Review: Cowboys & Aliens

‘Cowboys & Aliens’ from the very talented Jon Favreau merges two of my favorite genres, Science Fiction, and Westerns – but does it succeed? Based on a graphic novel by Scott Mitchell Rosenberg, the film opens in the fashion of most typical westerns, a character shrouded in mystery rolls into town. Our stranger is played …

Review: The Future

‘The Future,’ is Miranda July’s follow up to her debut film ‘Me and You and Everyone We Know.’ It tells the story of Sophie (July) and Jason (Hamish Linklater), and their decision to adopt a terminally ill cat named Paw Paw. Their good intentioned decision is to prevent Paw Paw from being euthanized at the …

Review: I Saw the Devil

Revenge may be a dish best served cold, but what if that dish never ultimately satisfies you?  South Korea-import I Saw the Devil, a film centered on a man who believes that closure for the murder of his fiancé can only come by tormenting and torturing her killer, plays with that question in a very …

DVD Review: The Adjustment Bureau

‘The Adjustment Bureau” is writer George Nolfi’s debut feature. Known for his spec screenplay Honor Among Thieves (which was adapted into Oceans Twelve), Nolfi shows strength in this all new Philip K. Dick adaptation. David Norris (Matt Damon), is a young politician running for Senate in New York. Charming, a clear favorite, but haunted by …

Film Review: Super 8

Gone is the time of adventure films like “E.T.” and “The Goonies,” films held close to my heart. To me what is most unique about these films, to borrow and modify a famed expression, are the seemingly ordinary child protaganists, in extraordinary situations. There are two types of kids in movies, kids who act/speak like …

Review: X-Men: First Class

My summer blockbuster viewing began this weekend by taking in X-Men: First Class, a star studded cast of a movie that promised to explain the origin of these mutant superheroes/villains.  I had no expectation for this movie, I barely remember seeing any trailer for it, and this usually helps, as I do not build up …

IFFBoston ’11 Review: Terri

Directed by Azazel Jacobs, ‘Terri’ is the story of its titular character, played by Jacob Wysocki. 15 years old, overweight, dressed in pajamas, Terri feels like an outsider at his high school. Floating on through. He lives with his Uncle James (The Office’s Breed Bratton), who is definitely suffering from an affliction that is never …