s My Week With Marilyn had a winning combination. Unfortunately, even with a solid premise and an award-worthy portrayal, Marilyn proves that a blemished script can undermine...
2 tags
J. Edgar - Exclusive Screening Review
Grade: B
Challenged with an inclusive premise that encapsulates the career and personal life of one of America’s most controversial figures, it takes a skilled collaboration to handle the subject with ease. In the case of the biopic J. Edgar, legendary director Clint Eastwood teams with screenwriter Dustin Lance Black (recently known for Milk), to craft a film that is technically...
October 2011
1 post
2 tags
Ides of March - Movie Review
Grade: C+
Politicians are despicable and dishonest. Power corrupts. If these hackneyed truisms are not already indoctrinated enough, George Clooney’s speculated “tour de force,” falls flat by giving exposure to an idea already explored through past works. The Ides of March - directed, written, and produced by George Clooney - is a political piece that displays exceptional...
3 tags
50/50 - Movie Review
Grade: B+
And so we find another film following the steps of films such as “Juno,” using a lighthearted approach to an unequivocally mature topic. Johnathon Levine’s (The Wackness) 50/50 - a la’ Jason Reitman - attempts to create a comedy out of a common real-life concern. In this case, the film focuses on the biggest apprehension of all, death; Surprisingly,...
September 2011
3 posts
3 tags
Drive - Movie Review
GRADE: A
Thirty-five years ago Martin Scorsese’s Taxi Driver defined violence’s potential to be art, in a film that fundamentally presented an uncompromised portrait of the dark side of American life. Present day, this influence can be unequivocally seen in the Nicolas Winding Refn’s Drive, a film that gained directing honors from the recent Cannes Film Festival. While it can...
1 tag
Contagion - Film Review
Grade: C+
Proven by many films in the past: a great acting ensemble and direction usually can make any writing material - no matter how recycled it may seem - appear fresh. With Oscar season slowly amidts, director Steven Soderbergh (Ocean’s Eleven) gathers an all-star cast of Academy Award winners (Marion Cotillard, Matt Damon, Gwyneth Paltrow and Kate Winslet) and nominees (Laurence...
August 2011
1 post
2 tags
Captain America: The First Avenger - Film Review
Grade: C+
Establishing the final building block to the imminent Avengers film, Marvel releases yet another superhero in this abundant blockbuster summer of Thor, X-Men First Class, and Green Lantern. This time director Joe Johnston (Jurassic Park 3, October Sky) is bringing a retro vibe to the saturated genre with Captain America: The First Avenger. While the film undoubtedly brings the usual...
June 2011
3 posts
2 tags
Super 8 - Film Review
Grade: B-
Thirty-six years after Steven Spielberg indirectly commenced the trend of the “summer blockbuster” with Jaws, the director/producer teams up with JJ Abrams (Star Trek) to craft Super 8. But do not let the fact that this is a JJ Abrams directed film fool you, this is as Spielberg-influenced as a film can get. From the outlandish action scenes to the unraveling plot...
2 tags
LA NOIRE - Video Game Review
GRADE: C
Rockstar Games knows how to stand out from the crowd within the video game industry. From the complexly presented open worlds in the Grand Theft Auto series, to the enriched gameplay and story of Red Dead Redemption, the company undoubtedly breaks the mold of development with every game it releases and publishes.
Continuing that ambition, Team Bondi,...
2 tags
Tree of Life - Film Review
Grade: C
“Ambitious” is the primary word that describes Terrence Mallick’s film The Tree of Life. But like the film itself, that facet of ambition can be misconstrued as a work of genius or the result of an artistically pompous director. Obscurity is pushed to the limit as Mallick crafts an exploration of life that will undoubtedly create a split audience. One can interpret it...
May 2011
1 post
2 tags
Midnight In Paris - Film Review
Grade: A-
The Golden Age is a period of great peace and happiness, an ideal era that is ultimately self-labelled by the subjective minded individual. Woody Allen takes this farcical notion and expands it through the enchanting backdrop of France intertwining it with somewhat of magical storytelling. By doing so, he illustrates the futility of this “Golden Age” belief. With the...
April 2011
1 post
3 tags
Hanna - Movie Review
Grade: B
With the fast-paced action flick Hanna, director Joe Wright (Atonement, Pride and Prejudice) strays away from the emotional dramatic genre where he undoubtedly thrives in. But without losing his art film credentials, Wright crafts an action film that attempts to merge both elements of blockbuster and art. From the Nouvelle Vague-esque title opener, it is obvious that Hanna strives to...
March 2011
2 posts
3 tags
Win Win - Movie Review
GRADE: B
Thomas Mccarthy’s Win Win achieves a somewhat tour de force trait for a comedy, creating a laughable film with characters the audience truly cares about. This Sundance favorite tells the story of lawyer and part-time wrestling coach Mike Flaherty (Paul Giamatti) who is dealt with a struggling firm and a hopeless wrestling team. To make some extra cash to support his family, he...
2 tags
Jane Eyre - Movie Review
GRADE: A-
From the introductory sequences of director Cary Fukunga’s Jane Eyre, it is obvious that the adaptation would lead towards emphasizing the Gothic elements of Charlotte Bronte’s original novel. The film opens, the audience sees 18-year old Jane Eyre running into the country in a directionless path. While context is absent within the opening segment, this so-far meaningless...
February 2011
1 post
Oscar Nominated Live Action Shorts 2011 - Reviews
While many presume that the Oscar categories for short films are reserved solely for self-labeled movie highbrows, this mixbag of films range from the laughably pretentious to the surprisingly fresh. This mistakingly overlooked category is an interesting collection of international film that awards the lesser known filmmaker; and while many of them are wholly underwhelming, there are several...
January 2011
3 posts
2 tags
Nowhere Boy - Movie Review
Grade: C+
From Nowhere Boy’s chic Elvis backed introduction, we see a young John Lennon who is informed by his principal that “…you’ll be lucky to find a job…because you’re going nowhere.” The defiant Lennon gives a lighthearted sinister smirk, and replies, “Is ‘nowhere’ full of geniuses sir? Because then I probably do belong...
3 tags
The Way Back - Movie Review
Grade: C
If an epic comprises of too many repetitive details, it would be best to keep it short and to the point. These were the thoughts that went through my head when watching Peter Weir’s The Way Back. With that said, by no means is this film lackluster, the cast is strong and the plot fascinating; But it is a disappointment that this compeller of a story is only half of the epic that...
4 tags
Rabbit Hole - Movie Review
Grade: C
Director David Lindsay-Mitchell’s Rabbit Hole is an example of poetry in action. To further this analogy, the film conveys the reality of emotion and heartbreak in a manner that is both abstract and relatable. While this emotion surely resonates from the stellar performance by Nicole Kidman, there is an utter lack of inspiration or purpose to give the film any sort of a...
December 2010
4 posts
4 tags
True Grit - Movie Review
GRADE: B
Underneath the drawn out tension of the Coen’s Brothers remake True Grit, is a subtle and lighthearted emotion led by the break out performance of Hailee Steinfeld. If you are expecting the eccentric storytelling and essential rawness seen in Fargo or No Country For Old Men, True Grit is ultimately uninspiring. But in this effort, the Coen brothers smooth out their usual sharp...
5 tags
The Fighter - Movie Review
Grade: B+
With films such as Rocky or Raging Bull, it would seem as if that boxing-based movies would be a died out and worn out genre. While I will not say director David Russell’s The Fighter brings a new aspect to the table, his film extensively brings out the talent of its actors overshadowing the ensemble of other 2010 favorite Inception. The Fighter is a well-directed and captivating...
4 tags
The King's Speech Movie Review
GRADE: A-
I admit it, I usually commence my movie reviews with a pretentious introduction that most people will stop reading after the second sentence. Film snobbery set aside, let me say this in a simple statement: Tom Hooper’s The King’s Speech is in my opinion the best film of 2010.
Director Tom Hooper’s (known for John Adams) The King’s Speech is a British period...
5 tags
Black Swan - Movie Review
GRADE: C+
Coming from a successful award circuit with The Wrestler - which consequently restarted Mickey Rourke’s acting career - director Darren Aronofsky returns with the ballet-based psychological thriller Black Swan. Following in the footsteps of Aronofsky’s previous films (Pi, Requiem For A Dream), Black Swan is a dark psychological nightmare with...
November 2010
3 posts
4 tags
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 -...
Grade: C-
It is genuinely difficult to evaluate only half of a movie; How can one fully know what to think of a movie when there is practically no ending? This is the same notion I had after watching Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows Part 1. While some directors (i.e Quentin Tarantino’s Kill Bill Series) have succeeded in filming parts by making arguably standalone films, director David...
3 tags
127 Hours Movie Review
Grade: B
127 Hours is a horrific yet uplifting film that depicts the fragility of the “one-man army” mindset of human and how the possession of valiance can overcome personal flaws. Coming from an award winning Slumdog Millionaire, director Danny Boyle returns with a film based on the true story of Aron Ralston, a mountain climber who was forced to amputate his arm after his arm...
3 tags
Winter's Bone Quick Review
Grade: B-
Director Debra Granik’s Winter’s Bone is a film that emerges its audiences into a culture that has been acknowledged by many, but never have been truly experienced. Winter’s Bone is a film adaptation of Daniel Woodrell’s novel of the same name. It depicts the story of a 17-year-old Ree Dolly (Jennifer Lawrence) who is dealt with the hardship of the position of...
October 2010
1 post
5 tags
The Social Network Movie Review
Grade: A
The Social Network is not simply a movie, but an experience of eclectic elements of great film-making. Director Dave Fincher and writer Aaron Sorkin’s depiction of the roots of social networking site Facebook is an engrossing film that not only defines the current technology-based generation, but sets film standards of brilliant writing and film structure.
Fincher and...
September 2010
2 posts
5 tags
Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps Movie Review
Grade: C-
In a decade where franchise reboots are of the norm, Oliver Stone brings back his eighties dog-eat-dog film in a perfect time corresponding with present-day economic turmoil. With his sequel Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps, Stone delivers a solid and entertaining film, even though it is not quite sure which direction it wants to take.
Money Never Sleeps is set two decades after the...
4 tags
Never Let Me Go Movie Review
Grade: A-
SPOILER: There is supposedly a “spoiler” that many are displeased when reading about. I do not know why because it’s revealed 15 minutes into the story. So this is the warning.
Creating a haunting yet provocative science fiction piece of art, director Mark Romenek creates a film that will consume its audience with heartbreak and despair. Never Let Me Go is a film...
August 2010
2 posts
3 tags
Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World - Movie Review
Grade: B-
Whenever Michael Cera is in a movie, there is always a connection between the Independent world and mainstream media. In other words, Cera usually stars in movies with an “Indie” theme but is geared towards the general audience (i.e Nick And Norah, Juno). In this case, Edgard Wright’s (Shaun Of The Dead, Hot Fuzz) Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World explores the world of...
5 tags
Summer Movie Guide
Summer is the time of the year where most of the films released are huge blockbusters, with outlandish budgets and CGI. I do not particularly like the fact that 2010 has been the year of the 3D movie, because the quality of film have obviously been diminishing. But alas, I still find myself going to the movies and paying eight dollars to fill my Summer weekdays. Since I do not particularly have...
July 2010
1 post
3 tags
Greenberg - Movie Review
Grade: B
In an evident time of depression, several modern Independent filmmakers have focused on the lowliness and deadbeats of society. Noah Baumbach’s exceptional Greenberg focuses on a 40 year old one time musician (Ben Stiller) who has just been released from a mental hospital. When attempting to adjust to society, he faces a living that honestly emulates the emotion of present day...
June 2010
1 post
4 tags
Exit Through The Gift Shop - Movie Review
Grade: B+
At times when watching a monotonous documentary, there are feelings as though I was placed in a relatively interesting history class. In other words, while many documentaries have some appeal to them, a lot of them lean towards the “let’s lecture the audience” motive instead of actually creating an entertaining experience. Exit Through The Gift Shop breaks this...
May 2010
2 posts
Nine - Movie Review
Grade: C-
A film’s stylistic vision is perhaps the aspect of film that I most personally adore. But although a film may employ all of the chic characteristics possible, it is completely futile if it possesses a lack of plot. Unfortunately, this is ultimately the importune description of Rob Marshall’s(Chicago, Memoirs of a Geisha) Nine.
Nine is a story of a director, Guido...
2 tags
The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus - Movie Review
Grade: C+
Following the unfortunate death of Heath Ledger, the gifted actor gained prominent recognition as he received an Academy Award for his performance in The Dark Knight. Although Ledger acquired much-deserved fame, it astonishes me that his final movie, The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus gained little attention derived from North American audiences. With its lack of consideration, the...
April 2010
6 posts
2 tags
Goliath - Tidbit Movie Review
Goliath is a cult movie that I just do not understand how any hipster-esque individual could even more than slightly enjoy. Originally premiering at Sundance in 2008, Goliath is the story of a divorced man on the search for his cat. While this is the main premise of the film, it also shows a man bitterly disillusioned as he possesses a mediocre job and confusion of ‘what went wrong’...
3 tags
The Lovely Bones - Movie Review
Whether or not it may be positive or negative, Peter Jackson will be remembered as one most prominent directors of the 21st century - I am not of course discounting his work in 1990’s Heavenly Creatures. After directing perhaps an unsurpassed trilogy of Tolkien’s Lord Of The Rings, Jackson once again attempts to recreate literature, but now approaches a work that is more contemporary...
3 tags
The Cove - Quick Movie Review
In a truthful manner, I am not an individual who situates his attention on animal rights and or cruelty. I am however, pliable to a well-done documentary that may or may not change my position on a controversial subject. The Cove is a 2009 documentary film directed by Louie Psihoyos, that documents the annual slaughter of dolphins in Wakayama Japan. A fraction of the movie plays like a common...
6 tags
Date Night - Quick Movie Review
Perhaps the most prominent comedic figures on television, 30 Rock’s Tina Fey and The Office’s Steve Carell collaborate with Shawn Levy (Night at The Museum) in Date Night. First off, a movie such as Date Night does not possess a goal to make a cerebral and qualitative experience; instead it aims its course to create endless laughs utilizing elements such as “slapstick...
Coco Before Chanel - Tidbit Movie Review
Coco Before Chanel possessed the ability to match other famous French Biopic La Vie En Rose, with Audrey Tautou in the cast and a subject of one of the most prominent figures in the fashion industry. Sadly, it never becomes a great film as it only focuses on one part of Chanel’s life, which eventually becomes tedious after the audience realizes the emptiness of the film. The aspect the...
Sherlock Holmes - Quick Movie Review
When it comes to big blockbusters, I generally dislike movies that fall into this category because they simply lack any cerebral characteristic. Surprisingly, Guy Ritchie’s Sherlock Holmes is dissimilar to my tendency of aversion of big budget films. Contrary to what I just stated, Sherlock Holmes is undoubtedly not a thoughtful film. But unlike other films in my categorical standards,...
March 2010
9 posts
Fantastic Mr. Fox - Quick Review
Wes Anderson’s Fantastic Mr. Fox is a perfect example of what an animated movie should be: fun for all movie audiences and short enough to get the moviewatcher’s entire attention. This film is said to be second to Up in terms of 2009 animated movies, and I have to agree wholeheartedly. It is one and half hours of great fun.
Fantastic Mr Fox is Anderson’s(The Royal...