It seems to be of little concern to Jim Jarmusch, the common journalistic shorthand that labels him as some “high priest of hip.” He seems actively to be courting the title in fact, with Only Lovers Left Alive, the most languorously cool movie of his career (amidst stiff competition). It is a love story, intrinsic […]
Rants and Raves
AFI FEST 2013 Movie Review: Greatness Amongst Carnage In ‘Lone Survivor’
The sound of bones crunching against a tree, as a man’s body tumbles down an unforgiving hill; not once, but twice. This is the sound that haunts you after watching Lone Survivor, superseding the gunfire, explosions, helicopter propellers, and painful screams of four men being ambushed in Afghanistan by Taliban forces. It could easily go […]
Asgard’s Mightiest Avenger Finds A New Identity In ‘Thor: The Dark World’
While the first Thor – released in 2011 – was a suitable introduction to the Marvel Comics character Thor, it was also a fairly tepid approach to what is one of the more cosmic members of the Avengers team. Up until that point, moviegoers had been treated to a Marvel world that existed in a […]
Film Rant: Dario Argento’s ‘Dracula 3D’
As the years go by it seems ever more likely that Dario Argento will never rescale the inspired heights of his ’70s output, the hysterical horror and steely set-pieces that more than make up for wooden acting, distracting dubbing, and leaden exposition. Mother of Tears had its moments and gave one cautious hope in 2007; […]
LAFF Film Review: ‘Fruitvale Station’ (Dir. Ryan Coogler 2012 USA)
Reconstructing the last day in a man’s life was the difficult task put to director Ryan Coogler with Fruitvale Station. The events leading up to Oscar Grant’s untimely death on New Year’s Day 2009 is the basis for the story, the sensationalized media frenzy that came afterwards is left out of Fruitvale Station, giving the […]