One the surface, a movie advertised as an action film starring a female MMA fighter and one time American Gladiator doesn’t exactly raise my anticipation level. But seeing the name Steven Soderbergh attached to the movie changed that. Many moviegoers who are unfamiliar with Soderbergh and who go see “Haywire” strictly due to the movie … Continue reading
REVIEW: “The Artist”
Many modern moviegoers may be tempted to skip a new black and white silent movie. That’s a shame because to do so would be to miss a near motion picture masterpiece that is one part celebration of cinema and another part exercise in masterful storytelling. Michel Hazanavicius wrote and directed this gorgeous film that exudes nostalgia and … Continue reading
REVIEW: “Another Year” (2010)
British director Mike Leigh’s latest project “Another Year” is a classic example of what you get when you create good characters and then just let great actors act. It isn’t a film that depends on an intricate or multi-layered plot, nor does it ever pretend to be something it’s not. In many ways this film … Continue reading
“SUPER 8” – 2 1/2 STARS
“Super 8″ is a film that does so many things right. That’s why it was so disheartening to see it’s numerous flaws which are just too glaring to overlook. Crafted from the collaborative minds of J.J. Abrams and Steven Spielberg, “Super 8″ is a small town sci-fi picture that starts off strong but eventually squanders it’s momentum … Continue reading
REVIEW: “The Tree of Life”
It’s hard to deny that “The Tree of Life”, Terrence Malick’s first film since 2005′s “The New World”, is destined to be a polarizing movie. I’ve seen it called pretentious, self-indulgent, and a muddled exercise in tedium. But I had a much different reaction. I found it to be cinematic poetry. A profound and deeply moving … Continue reading
REVIEW: “THE BEAVER” (2011)
Regardless of your thoughts on Mel Gibson’s real life personal struggles, there is no denying that he can still command the screen. In “The Beaver”, he gives one of the strongest performances of his career in a role that may touch close to home for him. Everything in this film revolves around Gibson and it’s his mesmerizing … Continue reading
