More detailed reviews will be coming later today and this weekend, but in the limited amount of time I have before another day of multiple press screenings, I couldn’t let this weekend arrive without taking note of the multitude of riches available to filmgoers this weekend. The major release today is the latest film fromContinue reading “THE WEEKEND AHEAD: MUST-SEE DEPARTED, LIFE EXPERIENCE WITH 49 UP AND MORE NEW YORK FILM FESTIVAL”
Category Archives: Film
SHORTBUS: HOP ON BOARD FOR A MOVING AND EMOTIONAL RIDE (YES, “RIDE” … I KNOW)
“Shocking” is one word that will likely appear time and again as people describe and critique Shortbus, the new film from John Cameron Mitchell, who after creating a smash Off-Broadway musical hit with Hedwig and the Angry Inch, reinvented the show for a virtually flawless film adaptation as his movie-making debut. With Shortbus, Mitchell decidesContinue reading “SHORTBUS: HOP ON BOARD FOR A MOVING AND EMOTIONAL RIDE (YES, “RIDE” … I KNOW)”
NY FILM FESTIVAL: LITTLE CHILDREN — PROVING THAT AN UNSUCCESSFUL ADAPTATION CAN STILL BE A MILDLY SUCCESSFUL FILM
If you pick-up the St. Martin’s Griffin edition of Tom Perrotta’s novel “Little Children”, you’ll find that the very last page contains a “Reading Group Guide.” The very first suggested discussion topic reads as follows: Is Little Children an appropriate or deceptive title for this novel? Can you think of the different ways the phraseContinue reading “NY FILM FESTIVAL: LITTLE CHILDREN — PROVING THAT AN UNSUCCESSFUL ADAPTATION CAN STILL BE A MILDLY SUCCESSFUL FILM”
NY FILM FESTIVAL: THE QUEEN — FREARS, MIRREN AND CO. TURN THE POTENTIALLY TEDIOUS INTO THE VIRTUALLY MAJESTIC
I’m actually not so sure why I’m so surprised to have walked out of The Queen singing its praises. Certainly Helen Mirren qualifies as someone who could mesmerize while reading the proverbial phone book; I’ve long been a fan of Stephen Frears; and looking back, the opening night selections for the New York Film FestivalContinue reading “NY FILM FESTIVAL: THE QUEEN — FREARS, MIRREN AND CO. TURN THE POTENTIALLY TEDIOUS INTO THE VIRTUALLY MAJESTIC”
D-DAY: THERE’S TROUBLE THAT STARTS WITH T, WHICH RHYMES WITH D AND THAT STANDS FOR DAHLIA
This is not a review of The Black Dahlia. It can’t be. I haven’t seen it yet. But as my faithful reader or two know, I’ve been almost as obsessed with this movie to the same degree as Bucky Bleichert and Lee Blanchard become consumed with learning about the poor, late Betty Short. The reasonContinue reading “D-DAY: THERE’S TROUBLE THAT STARTS WITH T, WHICH RHYMES WITH D AND THAT STANDS FOR DAHLIA“
MORE THIS FILM: SIGN THE PETITION
In my enthusiasm yesterday writing about This Film Is Not Yet Rated, I completely forgot to mention the petition. It’s on the film’s website, and it’s a petition for the MPAA not to do away with its rating system or eevn remove itself from the process, but simply to make some fundamental and important chancesContinue reading “MORE THIS FILM: SIGN THE PETITION”
THIS FILM IS NOT YET RATED: EXCEPT BY ME — I GIVE IT AN A++
There are plenty of reasons I expected to enjoy Kirby Dick‘s latest documentary This Film Is Not Yet Rated: an “inside baseball” look at the film industry; an investigation of one of the industry’s most controversial and secretive organizations; a look at why the Motion Picture Association of America ratings always seem so inconsistent …Continue reading “THIS FILM IS NOT YET RATED: EXCEPT BY ME — I GIVE IT AN A++”
SHERRYBABY: GYLLENHALL SHINES AGAINST A MATTE BACKGROUND
Not long into watching Laurie Collyer’s film Sherrybaby, I began to experience a brief moment of deja vu. Why, it was only two years ago that another film about a woman who struggles with drug addiction and taking care of her children premiered and made a splash at Sundance just as Sherrybaby did this pastContinue reading “SHERRYBABY: GYLLENHALL SHINES AGAINST A MATTE BACKGROUND”
PAPER DOLLS: SEEING IS BELIEVING BUT NOT COMPLETELY COMPELLING
It’s so easy to fall behind, as I’ve managed to do thanks to a very busy couple of days. Last week, I went to a screening of Paper Dolls, an intriguing documentary which opened Wednesday at Film Forum for a two week run. I say intriguing, but I don’t know that I can truly endorseContinue reading “PAPER DOLLS: SEEING IS BELIEVING BUT NOT COMPLETELY COMPELLING”
WAITING FOR DAHLIA: EARLY REVIEWS ARE ON THE FENCE
So once or twice (or three times, I guess), I’ve had a little something to say about The Black Dahlia which opens a week from this Friday and my enormous amounts of both anticipation and dread for its arrival: I hope it will be amazing; I fear that it will suck. I don’t need toContinue reading “WAITING FOR DAHLIA: EARLY REVIEWS ARE ON THE FENCE”
Out of Focus 