D- Horror comedy Note: I wrote this review in the spring of 2010, and planned to post it just before a then-planned Bay Area theatrical release. The release never happened, and the review was left unpublished. Since the movie is available on Netflix, I've decided to post the review now, in hopes that I will spare some … Continue reading Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Undead
Category: Reviews
Midnight in Paris
A- Romantic comedy (of a sort) Written and directed by Woody Allen I didn’t think Woody Allen still had it in him. He hasn’t made a film this funny, this wistful, and this heartfelt in decades. And I don’t think he’s ever made one this upbeat. Owen Wilson stars as your basic neurotic, romantic, witty, … Continue reading Midnight in Paris
Cave of Forgotten Dreams
A- Documentary Directed by Werner Herzog Only Werner Herzog would ask a scientist about his dreams. But that’s precisely why Herzog was the perfect choice to make this documentary about very ancient cave paintings—amongst the earliest works of art in existence, and works that show significant talent. Other documentarians would ask about how the paint … Continue reading Cave of Forgotten Dreams
Potiche
D Alleged comedy I don't like it when Roger Ebert complains that a lousy movie wasted two hours of his life. After all, it's his job. He's paid for it. And watching even the worst picture is better than what most people have to do for a living. But I review films as a hobby. … Continue reading Potiche
Nora’s Will
A Dramatic comedy A woman sets her table for a big, family dinner, carefully arranges her apartment, then commits suicide. Over the next few days, her family and religious community will have to grapple with their feelings for her, each other, and Judaism. (Oddly, this is the second Mexican film about death in a Jewish … Continue reading Nora’s Will
Academy Award-Nominated Live-Action Shorts
B+ As I promised in my last post, here are my thoughts on the five films nominated for the Best Live-Action Short Subject Oscar. They're playing, as a single feature, next week at various theaters around the Bay Area. These are, overall, a bit better than this year's animated shorts. They're also longer on average. … Continue reading Academy Award-Nominated Live-Action Shorts
Academy Award-Nominated Animated Shorts
B Collection of animated shorts Various theaters around the Bay will screen the Oscar-nominated short subjects next week. I got to screen them early. I'll tell you about the animated shorts here, and the live-action ones in a later post. The animated shorts vary from conventional to creative, hilarious to poetic, and masterful to mediocre. … Continue reading Academy Award-Nominated Animated Shorts
The Housemaid
A Erotic thriller (or something of that nature) More that 12 hours after watching The Housemaid, I still don't know what to make of it. The picture's US distributor, IFC Films, is calling it an "erotic thriller." Erotic? Definitely. I wouldn't be surprised if it received an NC-17 rating (IFC is releasing it unrated). Thriller? … Continue reading The Housemaid
The Gospel According to St. Matthew
Until yesterday, I'd never seen a film by Pier Paolo Pasolini. Feeling a need to rectify that, and suspecting that I couldn't stomach Salo, I watched The Gospel According to St. Matthew last night. If you have any sense of film history, you can't watch this stark, low-budget, black-and-white, telling of the life of Christ … Continue reading The Gospel According to St. Matthew
IndieFest Preview
I've previewed three films coming to IndieFest. Here's what I thought about them. B+ The Drummond Will, Roxie, Friday, February 4, 7:00; Sunday, February 6, 2:30; Monday, February 7, 7:00. No one can make murder funny like the British. In this low-budget comedy, two very different brothers inherent a ramshackle house from the father neither … Continue reading IndieFest Preview
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