Love is intoxicating, especially when, as the trailer of Passion Play depicts, the object of desire is an angel. Nat, a washed-up, tired jazz musician wants to save her (and himself along the way). Happy Shannon, a ruthless gangster and Sam, the owner of the carnival where “The Bird Woman” is the star attraction, wish…
The “big dreams, small town, no chance” premise is a recognizable refrain in literature and motion pictures. Directed by Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant, 2010’s Cemetery Junction is yet another feature to examine this particular quandary. If Gervais and Merchant sound familiar, it’s because they are the dynamic duo responsible for the original British version…
Temptation and fidelity: Two forces battling against each other continuously throughout the early years of a young couple’s marriage. For the first year or two, fidelity rules the roost but as the wedding anniversaries mount, temptation begins to chip away at this solid foundation. When opportunity is added to the equation, one’s character is tested…
“Hitch” meets “The 40 Year Old Virgin” with a mix of family values? Judging from the trailer of Crazy, Stupid, Love. that may be an apt description. In it, bland and fortyish Cal Weaver (Steve Carell) finds himself recently divorced from his wife Emily (Julianne Moore) (she cheated on him) and sticking out like a…
Most of those who came into contact with the 2008 Swedish masterpiece Let the Right One In were immediately captivated and hypnotized by its brilliance, especially in the wake of the insipid Twilight phenomenon. It committed an unforgivable sin, though: It was foreign and subtitle-laden, meaning the movie never existed in Hollywood’s eyes. Thus, now…
Much like Duncan Jones’ freshman endeavor, Moon, a film that was eclipsed (pun intended) at first, but which then skyrocketed to unprecedented levels of success during award season, Source Code is a cerebral thriller that takes an unorthodox approach to popcorn cinema. The similarities don’t end there, however; although both films were penned by different…
Every year Woody Allen writes and directs at least one movie (his films have a more of a foothold in European cinema nowadays). His first for 2011 is Midnight in Paris. Set in picturesque Paris, it examines the relationship dynamics of a soon-to-be married couple as they travel away from their comfort zone. Will Midnight…
