Wednesday, December 2 2009
Tuesday, December 1 2009
Reborn
Call it “torture porn”, “gorenography” or some other variation, but Reborn has little reason for existence apart from showing people – most often women – subjected to brutality.
Monday, November 30 2009
Angels & Demons
A slight upgrade from its predecessor is not enough to recommend such a forgettable production.
Lioness
The first women sent into combat in the history of the American military tell their stories.
Who Does She Think She Is?
Women often feel they must choose between motherhood and art, but the five artists profiled in Who Does She Think She Is? demonstrate that you can have both.
Wednesday, November 25 2009
Frailty
As the film unravels in a series of shocking twists and turns, the audience’s perception of morality and faith is put to the test.
The Monster Squad: 20th Anniversary Edition (Blu-ray)
The juggling act of comedy, horror, and children mostly works because Dekker was able to find a group of kids to carry the film who, while not quite Abbott and Costello, are neither cutesy nor campy.
Tuesday, November 24 2009
Audition: Collector’s Edition
“I’d be so happy if people enjoy this movie—it was made ten years ago…this is the new edition. You may regret watching it, though.” -- Takashi Miike, director of Audition
Chops
With its exuberance of youth, the mesmerizing presence of Marsalis, and the music of Ellington for a soundtrack, Chops exudes “soulfulness”.
Monday, November 23 2009
Virtual JFK: Vietnam If Kennedy Had Lived
Docurama Films’ DVD Virtual JFK: Vietnam If Kennedy Had Lived does the near impossible by presenting incredibly familiar information in a compelling and entertaining way.
Easy Rider 40th Anniversary
This 40-year-old classic still has its thrills -- enough to make you wish that you, too, had a bike with a teardrop gas tank emblazoned with the American flag.
Friday, November 20 2009
Z
Now is the right time to revisit Costa-Gavras' response to the defeats of 1968, all shot through with allusions to a burgeoning transnational revolutionary solidarity.
Death in the Garden
Buñuel made so many masterpieces in his near 50-year career that those films of his that are merely very good tend to be overlooked. Death in the Garden is just such a film.
People Like Us
This series acted as a springboard for an astonishing plethora of British talent such as Julia Davis, Tamsin Greig, Robert Webb, David Tennant and Bill Nighy.
Thursday, November 19 2009
In a Dream
A portrait of a muralist who’s spent his life filling buildings with mosaics is also a family drama and a primer on successfully coping with mental illness.
Wednesday, November 18 2009
Chinatown (Centennial Collection)
Despite bringing film noir into the daylight and into color, this is among the darkest of Southern California tales.
Capturing Reality: The Art of Documentary
“Real life is so much more interesting and so much more bizarre than anything you can make up”.
Tuesday, November 17 2009
My Effortless Brilliance
There is something deeply affirming in believing that saving a friendship is a worthy pursuit, even for stubborn adults who have a hard time articulating love and regret.
Monday, November 16 2009
The Exiles
At once profound, seedy, sweeping and intimate, The Exiles chronicles a particular (and often ignored) moment in mid-20th century American history.
