Despite its lack of a strong ending, The Secret of Kells is a charming story told beautifully – and bravely. Directed by Tomm Moore and Nora Twomey, it may be aimed at a younger audience, but it pulls no punches in content or quality. The film follows “Brendan” (voiced by Evan McGuire), a young boy…
Critic disturbed and fascinated by “Mysterious Skin”
Watching Mysterious Skin is like waking up on a bright, sunny Saturday morning, making yourself a perfect cup of coffee, turning on your favorite cartoon, and finding spiders in your cereal. The nostalgic familiarity of the setting puts us at ease, but the subject matter rips us right out of our comfort zone. Written and…
Jim Jarmusch’s vampire movie doesn’t suck
At first glance, Only Lovers Left Alive seems like a stupid movie. The plot summary reads like the back cover of a Stephanie Meyer novel: two ancient vampire lovers, one a cosmopolitan intellectual and the other a sadsack recluse, reunite after years apart, only to be antagonized by a wacky younger sister. However, due to…
Critic dazzled by ‘A Single Man’
Tom Ford must make more films. It’s his calling. Though he is best known for his long and illustrious career in the fashion industry, his 2009 movie A Single Man makes it clear that should he continue with filmmaking, he stands to make his mark as a great auteur. Not only is it a stylistic masterpiece, it…
Critic finds major flaw in ‘Silver Linings Playbook’
I very much want to like David O. Russell’s Silver Linings Playbook, but I can’t help but feel that there’s one element that brings the whole film down, and that’s the performance given by Jennifer Lawrence. Though the film itself is quite skillfully crafted, the miscasting of such a vital character knocks the whole thing askew,…
Critic finds great joy in ‘The Amazing Spider-Man’
What with The Amazing Spider-Man 2 scheduled to hit theaters so soon, I thought it would be fitting to revisit its predecessor, if only to emphasize to those who haven’t seen it that they truly must. Vastly better than all three film’s in Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man trilogy, it brings a fresh new perspective to the franchise that includes a…
Critic underwhelmed by ‘Black Swan’
I will openly admit that I am not the biggest fan of Darren Aronofsky’s particular directorial style. It was with great skepticism, then, that I selected his 2011 film Black Swan for review, though I thought perhaps that its slew of award nominations indicated that it might impress me. Sadly, my hopes were dashed. Black Swan is…
Critic disappointed by ‘The Artist’
As a film critic, I obviously watch a lot of movies. Each year, though, there are a few that slip by me, and every so often, I like to make an effort to catch up. This time around, I selected The Artist, and to be quite frank, I wish I had chosen something else. Though…
Critic devastated by ‘Blue Valentine’
Those of you who like happy endings should stop reading this review immediately. Blue Valentine is not for you. In fact, I wouldn’t say it’s “for” anyone, save for those rare few who very much enjoy having their hearts metaphorically torn out and stomped on. However, that doesn’t mean it’s a bad film – on the…
Critic finds glee and bitterness in ‘The Trip’
There’s something uniquely fascinating about an actor playing a version of himself. In 2010’s The Trip, Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon do just that, and the effect is both hilarious and oddly touching. Though it’s hard to say how much of themselves they put into their characters, there’s certainly enough that the final product feels intensely…
Critic finds beauty and darkness in ‘My Week With Marilyn’
Given the hubbub surrounding the new Broadway revival of Cabaret, I thought it fitting to take a look back into the career of its star, Michelle Williams. I chose her 2011 film My Week With Marilyn, in which she tackles the role of iconic star Marilyn Monroe. Though she may not seem the most obvious…
Critic delights in Allen’s ‘Vicky Cristina Barcelona’
Given the recent success of Blue Jasmine – namely, Cate Blanchett’s Best Actress Oscar win – I decided to revisit another of Woody Allen’s films that features women in plum roles: Vicky Cristina Barcelona. Released in 2008, it’s one of Allen’s best, with a light, fresh tone that still hits all the expected cynical notes….
’50/50′ treats difficult subject matter with humor and honesty
Some movies make you laugh. Others make you cry. 50/50 will make you do both in excess. A marvelous little film that didn’t get quite as much attention as it deserved, it’s the perfect balance of light and dark, presented in the most honest way possible. Directed by Jonathan Levine, 50/50 stars Joseph Gordon-Levitt as “Adam,” a 27-year-old…
Critic revels in ‘The Raid: Redemption’
The Raid: Redemption is gorgeous. It’s one hour and 41 minutes of pure, unadulterated violence. I loved every blood-soaked second of it. Before I begin to wax too poetic about the film, I feel that it is my duty as a critic to make a few unfortunate admissions about it: the plot is unimaginative, the dialogue…
Critic delighted by ‘Frances Ha’
While I frequently say that I want to be Greta Gerwig when I grow up, I certainly don’t aspire to be anything like the woman she portrays in Frances Ha – that is to say, a complete and utter mess. It’s a testament to Gerwig’s abilities and charm that such a character is not only tolerable but downright…
Critic floored by ‘Five Minutes of Heaven’
It’s a rare film that manages to stay with the viewer for days after seeing it. Five Minutes of Heaven is just such a film. A tense, taut drama directed by Oliver Hirschbiegel, it tells a familiar tale in a remarkably personal way, allowing it to hit home with astounding strength. The film focuses on…
‘Satellite of Love’ weakened by stilted screenplay
Satellite of Love would probably be a great movie, if it didn’t have some of the worst dialogue I’ve ever had the misfortune of hearing. Directed by Will James Moore, it’s gorgeously shot, beautifully acted, and abysmally written, making for a profoundly disappointing experience.
British drama ‘Wreckers’ quietly thrills
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…
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,…
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.
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…
