Archive | March 2014
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Kelly Reichardt’s “Night Moves”
It sounds a bit weird to say that I’m “excited” by the prospect of a new film by minimalist director Kelly Reichardt—but I am all the same. Weird because Reichardt’s work is usually so glacially paced, that most would label her films outright tedious. Not me, however—I find them absolutely fascinating. Especially 2006’s “Old Joy” and […]
Theatre on Video: John Leguizamo’s Ghetto Klown on HBO
Somehow, all three of the Theatre on Video reviews that I’ve written(so far)have been on one-man shows. This has not been by design, just the luck of the draw. But this one is easily the most ebullient and exciting of the trio, because John Leguizamo is such an energetic and diverse performer. He had me […]
Respecting “Noah”
“Noah” trailer Yeah, I know…it has the look of one of those disastrous, overblown, Hollywood biblical blockbusters. But “Noah” just may be different. Not because it stars “still close enough to A-list” Russell Crowe, but because of who its director is. “Noah” may, or may not, turn out to be a big budget flop. But […]
The Great Beauty
I don’t know if Paolo Sorrentino’s “The Great Beauty” is the best Foreign Film Oscar nominee(it did actually win that award, as well as the Golden Globe and the BAFTA)of this past ceremony, or not—but I believe it’s the finest of the three I’ve seen so far(“The Missing Picture” and “Omar” have been unobtainable as of yet). […]
Nymph()maniac: Vol. 1
It feels vital. It feels alive. And in a peculiar era of humanity, that seems to embrace flagrant sexuality at the same time that it’s denouncing it, it’s dirty, funny, sexy, and often borders on greatness. And in the hands of Lars von Trier, it will certainly provoke, aggravate, titillate and disgust in equal measure […]
…and Devil makes Three: 4/4/14 and Errol Morris’ “The Unknown Known”
And the third one may end up being the winner. Just days ago I was lamenting the difficult decision of choosing between seeing “Captain America: The Winter Soldier” with my 9-year-old son, or heading out to Jonathan Glazer’s long-awaited “Under the Skin” on my own next week. They both open on the same day, you see: […]
Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom
Nelson Mandela was one of the giants of the 20th century, and his work and influence has continued into the new millennium. This was a man who spent 27 years in prison for his anti-apartheid activities in South Africa, and then went on to become President of South Africa just four years after his release from […]
4/4/14, the dilemna…”Captain America 2″ or “Under the Skin”?
Every now and then it happens, and it’s a real conundrum. If two of my most anticipated films opens on the same day, what’s a cinephile to do? Hey, it’s no joke. One I’ve been waiting almost a decade for, and the other has my nine-year-old son pumped and ready. How do I break a little […]
The Grand Budapest Hotel
I’ve read many of the arguments against Wes Anderson’s increasingly meticulous productions, but count me on the team that still finds them delightful. Eight features in, and he’s never released a film that I wasn’t fond of. Some more than others(of course), and a few that had to grow on me—but they’re all damn good. The […]
Reviewed by Mark Leonard 