RECENT REVIEWS
The Descendants
The thing I love about Alexander Payne films, and The Descendants is no exception, is that no matter how laid back the tone of the film, the protagonist is always pushed to a breaking point where they end up doing ridiculous things they never imagined they would do, but along the way achieve an amazing level of self-discovery.
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Margin Call
The financial crisis of 2008 (to present) is a topic that has been explored ad nauseam in countless films, both feature and documentary, books and newspaper and magazine articles, so finding a twist to make “your” film stand out among the rest is imperative. Read more.
Drive
The plot sounds like it could be interesting and noir-ish, but it’s really not. Drive is nothing more than a plodding story rife with ridiculously long pauses in dialogue accompanied by wistful looks. Within a half hour I was completely bored and frustrated with the pacing of the film, which seemed to last far beyond its 100 minute running time. Read more.
Just a Note...
When I started updating my site (finally!) I realized what wonderful films I saw at the Milwaukee Film Festival this past year. I hope that you will check out my coverage and reviews, since many of the films are now available on DVD.
IT'S OSCAR TIME!
We're firmly mired in "awards season" and the nominations for the grandaddy of all of the awards, the Oscars, will be announced the morning of January 24. I not-so-secretely relish in the whole nominations fiasco, mainly because it gives me a good excuse to get out there and see some films I normally may not make time to see.
If you're interested in any Oscar nominated films, check back after January 24 for reviews. I promise to get reviews up very shortly after seeing each film.
I'd also love to hear from you if you participate in the Oscar frenzy, so e-mail me if you want to talk film!