Thom says: “This had all the ingredients to be a perfect ‘classic’ film and it very nearly succeeded but for a nagging problem that wouldn’t go away for me. Director Fukunaga had brought us the impressive SIN NOMBRE and he
Bruce says: “J. EDGAR is a curious film. Had it appeared a decade ago, the story of J. Edgar Hoover (Leonardo DiCaprio) and Clyde Tolson (Armie Hammer) would have no doubt been scandalous; today it seems as exciting as tepid
Diane says: “IRON LADY has been disparaged for giving an uncritical view of British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher’s government. True, true! But we already have that down. I went to see IRON LADY for a portrayal of a woman with
Thom says: “This stunning documentary follows a Texas death row inmate up to & shortly after his execution. One of the points that comes across the best is that the film never questions the guilt of the inmate. Herzog has
Diane says: “This docu about former gang members who work as peacemakers in Chicago is inspirational and sobering. The film follows three violence ‘interrupters’ who work for CeaseFire over the course of a year. They’re very different from each other
Diane says: “Did the director mean this to be political commentary, or was that just me? Recently orphaned twins leave Quebec to find family they didn’t know about in an unnamed (fictitious) Middle Eastern country. INCENDIES ultimately is a pretty
Thom says: “Director Niccol was responsible for mediocre sci fi fare GATTACA, & S1mOne so I had no reason to expect more from this new ‘in-the-future’ feature but I did. I did like the novel idea that all humankind lived
Jason says: “At first, THE ILLUSIONIST looks amazingly simple and sweet – two kind people, perhaps not used to having their generosity returned, are lucky enough to find each other and create a life together. To say more may perhaps
Julie says: “Thought this one was very intriguing and well done- although the story pissed me off-you’ll see what I mean- One of my top docs somewhere between 4 3/4 and 5 cats”
Thom says: “Governor Mike Morris (Clooney) is running hot & hard for his party’s Presidential candidacy and the latest crucial primary state is Ohio. His closest competitor is Senator Pullman. Morris’ hot-shot campaign manager Paul Zara (Hoffman in another spot-on
Jason says: “Thrillers like ON THE ICE are traditionally set among shadows and night, with the lines and crags on the actors’ faces all the backstory needed to explain how they wound up in such a spot. Of course, you
Jason says: “Ava DuVernay’s I WILL FOLLOW is a fairly traditional independent film of a certain type: A close, quiet examination of family ties and other relationships, the sort made with a small budget, a single location, and the desire
Diane says: “Documentarian Mark Wexler, affected by the death of his mother, considers mortality and aging. Wexler is unassuming and sympathetic, with a good sense of humor. I laughed a lot. He consults geriatricians, quacks, old people in California nursing
Jason says: “The original version of THE HOUSEMAID is widely considered a classic of Korean cinema, the sort of thing one doesn’t remake lightly. For that film’s fiftieth anniversary, though, that’s what Im Sang-soo did, although it’s the sort of
Jason says: “I don’t want genre filmmaking to become a paint-by-numbers affair, where we as an audience rejoice at basic competence and filmmakers strive to replicate a winning formula. Crime, horror, and the like can be innovative and done with
Jason says: “HOBO WITH A SHOTGUN arrives with one of the most straightforward, descriptive titles for an action movie since SNAKES ON A PLANE. That simplicity serves it fairly well; it’s exactly the sort of 1980s exploitation pastiche the name
Michael says: “One of my favorite films at this year’s Provincetown International Film Festival was HIGHER GROUND, starring and directed by the charming and talented Vera Farmiga (UP IN THE AIR; DOWN TO THE BONE). HIGHER GROUND tackles the complex
Jason says: “Yoshihiro Nishimura’s HELLDRIVER is a Yoshihiro Nishimura film, and he doesn’t do things halfway. So how a person reacts to the opening scene (and, I presume, any preview they make for the movie) will likely serve as a
Michael says: “Somehow I missed hearing about this film until it showed up last week at the Kendall Square Cinema, even though it played at the Boston French Film Festival. Not that I was surprised. THE HEDGEHOG is based on
