— by BEV QUESTAD — Important art reveals something about the human condition. This documentary on the work of South African photo-documentarian Jürgen Schadeberg brings to life the past and well as current struggles of the Blacks of Soweto, South Africa. It’s an art form of the highes[...]
Archive for the ‘Reviews’ Category
Under Review: ‘Iris Chang: The Rape of Nanking’
— by BEV QUESTAD — Beautifully, tenderly rendered, this documentary will bring tears to your eyes. One of the searing thoughts that comes from Iris Chang, the author of the book upon which this documentary is based, is that “… all human beings have this capacity for this great evil i[...]
Under Review: ‘Abu Jamil Street’
— by BEV QUESTAD — Twenty-five feet underneath Abu Jamil Street is a parallel avenue, busier and more lucrative. It is one of at least 200 tunnels that works as an underground highway between Egypt and the Gaza Strip. It’s a money-maker for both Egyptian merchants and Palestinian trade[...]
Under Review: ‘Home’
— by BEV QUESTAD — Completely produced through aerial photography and presented with Glenn Close’s perfectly fitting narration, this beautiful film about Planet Earth is mesmerizing in its beauty. The gentle, seductive soundtrack is reminiscent of a mixture of Indian, classical and mul[...]
Under Review: ‘Taliban: Behind the Masks’
— by BEV QUESTAD — This documentary, about a reporter embedded with a Taliban group, is done right. After waiting several weeks in Kabul, Paul Refsdal, a Norwegian journalist, is allowed to join a Taliban outfit high up in the eastern Afghanistan mountains in the fall of 2009. He has bee[...]
Under Review: Shout It Out
— by BEV QUESTAD — This is the high school movie of the 21st century, talking about real people, real troubles and real consequences. The SuAnne Big Crow Award, which is the National Education Association 2010 Human and Civil Rights Award for helping to enhance the sense of worth and dig[...]
Under Review: ‘Inception’
— by MARIUSZ ZUBROWSKI — Sometimes I wish I could just worm my way into certain people’s minds. Oh the mayhem that I would cause. Hell, I can see myself becoming either really rich, extremely acclaimed, or immensely hated – oh wait, I can’t be the last one as I’m already consider[...]
Under Review: ‘Deep Green’
— by BEV QUESTAD — My bet is that viewing this film will end up saving you money. The next time you get your electric bill, think of Matt Briggs. He got his down to 89 cents. Before he ever had a crew enter his home and complete an energy audit he was already aware […][...]
Under Review: ‘The Girl Who Played with Fire’
— by MARIUSZ ZUBROWSKI — I don’t think I’ll ever understand the popularity of The Millennium Trilogy. I’ve always thought of it as the “Twilight” of middle-aged feminists. But then again, what do I know? I’m one of those American sloths who are too impatient to read the novel[...]
Under Review: ‘Despicable Me’
— by ADAM POYNTER — Co-directed by Chris Renaud and Pierre Coffin — two new-comers to directing who both have a background in story and animation — “Despicable Me” is one of the few animated movies being widely released this year that isn’t by a major studio like “Pix[...]
Under Review: ‘Cyrus’
— by MARIUSZ ZUBROWSKI — Everyone needs a best friend, but not everyone can find that one person who’d stick with you through thick and thin. One such person is Cyrus, who is the main focus of Jay and Mark Duplass’ latest cinematic endeavor, “Cyrus.” The movie stars Jonah Hill as[...]
Under Review: ‘The Last Airbender’
— by ADAM POYNTER — M. Night Shyamalan (director of “The Sixth Sense,” “Signs” and, more recently, “The Happening”) is back with another movie that he wrote, produced and directed. With the past few films he made being publicly and critically panned, his new movie “The Last[...]
Under Review: ‘Level Up’
— by ALEXA MILAN — I’m a sucker for geek love in movies. The moment when a gorgeous, otherworldly figure enters the picture, throwing the geek equilibrium out of whack. The moment when one geek decides to woo said goddess, only to have his dreams crushed when his comic book and “Star[...]