There is a general rule of thumb about scatological humor that I try to enforce as a reviewer. Yes, a film can use it sparingly and effectively. An inventive “poop” gag can certainly result in a chuckle. However, when it…
Back in 2004, the relatively small French film District 13 made a big splash. Or at least it made an impact where I originally hailed from. It certainly wasn’t an Oscar contender and didn’t feature the most complex of story…
Cinematographer Wally Pfister has been responsible for shooting some of the best looking movies in recent years, including The Prestige and Inception (for which he won an Oscar). His directorial debut, Transcendence, is a highly ambitious effort, attempting to explore…
The new film Dom Hemingway features a lead character who isn’t easy to like. Frankly put, he’s an arrogant, violent and foul-mouthed thug. Hardly the type one would root for in a redemption story. Yet somehow, after a brief period…
It can be very tough to make an inanimate object a source of pure terror. The new film Oculus attempts to inspire intense fear out of an antique mirror. While it isn’t entirely successful, the movie does evoke more shivers…
Director/producer Ivan Reitman (Ghostbusters, No Strings Attached) takes a break from the comedy genre with Draft Day, a drama set during the most important day of the National Football League’s off-season. For those unfamiliar with the event, it is the…
For those who haven’t been keeping up with foreign flicks, 2011’s The Raid: Redemption was one of the most entertaining martial arts/action movies of recent years. The simple tale of cops trapped in an apartment with vicious criminals was a…
Here’s another eccentric effort that will infuriate a great many viewers. Director Jonathan Glazer is known for focusing his attention on odd characters in films like Sexy Beast and Birth. But the Under the Skin is his darkest and strangest…
After the remarkable success of Marvel’s Avengers team up, seeing sequel after sequel featuring each individual superhero almost seems like small potatoes in comparison. Like the recent Iron Man and Thor sequels, Captain America: The Winter Soldier doesn’t present the…
While audiences often feel that they are inundated with movies every week, it’s much harder to get stories to the screen than one might think – particularly when the filmmakers strive to break molds and chart new cinematic territory. Over…