Drive is Nicholas Winding Refn’s first return to a crime story since his final installment in the Pusher series, but the director winds up hewing to close to his own conventions to make truly compelling cinema. When I first sat down to watch Drive, I was not entirely sure what I what sort of film […]
Another Earth
On paper, Brit Marling’s Another Earth has an intriguing premise revolving around the possibility of another Earth-like planet suddenly appearing in our sky. This planet is easily within communication distance to our own home world, and the possibilities for a high-concept, low-budget sci-fi film seem endless. Sadly, the film merely implies a lot of squandered potential, a […]
The Case Against Episode I
This article is a direct response to “In Defense of Star Wars: Episode I” by Joey Esposito, which can be found here on IGN. I would like to thank Mr. Esposito for inspiring me to write this op-ed. Before I begin, I would like to make it clear that this op-ed is not an attack on […]
Monsters
Writer/director Gareth Edwards made a big splash in 2010 when he released his first feature-length film Monsters, which he reportedly made for a paltry $500,000. Working with a crew of just seven people that traveled by van around across five countries in only three weeks, Edwards had high ambitions – his mission was to create an authentic romantic […]
Mystery Team
I should start off this review by declaring my undying love for the comedy troupe that is Derrick. I have avidly followed all of their internet shorts, which are hysterical. I also caught, by chance, their impeccable last improv performance at the Upright Citizen’s Brigade Theater in New York. As for their leader, Donald Glover, […]
Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows
I was very excited coming out of the movie theater when I saw the first Sherlock Holmes starring the nearly-always likable Robert Downey, Jr. (Holmes) and Jude Law (Watson). Sure, the movie suffered from a lack of plot direction and overall muddled storyline, but I very much enjoyed the style of the film. While it […]
Winnie the Pooh
Harkening back to the glory days of Disney, in the pre-3D animation era where hand-drawn artistry was revered above all else, comes Winnie the Pooh, a wonderful piece of nostalgic filmmaking that will delight the whole family. The first of many smart choices on Disney’s part came when they decided to maintain the style and […]
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
David Fincher’s The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo is the second film adaptation of the Stieg Larsson novel by the same name. The film follows the story of investigative journalist Mikael Blomkvist (Daniel Craig) and hacker Lisbeth Salander (Rooney Mara), and how they get wrapped up in a tangled web of mystery relating to the dreadfully dysfunctional […]
The Artist
At this point, you’ve probably heard that The Artist is a beautifully conceived tribute to the era of silent filmmaking – but I would like to reiterate this fact because of how well writer/director Michael Hazanavicius pulled off this feat. Dealing with emotional themes like failure, change, loss, and growth, the period setting of The Artist allows for […]
Mission Impossible 4: Ghost Protocol
Mission Impossible 4: Ghost Protocol knows it is an unabashedly silly popcorn flick, and it is with that wherewithal that it pulls off its story and characters so ably. That is not to say the film is without its flaws; rest assured, the film makes more than a few missteps. However, while it is far […]
