The United Film Festival runs throughout the week at the Roxie. Not much to discuss this week. A- Doctor Zhivago, Kabuki & various CineMark Theaters, Thursday. Not quite as good as Lawrence of Arabia, David Lean’s follow-up still packs a reasonably big wallop. But then, I'm a sucker for epics about ordinary people trying to … Continue reading What’s Screening: August 31 – September 6
Month: August 2012
Side by Side: New Documentary Examines Cinema’s Digital Revolution
C+ Documentary Written and Directed by Christopher Kenneally How do today's leading filmmakers feel about the seemingly inevitable transition from a photochemical, film-based cinema to a digital one? Short answer: Many have enthusiastically embraced digital cinema, and the rest accept that physical film's days are numbered. But film still has some clear advantages. For most … Continue reading Side by Side: New Documentary Examines Cinema’s Digital Revolution
On David Pogue, Piracy, and the Call for Making Movies Available Online Immediately
Last week, tech journalist David Pogue wrote a piece for the Scientific American calling for the Hollywood studios and the MPAA to make new movies available for streaming and downloads as soon as they open in theaters.Streaming movies offers instant gratification: no waiting, no driving—plus great portability: you can watch on gadgets too small for … Continue reading On David Pogue, Piracy, and the Call for Making Movies Available Online Immediately
When You Least Expect It: The Return of 70mm
A funny thing happened on the way to a fully-digital cinema. At least two major filmmakers are returning to a beautiful, large film format of yesteryear. But you may not be able to see either of these films as they were meant to be seen. Pretty much everyone agrees that film is dying as a … Continue reading When You Least Expect It: The Return of 70mm
What’s Screening: August 24 – 30
No festivals this week. B Alps, Roxie, opens Friday for one-week run. I’m not exactly sure what to make of Alps. It has just enough continuity to make you try and follow the story, but there’s no story to follow. Many of the characters (primarily the female ones) seem sympathetic, yet their motivations and actions … Continue reading What’s Screening: August 24 – 30
My Thoughts on The Passion of the Christ
I recently satisfied eight years of curiosity and watched Mel Gibson's controversial religious epic, The Passion of the Christ. I missed it in theaters back in '04 because I didn't want Gibson to get any of my money. (Although if I had been writing this blog at the time, I probably would have seen it.) … Continue reading My Thoughts on The Passion of the Christ
Alps
B Indescribable Written by Giorgos Lanthimos and Efthymis Filippou Directed by Giorgos Lanthimos I'm not exactly sure what to make of Alps. It has just enough continuity to make you try and follow the story, but there's no story to follow. Many of the characters (primarily the female ones) seem sympathetic, yet their motivations and … Continue reading Alps
Robot & Frank
C+ Futuristic comedy Written by Christopher Ford Directed by Jake Schreier Frank (Frank Langella) prides himself on his mastery of his chosen profession. He's a cat burglar. But he's an aging one, and dementia is setting in. It's destroyed his career and is pretty much destroying his life. He doesn't shop for food regularly. His … Continue reading Robot & Frank
The Dark Knight Rises…and Falls
In Batman Begins, Christopher Nolan rebooted and revitalized a tired franchise, turning Bruce Wayne and his alter ego into an interesting character. In The Dark Knight, he turned the wealthy superhero into a mythic figure and created one of the screen's great villains. In the third and final chapter of his trilogy, the filmmaker succeeds … Continue reading The Dark Knight Rises…and Falls
What’s Screening: August 17 – 23
No festivals this week. But we do have a whole lot of A+ classics. A+ Great Gangster Movie Double Bill: The Godfather & Goodfellas, Castro, Saturday. Two A+ films on one double-bill! Francis Coppola, taking the job simply because he needed the money, turned The Godfather into the Great American Crime Epic. Marlon Brando got … Continue reading What’s Screening: August 17 – 23
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