Jason says: “When trailers for THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL first started appearing a few months ago, I felt some apprehension. Not so much because I often think I like director Wes Anderson less than I do, but because a large
Bruce says: “Gore Vidal was one of the great characters of our time and one of the greatest minds of the past century. He invariably saw through the smoke and mirrors and was able to succinctly summarize what was going
Jason says: “My second impulse where Jean-Luc Godard’s GOODBYE TO LANGUAGE is concerned is to write nothing at all about it. That’s in large part because my first is to cry that the emperor has no clothes, but I think
Jason says: “Most of the descriptions of Xiao Hong biography THE GOLDEN ERA spend some time talking about what made her remarkable as a writer, and the film does give those of us not terribly familiar with 1930s Chinese literature
Jason says: “There are moments, especially toward the end of GOD’S POCKET, when I wonder if John Slattery has made a Trojan Horse of a movie, giving an audience expecting an honest-but-affectionate story about earthy folks in a tough neighborhood
Jason says: “GOD HELP THE GIRL is hardly the first time someone has taken a set of songs with an existing strong narrative and made a movie out of them, and as such not the first to demonstrate that slavish
Kyle says: “Every year in late March, the Film Society of Lincoln Center and the Museum of Modern Art co-produce a festival called New Directors/New Films. Screenings take place at the FSLC’s Walter Reade Theater, and at MoMA’s Ray and
Kyle says: “I would love to recommend GIRL ON A BICYCLE to fans of quirky European-flavored romantic comedies, but my heart would not be in it. This kind of cute is killing to my soul. “Paolo (Vincenzo Amato) is a
Jason says: “There’s a whiff of nostalgia to the start of GIOVANNI’S ISLAND, although it’s more for childhood in general than the yearning for simpler, presumably better times that can often infect Japanese cinema, but that passes. Indeed, it’s hard
Jason says: “There was applause in the theater at the end of GIMME SHELTER and even if I don’t think it’s a particularly impressive movie, I don’t begrudge anybody that reaction. Who doesn’t want to applaud a shelter that helps
Thom says: “Strangely, I can maybe blame my age for taking so long to see this gem of a bio-pic. While I have oodles of quibbles about the film the overall effect it left on me was empowering and greatly
Kyle says: “GENERATION WAR is a three-part German television series which is being shown as two movies in the U.S. before complete showings on cable television. Its origin as an attempt to continue the national discussion about German complicity and
Kyle says: “G.B.F. for fossils like me stands for Gay Best Friend. If nothing else, this programmer establishes clearly that independent cinema can be every bit as stupid and regressive as big budget corporate Hollywood endeavors. Unless you regard as
Do I Sound Gay? (USA; 77 min.) directed by: David Thorpedocumentary Chris says: “Increasingly asking the titular question following a breakup with his boyfriend, first-time filmmaker David Thorpe examines the origins and aesthetics of the ‘gay voice’: the effeminate, theatrical
Jason says: “Huh. I missed something about this movie when reading the program description, although on a certain level it doesn’t really matter. What does matter is that this is a big-hearted, charming movie that pays off in some unexpected
From Vegas to Macau (Hong Kong/China; 93 min.) directed by: Wong Jingstarring: Chow Yun-fat; Nicolas Tse; Hui Shiu-hung; Chapman To; Jing Tian; Gao Hu Jason says: “It’s been a while since I’ve seen any of the original GOD OF GAMBLERS
Jason says: “Not being a drinker, I’m probably appropriating a terrible metaphor here, but this movie strikes me as being like a certain kind of binge: You start out down, but soon the alcohol gets you and everything is crazy
Jason says: “A quick bit of research suggests that FOXCATCHER, aside from seeming to compact its events into a shorter period of time, only hints at some of the more obviously bizarre parts of the story. In doing so, one
Jason says: “I must admit to not having a particular affinity for movies about gangs, and I kind of worry that being drawn to this one because it is set in South Africa rather than an American city doesn’t speak
Fort Tilden (USA; 95 min.) directed by: Sarah-Violet Bliss and Charles Rogersstarring: Bridey Elliot; Clare McNulty; Jeffrey Scaperotta; Griffin Newman Jason says: “Comedy’s a delicate thing. The intent of FORT TILDEN is probably that the audience kind of likes its
