Reviews
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'Room 237' Review: Why I Hated, Then Admired 'Shining' Doc
A funny thing happened on the way to reviewing “Room 237.” When I first watched Rodney Ascher’s documentary about fanatical theories on Stanley Kubrick’s “The Shining,” I found it so patience-testing and angering that I had to turn it off at the halfway point. When I watched it a second time, obliga...
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Review Roundup: Tim Sutton's Debut Feature 'Pavilion' is a Lyrical Exploration of Youth
Tim Sutton's directorial debut "Pavilion," which premiered at the 2012 SXSW Film Festival, is now available via Factory 25 and Oscilloscope Labs on VOD, iTunes, Amazon and more digital platforms. The film opened theatrically in select cities on March 1st, to critical praise.
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Now and Then: Quentin Dupieux's 'Wrong' Exposes the Limits of Surrealism
Drafthouse Films, the distributor of Quentin Dupieux's bizarre new film, "Wrong," describes the French director and electronic musician (stage name: Mr. Oizo) as "one of the world’s most fearless cinematic surrealists." The surreal does indeed seem to be Dupieux's preferred register, but this leads ...
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'Trance' Director Danny Boyle Channels Evil Side with Naked Femme Fatale: Exclusive Interview, Early Reviews
"Trance" is stylish escapist fun that makes excellent use of reflective surfaces including the iPad, among other visual tricks--when it isn't pummeling you into submission. Boyle isn't one to sit back and let you feel calm and relaxed. Early reviews by trade critics claim that style trumps substance...
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Review Roundup: 'Phil Spector' a Sinfully Entertaining Treat Starring Wigged-Out Al Pacino
HBO's "Phil Spector" (March 24) directed by David Mamet and starring a tantalizingly wigged-out Al Pacino and Helen Mirren, is mostly receiving praise from critics. Pacino's performance is being touted as "compelling, both despite and because of the wigs," while Mamet's direction is called "sinfully...
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Weekend Preview: Promising and Diverse Film Fare All Around, 'From Up on Poppy Hill' to 'Ginger & Rosa' and 'Spring Breakers'
This weekend sees a number of well-reviewed films in limited release. Sally Potter's lovely coming-of-age drama "Ginger & Rosa" stars a remarkable Elle Fanning nimbly handling the role of a budding teen poet struggling to come to terms with her family's latest break-up and the Cuban Missile Cris...
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SXSW Review: Secret Attraction Brews in Joe Swanberg's Funny and Sharply Observed 'Drinking Buddies'
Joe Swanberg’s “Drinking Buddies,” which premiered in the Narrative Spotlight section at SXSW, is a portrait of individuals navigating the slippery slope of relationships, both romantic and platonic, and quietly, often hilariously nodding to the unspoken intersection of the two.
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SXSW Review: Gorgeous, Meditative 'The Retrieval,' Starring Jury Award Winner Tishuan Scott (CLIP)
Chris Eska’s beautifully made Civil War drama “The Retrieval,” which was awarded the SXSW Grand Jury Prize for lead actor Tishuan Scott’s performance, is a quietly stirring journey into America’s ravaged heartland of 1864. It follows three black men, two fully grown and one barely on the cusp of ado...
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SXSW Review UPDATE: Christopher Abbott of 'Girls' and Gaby Hoffmann Lead Jury Award-Winning Ensemble Cast in 'Burma'
“Burma,” made by first-time feature filmmaker Carlos Puga and winner of the Grand Jury Award for Ensemble Cast at SXSW, looks at a family in crisis. They aren't falling apart, but instead put together, suddenly, awkwardly, and the building blocks hurt. What starts as a generic and even patience-test...
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SXSW Review: In Lovely and Devastating Narrative Spotlight Entry 'Good Night,' No One Goes Gently
One of the best films I’ve seen at SXSW is “Good Night" by Sean H.A. Gallagher, a striking ensemble piece that looks at one night in the lives of a group of thirtysomethings as they unwittingly assemble for an announcement from their friend Leigh (Adriene Mischler): Her leukemia, which has been i...
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