Category Archives: Reviews

(This post began as a continuation of the previous one, hence the oh-so-eloquent flow, or rather, the reference to something not included in this same entry.) It shouldn’t actually come as much of a surprise that the best film so far critiquing the current state of the world and particularly our country’s involvement in theContinue reading “NY FILM FESTIVAL: THE HOST — MUCH MORE THAN JUST A MONSTER MOVIE”

(This post began as a continuation of the previous one, hence the oh-so-eloquent flow, or rather, the reference to something not included in this same entry.) Even as difficult as it is for me to say that I liked or disliked Inland Empire, it is quite simple for me to shout hosannas expressing my immenseContinue reading “NY FILM FESTIVAL: PAN’S LABYRINTH — MAGICAL REALISM MIXED WITH RATIONAL FANTASY FOR A MAGNIFICENT CONCOCTION AND ONE OF THE BEST FILMS OF THE YEAR”

I still don’t believe I can write much about David Lynch’s Inland Empire, a nearly three-hour long smorgasbord of image and sound that to the linear-minded will prove completely incomprehensible. Any semblance of conventional storytelling or character development has been thrown not just out the window, but from the 90th story of a really tallContinue reading “NY FILM FESTIVAL: INLAND EMPIRE — THIS IS YOUR BRAIN ON DAVID LYNCH”

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”

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”