Tag Archives: critical talk

REVIEW: Hugo and The Artist

2011 has shaped up to be a strangely soulful year for cinema. There’s been a few thoughtful blockbusters, a number of small pictures breaking new ground, and this itch viewers (and creators) seem to have for movies about movies. The … Continue reading

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GEMS OF 2011: A Separation

With A Separation, filmmaker Asghar Farhadi throws his storytelling back to a time and style where political statements had to be buried not-so-obviously (a la, say, Mad Men) within the context of a deeply textured, metaphorical plot. Here we get … Continue reading

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REVIEW: The Descendants

Years ago I came across a documentary special about Elephants, the kind of late night viewing that you stumble upon and in your tired stupor become absolutely fascinated by. The one moment that stood out was an extended emotional sequence … Continue reading

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UPDATE: Documentary Feature Shortlist & Predictions

Current Predictions (11-18-11): Pina Bill Cunningham New York We Were Here Buck Project Nim Best Documentary Notes: Well, looks like I was way, way off on my shortlist predictions. The fifteen in the running are below. “Battle for Brooklyn” (RUMER … Continue reading

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REVIEW: We Need to Talk About Kevin

We Need to Talk About Kevin appears under the guise of an emotional view of what makes a school shooter exist. This assessment couldn’t be further from the truth. In fact, reports that the film follows a mother’s journey into … Continue reading

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Leo’s to Lose

Early reviews for Clint Eastwood’s J. Edgar have been tepid at best. Not too surprising considering Eastwood, outside of a few recent efforts, has been churning out increasingly difficult, if often uneven, work. Scott Feinberg at Hollywood Reporter said, “My … Continue reading

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REVIEW: Martha Marcy May Marlene

Centuries of storytelling have standardized our expectations towards the realm of realism. This doesn’t presume naturalism or raw gritty life as we know it, surely there are thousands of fantasy pieces out there. But the moment to moment standard our … Continue reading

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Into the Abyss Trailer

Early word on Herzog’s new film, Into the Abyss, is that it’s earth shattering in it’s human, straight-forward emotion. This moving trailer makes the film look like a must-see. Not sure if this one will be eligible for the doc … Continue reading

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UPDATED: Best Documentary Feature Predictions

Current Predictions (10-27-11): The Interrupters Tabloid Project Nim Cave of Forgotten Dreams Pina Best Documentary Notes: The recent Cinema Eye Non-Fiction nominations along with news that George Harrison: Living in a Material world will likely not be eligible, shakes this … Continue reading

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Shame goes NC-17

Certainly not the most surprising news, Steve McQueen’s upcoming film, Shame, has been slapped with an NC-17 rating by the MPAA. Now that I’ve seen Tomas Alfreson’s masterful Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy, Shame is the upcoming release that makes me … Continue reading

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