The social and psychological effects of bullying are graphically observed in Emir Baigazin’s remarkable first feature Harmony Lessons. Honored at Tribeca and Seattle, the Kazakh-German co-feature also won a Silver Bear for best artistic contribution at the Berlinale, honoring the cinematography of Aziz Zhambakiyev who brilliantly captures the stark beauty of the desolate Kazakhstan landscape….
Irvine Welsh’s provocative novels seem to be a popular choice when it comes to book-to-film adaptations. It’s no surprise when you look at the success of his controversial debut novel “Trainspotting,” realized on screen with Ewan McGregor as lead Renton and directed by Danny Boyle (who has also recently been confirmed to be working on…
There have been several well-known films about autism including “Rain Man,” “Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close” and “The Black Balloon,” but none I’ve seen are more authentic or moving than Sam Fleischner’s remarkable second feature Stand Clear of the Closing Doors. The film, written by Rose Lichter-Marck and Micah Bloomberg and winner of a special…
Don’t look too deeply for an explanation to Plus One, Dennis Iliadis’ foray into the science-fictioney thriller realm. You’ll hurt your brain if you do even worse than the dull, damaged brains of everyone starring in the movie. When a meteorite hits the ground it couldn’t have come any sooner for David (Rhys Wakefield, “The…
Gravity, Alfonso Cuarón’s explosive, white-knuckle sci-fi instant classic is a wonder to behold, with devastatingly realistic effects as a backdrop to a terrifying, compelling story and terrific work by Sandra Bullock and George Clooney. It is both a concrete what-if story and a mesmerizing existential mindbender. The U.S Space Shuttle Explorer is docked at the…
How far would you go to find your child if he or she were missing? What laws would or should a parent break to make sure they could have their babies back again? These are the fundamental questions asked in the newest film directed by Denis Villeneuve (“Incendies“), Prisoners, which tells the tale of a…
Making the mess is always a lot easier than cleaning it up. The residents of Swallow Falls are finding that out in Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2 as it picks up right where “Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs” left off — the water-to-food making machine disabled and the town overgrown with foodstuffs….
