Wednesday, May 30 2012
Cannes 2012: ‘Reality’ + ‘In the Fog’
Matteo Garrone's Reality, awarded the Grand Prix at Cannes, critiques today's fascination with reality television. To its credit, the film does so without resorting to an easy contrast between good traditional Italian and bad global media culture.
Documentary Channel’s Memorial Day Film Fest
"A documentary photographer tells history that the man at the typewriter cannot tell, because we're dealing with emotions, we're dealing with people dying in front of our face." -- Hal Geer, WWII newsreel cameraman.
Tuesday, May 29 2012
‘Delta Boys’ Observes Freedom Fighters in Niger
As good as Ateke Tom is at speaking for others, Delta Boys submits that communications remain confounded.
Cannes 2012: ‘Holy Motors’ and ‘Moonrise Kingdom’
For all their films' differences in depth and address, both Wes Anderson and Leos Carax explore the playful possibilities of their chosen art.
Friday, May 25 2012
Cannes 2012: ‘Post Tenebras Lux’ and ‘Beyond the Hills’
Both Carlos Reygadas' Post Tenebras Lux and Cristian Mungiu's Beyond the Hills examine the constraints imposed by social custom, as well as its seductions.
‘Men in Black 3’ Looks Back, Again
Ever worried and frequently quaint, Griffin is both weird and wise, a means for Men in Black 3 to bend time-travel movie rules.
‘Moonrise Kingdom’: Storms and Conformity
This bit of violence suggests what's at stake for the opposite sides, for the fugitives and those who mean to bring them back: how to maintain community and also value resistance.
Cannes 2012: ‘Rust and Bone’ + ‘After the Battle’
Cannes Competition is, rather notoriously, a man's world. Women filmmakers -- as individuals and groups -- are protesting the absence of women filmmakers among Palme d'Or contestants this year.
‘Chernobyl Diaries’: What if Something’s There?
As you wait for each episode to lead where it must -- more victims dragged away screaming, more survivors wailing over particular losses, more exhortations to "Get out of here!" -- you might take a minute to reflect on what you actually see, which is not much.
Thursday, May 24 2012
‘Code 33’ Screens As Part of Rumur Film Retrospective
Code 33 follows this changing dynamic among police, press, and politicians, as detectives voice their simultaneous dedication to the job and their concerns with the process.
Wednesday, May 23 2012
Cannes 2012: ‘The Angels’ Share’ + ‘Killing Them Softly’
Much like Ken Loach's The Angels' Share, Andrew Dominik's Killing Them Softly features scatterbrained thieves and clever fast-paced dialogue.
Cannes 2012: ‘The Hunt’ + ‘Love’
Both Thomas Vinterberg's Jangten (The Hunt) and Michael Haneke's Amour (Love) mix horror and hope.
Monday, May 21 2012
Cannes 2012: ‘Paradies: Liebe’ + ‘Beasts of the Southern Wild’
Several films at Cannes this year employ local nonprofessional actors in their casts, to effects that range from vaguely disappointing to magical.
Friday, May 18 2012
‘What to Expect When You’re Expecting’ Is Grueling, As You Might Expect
Jules' pregnancy is one of many in What to Expect, a movie apparently proudly based on a 28-year-old self-help book.
‘Quill: Bring Your Tissues
For a jaunty family film with a series of adorable dogs at its center, Quill creates surprising suspense.
“Sound of My Voice’ Combines Indie Drama and SF Overtones
Brit Marling's low-key charisma comes in handy for scenes of the cult's meetings, where Maggie's claims sound absurd, yet also weirdly tantalizing.
‘Polisse’ Shows Effects of Working for the Child Protection Unit
Polisse makes clear repeatedly that the multi-faceted problem of child abuse is both obvious and suppressed, common and extraordinary, a sign of deviance and also, tragically, a sign of normalcy.
‘Battleship’ Is a Loud Suggestion of a Big Summer Movie
Battleship has plenty of trailer moments, 15-second expensive-looking money shots of stuff blowing up in all sizes and shapes.
Thursday, May 17 2012
‘Precious Knowledge’ Argues Against Arizona’s HB 2281
Speaking with a group of Raza Studies alumni, Curtis Acosta urges awareness and action.
‘Elles’ Resorts to Old Tricks
Elles uses prostitution to suggest the very old idea, that beneath the surface of the bourgeoisie lies emotion as perverse and menacing as any. But the repetition of that idea over the course of 90 minutes makes for a static narrative.
