Monthly Archives: September 2012

Detropia Trailer and Doc Rants, Rants, Rants

Posted on September 30, 2012 by Zac Petrillo

I started hearing about this film when it had a Kickstarter campaign for distribution funding. From the directors of one of the most terrifying films I’ve ever seen, Jesus Camp, Detropia turns its lens on the abandoned metropolis of Detroit. … Continue reading →

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A Bond Newbie’s Thoughts on 007: Casino Royale

Posted on September 30, 2012 by Zac Petrillo

Short Take: Overall, I’m impressed with my first real venture into the Bond world. While Casino Royale’s storytelling often seemed as disjointed as a hyperactive cat chasing an unraveling ball of yarn, I did always feel engaged. Spies kill. Just … Continue reading →

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A Bond Newbie’s Thoughts on 007: Introduction

Posted on September 30, 2012 by Zac Petrillo

I’ll admit it, I’m a film snob. Get me started on the most over used visual metaphor in cinema being reflective bars that signal emotional imprisonment and we may chat all night. Want to debate whether Pasolini’s handling of Jesus … Continue reading →

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Rare Kindness: The Intouchables

Posted on September 30, 2012 by Zac Petrillo

Like so many contemporary Europeans movies, especially those coming out of France, Olivier Nakache and Eric Toledano’s The Intouchables – France’s 2013 Oscar submission – borrows a typically Hollywood aesthetic. Somehow, even when existing along predictable plot points, fit with … Continue reading →

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Benh Zeitlin’s Short Glory at Sea

Posted on September 22, 2012 by Zac Petrillo

If you’ve seen Benh Zeitlin’s Beasts of the Southern Wild, you know that it announces a rare visionary talent on the independent American film scene. Anchored by two dynamic performances, one being the very best child acting you will see … Continue reading →

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Paul Thomas Anderson & Symmetry

Posted on September 22, 2012 by Zac Petrillo

A nice video essay about Paul Thomas Anderson’s nuanced use of symmetry and mirroring in There Will Be Blood. It’s enough to give you a headache – but it might be worth it – to think about how Anderson continues … Continue reading →

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Promised Land Trailer

Posted on September 22, 2012 by Zac Petrillo

At first glance, Promised Land looks a little like a superficial dramatization of Gasland to me. I hope Van Sant and company make me eat these words as I fully anticipate this could be a gripping drama that makes startling, … Continue reading →

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Errol Morris v. Colbert

Posted on September 21, 2012 by Zac Petrillo

http://www.hulu.com/watch/403693 In anticipation of his newest book, A Wilderness of Error, Errol Morris appeared for a fun exchange with Stephen Colbert on The Colbert Report. Morris is one my favorite filmmakers because of his commitment to using the documentary form as … Continue reading →

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Les Misérables Actors Record Live On Set

Posted on September 21, 2012 by Zac Petrillo

The past decade has been surprisingly fruitful and varied for Hollywood musicals. Rob Marshall’s Chicago kicked off the the trend with a uniquely effective re-imagining of the classic play, fit with fantastic performances and a sublimely integrated plot structure. The … Continue reading →

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Things Masculine: Eyes Wide Shut & The Master

Posted on September 20, 2012 by Zac Petrillo

“If you men only knew.” – Alice Harford, Eyes Wide Shut The initial reaction to The Master has been a bit peculiar. I had expected it to be polarizing – the confrontational nature begs for push back – but nothing … Continue reading →

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