Reviews
-
Thompson on Hollywood3 commentslike0tweet0
Now and Then: Cary Grant, The Man from Dream City, Revisited (CLIPS)
My own fever dream of Cary Grant takes place between cities, sitting down for a Gibson with Eva Marie Saint on a moving train somewhere in Middle America. Headed "North by Northwest," he's at his sexiest then, temples just flecked with gray, tanned and almost ageless. He's not just the recipient of ...
Read More » -
Thompson on Hollywood12 commentslike17tweet19
Review: Malick Stumbles with 'To The Wonder'
There are no dinosaurs in Terrence Malick's sixth feature, but there are bison, sea turtles, prairies, toxic sludge, sun-dappled water, more prairies, a conflicted priest (Javier Bardem) and enough pirouetting by Olga Kurylenko to make you imagine that she probably felt dizzy at the end of each day'...
Read More » -
Thompson on Hollywood2 commentslike2tweet3
Review: Antonio Campos Returns with Sexy, Disturbing 'Simon Killer,' Q & A
"Simon Killer" marks the second feature by Antonio Campos, who previously wrote and directed the Cannes Un Certain Regard selection "Afterschool" (2008). "Simon Killer" is an icy exercise in troubled masculinity, and a bold pronouncement of cinematic style that's as strong an American indie as any i...
Read More » -
Thompson on Hollywood0 commentslike0tweet0
'Blancanieves' Review: 'Snow White,' Spanish Style
"Blancanieves" is Pablo Berger's magical Spanish transposition of the Snow White myth into the thrilling arena of bullfighting and flamenco. Opening Friday in New York at the Paris as well as the Angelika, this sumptuous black-and-white silent drama is cause not only for celebration, but for reflect...
Read More » -
Thompson on Hollywood2 commentslike1tweet4
'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...
Read More » -
Thompson on Hollywood0 commentslike1tweet6
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.
Read More » -
Thompson on Hollywood4 commentslike3tweet4
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 ...
Read More » -
Thompson on Hollywood1 commentlike0tweet0
'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...
Read More » -
Thompson on Hollywood0 commentslike4tweet5
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...
Read More » -
Thompson on Hollywood1 commentlike1tweet3
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...
Read More »
fresh from the blogs
-
Celebrate Roger Ebert's Birthday With Some Vintage ...Criticwire
-
Director Steven Knight Says David Fincher Suggested ...The Playlist
-
SFFS 2013 Doc Film Fund Finalists (Darius Clark Monroe, ...Shadow and Act
-
Obit: Documentary Filmmaker Dennis O'Rourke (1945- ...Thompson on Hollywood
-
EWA Launches Campaign to Support Women Directors in ...Women and Hollywood
-
You Are What You Play With: How SESAME STREET and Legos ...Press Play
-
Good Night, Lost Boy(s)The Lost Boys
-
The Real Lone Ranger—At AuctionLeonard Maltin
on 
