Archive | December 2014
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The Lynch Ledger-Entry Ten: Inland Empire (2006)
And, here we are. Ten features, ten entries on the film work of David Lynch. Will he ever direct another? Only time will, I suppose–but it will most likely be a minimum of a decade, between his last official release (this month’s subject) and his next. With the announcement of David mounting a new “Twin […]
2015 preview
It’s going to be a busy January. On the heels of trying to squeeze in my final Lynch Ledger entry (“Inland Empire” on the way!), a Flashback review, and a theatre 2014 wrap up–I’ve also seen a slew of new film releases, with many more to be experienced before year’s end–and beyond. So, what reviews […]
The Judge
“The Judge” and “The Monuments Men” are my two worst films of 2014 (so far), even if both contain moments that demonstrate the level of talent involved in both projects. You can search this site for my take on the latter, but having freshly absorbed the former, I can attest that there’s nothing more dispiriting […]
Wild
Christopher McCandless’s “Into the Wild” as female empowerment drama…plus it’s feel-good, and the main character survives! Please don’t tell me that’s a spoiler–you didn’t think an awards season release was going to kill off cute, lovable Reese Witherspoon, did you? Instead, she’ll overcome bruises, friction burns, a smashed toenail–and ultimately learn a big, fat lesson […]
Foxcatcher
It may not be as accessible as 2011’s “Moneyball”, or as straightforward as 2005’s “Capote”, but I think Bennett Miller has directed his best film with this year’s “Foxcatcher”. The based-on-a-true-story tale of eccentricity and obsession, won Mr. Miller the Best Director Award at the 2014 Cannes Film Festival, and you can expect Oscar to […]
X-Men: Days of Future Past
Maybe I’m a bit burnt out? “X-Men: Days of Future Past” is a fun sequel–inventive, thoughtful and lively. By the time it’s all over, there have been a slew of exciting cameos–this must have been a gas to see in a packed theater. There’s a show-stopping action set piece, that’s scored by Jim Croce’s original […]
A Most Violent Year
J. C. Chandor is a little too brave for his own good…not that I’m complaining. In just three films as a director (“Margin Call” and “All Is Lost” before this), he has cemented himself as one of my favorite filmmakers–in fact, most of the top critics seem to be on board concerning his newest feature. […]
Julianne Moore…finally her year?
There were lots of big stories coming out of the announcement of the Golden Globe nominations yesterday, but a good portion of them were totally expected. Lots of attention for “Birdman”, “Boyhood”, “Foxcatcher” and “The Imitation Game”? No surprise. Eddie Redmayne nod for playing Stephen Hawking? Check. Reese Witherspoon up for Best Actress in “Wild”? […]
Get on Up
Director Tate Taylor is apparently desperate to stake his reputation upon being associated with shit. In 2011’s “The Help” (Taylor’s whitewash trivialization of a chapter in the 1960’s civil rights movement), perhaps the most infamous scene of the movie involves a pie containing human excrement. Now, in 2014’s “Get On Up”, a mainstream-cleansed biopic about […]
Reviewed by Mark Leonard 