Review
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Review: 'Superheroes' An Intriguing But Unquestioning Look At Real Life Crimefighters
Superheroes have captured the collective imagination ever since Superman first lifted a car over his head in Action Comics #1. The idea of a person blessed with extraordinary powers, or a regular citizen who adopts an alter ego to protect humanity, and right the wrongs that the regular justice system fails to address, has resonated with the young and old for decades. And while over the years there have been somewhat random and scattered incidents of people trying to recreate the vigilante hero experience on the streets of their city, today there seems to be a greater movement afoot. Across the country some very organized individuals are suiti...
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Review: Shion Sono An Exciting New Discovery; 'Cold Fish' Bleak, Bloody, Bold
The following is a reprint from of our review from VIFF last year.
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Review: '30 Minutes Or Less' Is A Fun But Forgettable Conclusion To The Summer Of R-Rated Excess
Zipping along at a brisk pace -- albeit one that feels like it's rushing to be over -- featuring dueling bromance buddy tales from both protagonists and villains, and mostly amusing in its vulgar humor and gags, the "action"-comedy "30 Minutes Or Less," is entertaining, but ultimately only a mild ef...
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Review: 'Magic Trip' A Pleasant But Unremarkable Trip Down A Druggy Memory Lane
Best known for his forward, concise, and unyielding documentaries attacking big business, the government, and the media, filmmaker Alex Gibney takes a brief sabbatical from the "heavy issues" and partners up with frequent editing partner Alison Ellwood for the Ken Kesey LSD-extravaganza "Magic Trip." The two cobble together footage and audio recordings from a free-wheelin' cross-country jaunt to the World's Fair in New York lead by the "One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest" scribe, the end result feeling something like a cross between Gibney's own "Gonzo: The Life and Work of Dr. Hunter S. Thompson" and last year's enjoyable "Lennon NYC." However,...
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Review: 'Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes' Monkeys Around, Showcases Action Over Nuance
When blockbuster films deal with conflict that poses a global threat, the question hangs over them: why is humanity worth saving? It’s the drug-film conundrum: 95 minutes of injections and hard-living make a stronger impression than the therapy and lessons of the remaining 10. Why bother presenting ...
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Fantasia '11 Review: 'Kidnapped' Starts Smart, But Ends As A Sleazy & Cheap Exploitation Flick
The single setting thriller is a tough trick to overcome as a director, as it constrains nearly every aspect of a production making it all the more difficult to elevate the film from its static surroundings. Last year saw a spate of single-setting flicks hit theaters, and while Danny Boyle's "127 Hours" and J Blakeson's underrated "The Disappearance Of Alice Creed" showed what inventive filmmaking and a smart screenplay can do in opening up the narrative in compelling ways, the Ryan Reynolds-led "Buried" was an example of what happens with a director can't get past the basic conceit of the picture. Which brings us to "Kidnapped," the first fi...
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Point Counter-Point Review: 'The Change-Up' Is Gross-Out Unfunny Or Messy But With Amusing Laughs
“The Change-Up” is nothing if not honest. Before the title card has even popped up on screen, Jason Bateman, playing a stressed out husband, father, and (pivotally) lawyer, gets poop sprayed onto his face and, seconds later, into his mouth. It’s a very gross gag very early on and sets the stage for ...
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Review: 'Bellflower' A Burnt-Out, Bloody, Brave Debut
Fresh from a warm reception at Sundance, Evan Glodell’s “Bellflower” arrives as a turbo charged indictment of male adolescent fantasy and a biting critique of misplaced machismo. A burnt-out, bloody, brave debut, “Bellflower” rides out the fallout from a relationship to a stomach-churning conclusion...
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Review: 'Perfect Age' A Loving Tribute To The Spirit of Rock ‘N’ Roll
Rock ‘n’ roll dramas don’t have it easy – they are permanently walking a tightrope above a long-way-down precipice. Make it all the way across, and you have "Almost Famous," slip and its 2001’s "Rockstar." Scott Rosenbaum’s "The Perfect Age Of Rock ‘N’ Roll" may occasionally stumble into lead-footed...
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Fantasia '11 Review: 'Bangkok Knockout' Delivers Awesome Action In An Otherwise Incompetent Film
In many ways "Bangkok Knockout" is the perfect film for Fantasia (or any other similarly themed genre fest), but let's be clear: the latest from "Ong Bak 2" and "Ong Bak 3" director Panna Rittikrai is terrible in almost every conceivable technical, narrative and aesthetic category. It's atrociously acted, with a derivative, absurd story shot with no real skill except in making sure that when two characters are speaking to each other, they are both in the frame. However, when it's time for the fights -- which are frequent, exciting and amazingly staged, Rittikrai is firmly in his element and the audience is in his hand. "Bangkok Knockout" is p...
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