Following last week’s ho-hum episode, Game of Thrones returns to form this week with “The Gift.” Sansa’s characterization resumes while Stannis is faced with a tough decision and Cersei’s machinations finally backfire on her. While not everything landed this week—romantic subplots faced something of a nosedive at The Wall and in Meereen—most of the stories managed […]
Following from a Nascent Nolan
While innovative, hugely popular big budget blockbusters are Christopher Nolan’s staple these days, life wasn’t always so glamorous for the English director. Sixteen years ago, Nolan made his foray into feature-length filmmaking with the ultra-low budget (£3,000) Following. This often forgotten gem of an independent film is unquestionably nascent Nolan. Watching Following in the context of his subsequent productions offers a fascinating insight […]
Korra: “The Battle of Zaofu” Review
Let me step back onto my soapbox for a moment. I was extremely pleased with Bolin’s (P.J. Byrne) character in this episode of The Legend of Korra. My editor noticed in last week’s “Enemy at the Gates” that the other characters never condone Bolin’s childish antics (even if they have in the past). I didn’t pick up on it then, […]
Looking Back: The Dark Knight
Six years ago today, one of the most critically acclaimed movies of all time hit theaters. The Dark Knight won over 100 awards when it was released, including academy awards for both sound editing and the late Heath Ledger’s performance. It has remained in the public consciousness since 2008 and is regularly hailed as one of the best […]
Superhero Madness, Part 3: DC
DC has been making waves in the industry these past few weeks. With the revelation that Ben Affleck is playing a Frank Miller-inspired Batman, speculation on the upcoming Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice has run rampant. Will Jason Momoa be playing Aquaman? Is David S. Goyer the absolute worst person to be handling this superhero […]
Dare to Dream of a Better Christopher Nolan
This is a multilayered dreamscape, and you are at its core. You are finished dreaming and would like to regain your consciousness. And in order to ascend, you must get a “kick” to wake up in the next level of the dream world. Under normal circumstances, one can achieve this kick by “dying” – by […]
Film Icons Step Into the Limelight for 2013
2012 was a landmark year in many ways. With the release of The Avengers, The Dark Knight Rises, and The Amazing Spider-Man, the industry saw the true power of the superhero genre as it established itself as the new Hollywood mainstay. Indie comedies like Safety Not Guaranteed and Your Sister’s Sister ruled the underground, while […]
Superheroes Don’t Need to be Antiheroes
I once again find myself at odds with one of Roger Ebert’s Far-Flung Correspondents. Omer Mozaffar recently wrote an article entitled “The Dark Knight Rises, an American genre falls,” which you can read here. I wrote this piece in direct response to Mr. Mozaffar. This was a very astute assessment of the Dark Knight trilogy – Mr. Mozaffar succinctly summarized the […]
Ari’s Most Anticipated Films of 2012
The world isn’t supposed to end until December 2012, right? Plenty of time to go to the movies. Here’s a list of my most anticipated films of 2012: 10. Django Unchained Tarantino’s latest. The film’s a Spaghetti Western revenge plot about a freed slave, but it gets a spot on this list for its cast alone, […]
