Author Archives: Zac Petrillo

The Americans: COMINT + Trust Me

A rapidly unfolding spy thriller without a clear semblance of stakes and a spine of dynamic relationships without distinguished truth between characters, The Americans continues to be a surprising and challenging entry in cable TV. As numbers hover only a … Continue reading

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Bling Ring Trailer

By the looks of it, what with its long beat editing and key code burn-in, this teaser was culled together rather quickly. My guess is that the comparisons to Harmony Korine’s Spring Breakers will continue to be apparent and the … Continue reading

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The Americans: Ep. 101 – 104

Like so many who were long excited for the show, I recently finished binge watching House of Cards. I’ve been less than compelled to talk about the show, think about the show, much less actually write about the show. And that … Continue reading

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Holy Grail: The State of Nonfiction

[youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=71E_fbTzfFc%5D Lately, a number of people have approached me about a troubling trend in documentary films. Basically, there’s a sense that while documentaries have risen to prominence, so too has a lack of creativity and a somewhat lazy reliance on … Continue reading

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Stoker

The tradition of Southern Gothic literature runs like an avoided shadow along the peripheries of great American art. Unlike, say, the cinema renaissance of the 70s or the Gatsby explosion of the 20s or Pollack and Hemingway’s high brow acceptance … Continue reading

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Final Oscar Predictions 2013

I hoped to post about each category individually, but alas, time and life intervened so I only got through a handful. This has been a crazy awards year. Ultimately, it’s been a positive one for movies because the majority of … Continue reading

Posted in Amour, Ang Lee, Anna Karenina, Argo, Best Animated Feature, Best Cinematography, Best Makeup, Best Original Score, Best Original Song, Best Picture, Best Supporting Actor, Django Unchained, Films, Foreign Films, Les Misérables, Life of Pi, Lincoln, Movies, Oscar Talk, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Oscar Predictions: Best Writing

Best Adapted Screenplay Nominees: Argo, Chris Terrio Lincoln, Tony Kushner Silver Linings Playbook, David O. Russell Life of Pi, David McGee Beasts of the Southern Wild, Benh Zeitlin/Lucy Alibar Two of the tightest races in this year’s Oscars will be … Continue reading

Posted in Amour, Argo, Beasts of the Southern Wild, Films, Life of Pi, Lincoln, Movies, Oscar Talk, Uncategorized, Zero Dark Thirty | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

A Statue for Every Best Picture Winner

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Scott Pilgrim: Panel to Screen

I believe that Scott Pilgrim vs. the World didn’t catch on with audiences because it broke from a carefully programmed formula of what a superhero, comic book, or video game movie is supposed to be. However, those three categories don’t … Continue reading

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The Gatekeepers

Sometimes watching a film on the big screen can make all the difference. I had seen Dror Moreh’s The Gatekeepers in tiny form some time ago and while I didn’t question the film’s emotional capacity, I identified it unfairly as a typical … Continue reading

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