It begins with rapid titles. “WB,” “DC,” The Batman, all flash up on screen quickly, before an opening point-of-view shot through binoculars takes in a well-dressed man in an opulent mansion. Watching, observing, planning and judging, this extended shot is unsettling in its voyeurism, especially as the viewer shares the perspective of this watcher, who…
Arriving after repeated delays, Tenet has been hailed as the film to save cinema. This is, of course, a completely unfair expectation that no one film could ever hope to achieve. A far more pertinent question is whether or not Christopher Nolan’s latest mind-frying adventure is worth the wait. For this reviewer, the answer is…
Joining A24’s pantheon of beautifully crafted, enigmatic thrillers is The Lighthouse, the sophomore effort by horror auteur Robert Eggers. Based on two seamen on an isolated lighthouse in the late 1800’s, this strange thriller tackles a simplistic setting from a mind-numbing perspective and is more than enough evidence to support the resounding resurgence of unsettling,…
Loosely based on Shakespeare’s “Henry IV: Parts 1 & 2,” and “Henry V,” David Michôd’s (“Animal Kingdom”) epic medieval drama The King lacks the Bard’s poetry and soaring eloquence, yet its intensity, intimacy, and brooding power will keep you captivated throughout its 133-minute run time. Co-written by Michôd and Joel Edgerton (“Boy Erased”), the film…
“You think I am waiting to die . . . But I am waiting to be found” — Samantha Reynolds In a mission from which they have little chance of returning, a group of condemned prisoners elect to undertake a voyage to the deepest regions of outer space to attempt to harness the energy of…
Searching for the sublime, we are all explorers in our own way, seeking relief from “tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow creeping in this petty pace from day to day.” The quest for such a magical land is what drove British military officer, archaeologist, and explorer Percy Fawcett (Charlie Hunnam, “Crimson Peak”) to search the Amazon…
Why is the Twilight series exponentially more popular than the more intriguing “Interview with the Vampire?” Anne Rice’s Louis and Lestat witness history, carry around significant emotional baggage, and speak dialogue worthy of a screenwriter. The Twilight Saga vampires are wooden caricatures, repeat the 12th grade over and over again, and carry on some of…
