I have previously griped about the “based on a true story” label as well as those films that posit themselves as inherently important. It is not that I believe that all films with some factual base are lesser, or that a film with a current or “take notice” message is any way not worth your …
The blockbuster season got you hating on English-language films? I get it. August tends to be filled with some pretty lackluster fare. That’s where Foreign Friday comes in, offering up a smattering of international cinema to break up the monotony. Ask a little bit more of yourself and read some subtitles. No swords or blood …
It’s hard to imagine a time when superhero films weren’t as ubiquitous as they are now. Back when Superman and Batman were basically the only game in town, and even then, decades would pass devoid of new film releases. Alas, we now live in a different time, where millions of people who have never bothered …
They say that absence makes the heart grow fonder, so you guys must be in love with Foreign Friday. After a couple weeks devoid of repertory foreign film writing (although we did talk about a couple new foreign releases last week), we are back to address your international appetites. With our return we head to …
Elysium opens in wide release today August 9th. Sometimes film fans are our own worst enemy. We find something that we really like and latch onto it. Even better if it’s coming from someone new and is little known, because there is no denying that hibernating hipster that undoubtedly resides deep within all of us. …
We live at a time where teenagers in cinema are portrayed in a few very distinct ways: you have fantasy-filled “vampire” movies, highly stylized “High School Musical”-type movies, and high school sex comedies in the vein of “American Pie.” While I’m not looking to make a commentary on the quality of these films, they typically …
For a film to entertain can be tough. You aren’t going to reach everyone, but at the very least you can make something that will tickle the fancy of a good chunk of the population. So when a film sets out to not only entertain but also educate, it is taking on an entirely new …
It’s starting to look like 2013 might be the year for Michael Cera to prove that he has more to offer than his typical awkward ways. With his work on the YouTube channel JASH, a coke-filled turn in This Is The End and a decidedly more adult George Maharis (née Michael) on the fourth season …
Some films get lost in the fact that they are important. Handling difficult situations and presenting stories that possess a need to be told. Their messages are overt and often force the audience to acknowledge things that they either have no awareness of or would rather not discuss. Unfortunately many of these films descend into …
It feels somewhat surreal to write a review for R.I.P.D. Fans of the source material, the Dark Horse comic book, have assuredly been watching the production news with anticipation. Then we were served up the first bits of marketing. Buzz quickly dissipated. The trailer failed to rile excitement and the general consensus was that it …