Sequels, warranted or not, are a mostly foregone conclusion in today’s cinematic climate. They’re so prevalent, I imagine a checklist of sorts exists that lays out the criteria for a follow-up. It’d be rather simple-minded too, like: Based on a multi-book franchise or video game with a built in audience? Sequel. Made a ton of…
The makeup may not look the best, but the early buzz says the acting by the three main players is in Sony Pictures’ biographical drama, Foxcatcher. Based on a true story, it chronicles the highs and the very lows of the relationship between brothers and Olympic Wrestling Champions Mark and Dave Schultz (Channing Tatum and…
Entering the theater to see A Walk Among the Tombstones, one might stumble and feel trapped in another cliché-ridden “Taken” in which Bryan Mills sternly promises, “I will find you, and I will kill you.” It’s an honest initial thought to have, however, once the film starts rolling, the stylish cinematography on the bleak streets…
In a world grown cynical, decency stands out, but often only to be mocked and abused. In Georges Bernanos’ novel The Diary of a Country Priest, a sickly, humble, and idealistic young priest pays the ultimate price for the spiritual lethargy of his parish, while Father James Lavelle (Brendan Gleeson) in John Michael McDonagh’s brilliant…
The horror of Islamic honor killings is the central point of Shan Khan’s impressive directorial debut, Honour, but the film resembles more of a low-budget Jason Bourne flick rather than a cultural investigation. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, however. The luminous performance of Aiysha Hart and Khan’s slick style make the film more than…
The disturbing case of the West Memphis Three has been covered extensively in Joe Berlinger and Bruce Sinofsky’s “Paradise Lost” trilogy, along with Amy Berg’s 2012 documentary “West of Memphis.” So what additional information can be brought to the table with the 114 minutes of Devil’s Knot? Answer: Not much. Director Atom Egoyan’s foray into…
It is not uncommon to experience a false sense of enlightenment when confined or placed into a stressful setting. You don’t always necessarily understand your surroundings or know how you arrived there, but you will, nonetheless, attempt to find meaning in the situation and overcome. Eugenio Mira’s Grand Piano tries for such an effect. The…
