— by BEV QUESTAD — There is war, forbidden love, danger, fire, beauty and insanity in this highly acclaimed Swedish epic film. Its complex environment includes the controversial story of Sweden’s compromising role in World War II and the subterfuge of its citizens who supported efforts[...]
Archive for the ‘Reviews’ Category
Review: Frankenweenie
— by ADAM DALE — Twenty-eight years ago, a young man named Tim Burton got his start when the right people saw a live-action short he made called “Frankenweenie.” The short film took the basic story of 1931 film “Frankenstein” — based on Mary Shelley’s book of the same nam[...]
Review: Bill W
— by BEV QUESTAD — This well-made doc is the cinematic biography of Bill Wilson, the man who co-founded Alcoholics Anonymous with Dr. Bob Smith in 1935 during the pit of The Great Depression. At that time alcoholism was treated as a mental disease and patients were electrocuted, lobotomi[...]
Review: Pitch Perfect
— by ADAM DALE — Musicals have been a part of popular culture and films for decades, having a major part in launching many actors’ careers over the years. Now, in a post “Glee” world, there are shows like “The Sing-Off,” which are embraced by audiences with alternative forms of[...]
Review: Looper
— by ADAM DALE — “Looper” is a film full of twists and turns, multiple layers to the story and each character. Writer-director Rian Johnson (“Brick,” “The Brothers Bloom”) has taken a fairly minor budget of $60 million and made an action-packed sci-fi thriller that looks and [...]
Review: Resident Evil: Retribution
— by JESSIKA OWENS — Retribution is punishment that is perceived to be morally just and fully deserved. I can hear the boos and such as I say the fifth installment of the “Resident Evil” franchise is not retribution for the fans. We deserve better. I am by no means saying I h[...]
Review: Moving Mountains
— by BEV QUESTAD — As the U.S. pares down its war in Afghanistan, how friendly will the replacement leaders be towards the interpreters and auxiliary staff of U.S. Forces? How will the girls and women fare who were supported in pursuing education and professional careers? What happens to[...]
Review: For a Good Time, Call…
— by ADAM DALE — Before 2011’s “Bridesmaids” completely obliterated the notion that men are automatically funnier than women and bro-comedies can be more lucrative at the box office, you rarely saw a women-based film that wasn’t a drama or romantic comedy. Since then, a liberatio[...]
Review: Marina Abramović: The Artist is Present
— by BEV QUESTAD — Marina Abramović is known for seducing everyone she meets — her collaborators, her curators and her audience. At once both repellant and fascinating, Abramović’s work is as ludicrous and shocking as it is a startling reflection of life’s universal tensi[...]
Review: Lawless
— by ADAM DALE — As we go into the final weekend of August, the summer movie season is coming to an end. Big-budget blockbusters are in the rearview mirror as more artful, Oscar-geared flicks begin to pour into theaters. But where does director John Hillcoat’s “Lawless” fit into th[...]
Review: Premium Rush
— by ADAM DALE — When it comes to action and excitement, the summer season isn’t lacking in big budget blockbuster films, but it is very rare to see the kind of intensity shown in “Premium Rush” without massive special effects and explosions. Director David Koepp wants to take you [...]
Review: Hit and Run
— by ADAM DALE — If I was an actor in Hollywood and had a talent for writing, I would definitely write movie scripts with myself in mind. And that is exactly what actor and funny man Dax Shepard has done with his latest project “Hit and Run.” Not only did he write the script [&hellip[...]
Review: True Wolf
— by BEV QUESTAD — When Koani’s partner Indy died, she, like many of us, lost interest in life. Indy was a friendly dog, but Koani was a wolf. Their Montana owners were Wild Sentries, members of a non-profit dedicated to public education about the wildlife in the northern Rockies. “T[...]
Review: It Is No Dream
— by BEV QUESTAD — With an original score of haunting premonition, this film is a careful, meticulous account of the visionary who founded the Zionist movement and inspired the creation of the state of Israel. Using photographs and some archival footage, the story of Theodor Herzl genera[...]