There’s just something about British drama that puts its American counterpart to shame. There’s a subtlety to it, a sense of quiet tension, that places it leaps and bounds above many of the films being made here on this side of the pond. A terrific example of this phenomenon is Wreckers. Written and directed by…
Entertainment news round-up for Oct. 24
Time Warner Cable has made a deal to carry Al Jazeera America, significantly expanding the audience of the cable news network backed by the Qatar government. TW Cable will add the channel for basic digital cable subscribers in New York, L.A. and Dallas within the next six months, with further expansion to follow. “We said…
Critic finds ‘33 Postcards’ falls short in length, material
As a fan of tight, quick, succinct filmmaking, I rarely accuse a movie of being too short. In the case of 33 Postcards, however, I can’t help but blame its skimpy length for the bulk of its problems. Directed by Pauline Chan, it’s a slight, sappy drama that feels too unfinished to pack much of a punch.
Short film round-up
One of the highlights of this year’s No Budget Film Festival was Andrew Crabtree’s Planning Ahead, which won the festival’s Critic’s Choice Award. A sweetly acerbic little tale, it stars Emma Fasler and Bill Daddario as an engaged couple struggling to plan their wedding without losing their minds. In a mere seven minutes, Crabtree sends his…
Critic unimpressed by festival film ‘Ex-Girlfriends’
Ex-Girlfriends is not a very good movie. It’s also not a very original movie, borrowing a little too heavily from the likes of Woody Allen and Whit Stillman to feel like a film of its own. Nevertheless, it’s a mildly entertaining little diversion that strikes a few honest chords. Written and directed by Alexander Poe,…
Critic perplexed by classic animated film
I’m not entirely sure why I enjoyed The Last Unicorn so much as a child. Then again, I can’t really say I dislike it now. What I can say, however, is that it is one of the strangest animated films I’ve ever seen. Released in 1982 and adapted from Peter S. Beagle’s 1968 novel of…
Entertainment news round-up for Oct. 17
Meryl Streep will receive the Eugene O’Neill Theater Center’s annual Monte Cristo award, given each year to an individual singled out for their contributions to the theater. The award will be presented at an April 21 ceremony in New York City. Past recipients include Michael Douglas, Christopher Plummer, Kevin Spacey and Brian Dennehy. For more information…
Entertainment news round-up for Oct. 16
Lost creator Damon Lindelof has decided to deactivate his Twitter account. Lindelof was an previously highly active on the social media site and was one of the first film and television producers to use it as a way of communicating with fans. However, many viewers used the site as a way of criticizing his work. His…
Entertainment news round-up for Oct. 11
Idaho residents will not be able to see Cannes Palme d’Or winner Blue is the Warmest Color due to the state’s obscenity laws. The Flicks, the only arthouse theatre in the area, has declined to screen the NC-17 rated film, which violates Idaho Code 23-614. The law prohibits any acts of simulated sex, as well as any…
‘Waking Ned Devine’ is a modern classic
It may be slightly premature to call Waking Ned Devine a classic – after all, it was released in 1998 – but I’m reasonably certain that it will stand the test of time. Written and directed by Kirk Jones, it’s a sweet, simple comedy with plenty of heart and just enough bite. The film is…
Entertainment news round-up for Oct. 9
Disney has decided to close Pixar Canada, which operates out of Vancouver. The shutdown will eliminate 100 jobs. “The team at Pixar Canada is incredibly talented and we are so proud of the excellent work we have produced there,” a Pixar spokesman said in a statement on Tuesday. “However, as we look at the creative…
Feast on the puns of ‘Cloudy With A Chance of Meatballs 2’
The best thing about Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2 is that it’s a kid’s movie. That’s not to say it isn’t clever or sophisticated – on the contrary, it’s one of the smartest animated films I’ve seen in a while.
What it isn’t, however, is a movie that tries to be any more mature than it has to be, and the result is wonderfully refreshing.
Whedon’s ‘Much Ado About Nothing’ brings new life to classic play
Shakespeare purists may not be too fond of Joss Whedon’s Much Ado About Nothing. It’s not that it’s unfaithful to the original text, per se – on the contrary, the integrity of the script itself is well maintained, save for a few minor changes – it’s just that the presentation of said text is quite a bit more relaxed than is often the case with such elevated, archaic language. For the open-minded, however, the film is an undeniable triumph.
Entertainment news round-up for Oct. 2
Paramount Pictures has announced its plan to lay off 110 employees, or about 5% of its workforce. The cuts will mainly effect those in the finance, human resources, information technology, international home media distribution, legal and marketing departments. “As our industry continues to adapt to an increasingly competitive environment, we are always ensuring that Paramount is…
Critic applauds ‘Iron Man 3’ for its depth
Perhaps the best thing about Marvel’s recent lineup of Avengers films is that they’re not afraid to go dark. Iron Man 3 is no exception. Directed by Shane Black, it’s a slick, sharp, quirky movie that packs an exhilarating punch. The film finds “Tony Stark” (Robert Downey Jr.) in the midst of what seems like…
Entertainment news round-up for Oct. 3
Forest Whitaker will receive the annual actor tribute at the Independent Film Project’s 2013 Gotham Awards. Whitaker joins a list of tributees that already includes Richard Linklater for directing and Katherine Oliver, commissioner of the New York City mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment, for contributions to the industry. The awards will be presented on…
Joseph Gordon-Levitt makes excellent writing, directing debut
Don Jon is probably not the movie you think it is. It certainly wasn’t what I expected, which was a raunchy, laugh-a-minute comedy with a dash of heart and brains.
What I got was something far better: one of the sweetest, smartest, and most honest movies of the year.
Critic moved by modern classic ‘Once’
Once is a classic example of a “little movie that could”: a tiny, micro-budget film that somehow managed to rocket to classic status in an instant. It’s even been adapted into a Tony Award-winning Broadway musical, which isn’t so much an indication of its quality as it is a sign of its incredible popularity. Thankfully, though, it more than lives up to the hype.
Critic finds ‘The Purge’ less than thrilling
Generally speaking, I’m fond of plot twists in movies – particularly those I can’t see coming. What’s less pleasing is when the twist is followed by another twist that jerks the plot back to where it was expected to go in the first place. In The Purge, that happens at least three times. Written and directed by James DeMonaco, it’s a bland, boring thriller with an overambitious concept and underwhelming execution.
Entertainment news round-up for Sept. 26, 2013
Sherlock and The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey actor Martin Freeman has been cast in FX’s upcoming limited-series adaptation of Fargo. Freeman will star alongside Billy Bob Thornton in the 10-episode series, which will be produced by Joel and Ethan Coen, the creators of the 1996 feature film. For more information on the project, click here. Django Unchained actor…
Entertainment news round-up for Sept. 24
Sony Pictures and Annapurna Pictures have announce plans for Sausage Party, an R-rated animated movie about a sausage’s quest to discover the truth about his existence. The film will be directed by Conrad Vernon and Greg Tiernan and written by Seth Rogen, Evan Goldberg, Kyle Hunter and Ariel Shaffir.
‘Drinking Buddies’ fails to finish strong despite promising start
There’s something particularly disappointing about a film that dares to make an unexpected turn but doesn’t follow through. ‘Drinking Buddies’ fits that description. A sweet little indie film with moments of startling bite, it seems to have lofty aspirations but quickly abandons them in favor of a tidy, crowd-pleasing wrap-up.
Critic delights in classic Woody Allen film ‘Bananas’
It seems that the farther back you go in Woody Allen’s body of work, the sillier his films become. Such is definitely the case with 1971’s Bananas, Allen’s fourth directorial effort. Though it relies more heavily on slapstick sight gags than his later work, it still has that signature neurotic charm that makes Allen’s movies so delightful.
Entertainment news round-up for Sept. 22
Summary of entertainment news for Sept. 22, 2013.
Entertainment news round-up for Sept. 17
By Amanda Ack, Film Critic AMC has revealed that the final season of its hit show Mad Men will be split over two years, with seven episodes airing in 2014 and seven more airing in 2015. The first half of the season will be called “The Beginning,” while the second half will be called “The End of…
Critic finds TV movie ‘Ragin Cajun Redneck Gators’ less than entertaining
I’m not entirely sure how to go about writing a review of Syfy’s latest original movie, Ragin Cajun Redneck Gators. It’s not that it’s beyond criticism – on the contrary, in fact, it’s the worst film I’ve ever seen – it’s that it’s so mind-numbingly stupid that trying to say something remotely intelligent about it feels…
