Movie Reviews

Warm Bodies
Published by on Monday, February 18, 2013 - 5:00am | 0 Comments

Considering the infestation of zombies in pop culture, Warm Bodies approaches the over-done premise with a playful character, and never takes itself too seriously. Surprisingly well-produced, the story has a crafted a decent world that both zombie-lovers and just lovers could enjoy, and some adequate themes that do not entirely provoke eye-rolls.

Wonder Women! The Untold Story of American Superheroines
Published by on Sunday, February 17, 2013 - 5:00am | 0 Comments

I’ve never really found Wonder Woman to be an interesting character. Whenever I look at her, my attention is usually drawn to the historically better-written (usually male) superheroes that surround her. But what if Wonder Woman was the only figure in that crowd with whom I could identify? I grew up reading about and watching characters whose shoes I could easily place myself into. It’s one of the many perks of being a white male. Wonder Women!

Rust and Bone (De Rouille et D’os)
Published by on Friday, February 15, 2013 - 5:00am | 0 Comments

Can romance find a place between the brutality of street fighting and an unexpected catastrophe at a marine attraction? As we see in Rust and Bone, it depends on the character’s perspective and definition. This 2012 French film, which ran against a highly competitive Palme d’or field, presents love as an afterthought of an unexpected friendship between two damaged souls.

Side Effects
Published by on Thursday, February 14, 2013 - 5:00am | 0 Comments

They appear as two-page ads in magazines, lengthy television advertisements, and are slapped on pens, notebooks, and shirts. Pharmaceutical advertisements are presently the iDrug of our contemporary existence: magical pills that can solve anything and hopefully do not inhibit one of the many items in an exhaustive list of side effects.

Branded
Published by on Wednesday, February 13, 2013 - 8:00am | 0 Comments

One conspiracy theory that arose in the 1980s was whether New Coke was a huge mistake or a deliberate plan to re-ignite cultural passion in the century-old brand. Branded takes this marketing theory and places it in context to post-Soviet Russia, contemplating the role of espionage in marketing and the role advertisers have on cultural mores.

Searching for Sugar Man
Published by on Friday, February 8, 2013 - 8:00am | 0 Comments

I had never heard of Rodriguez until I heard about Searching for Sugar Man, but one of the first songs in the film was enough to pique my interest. Sounding somewhere between Donovan and Bob Dylan, I began to realize that these comparisons are unfair. Sixto Rodriguez’s music cuts deep, and his mysterious persona existed long before his short-lived record deal, and existed up until the film’s central personnel began the search for him in the late 1990s.

A Royal Affair
Published by on Wednesday, February 6, 2013 - 8:00am | 0 Comments

Some of the most important moments in European history happen to be some of the stranger stories, even if it pushes Denmark into the Age of Reason. A Royal Affair (En kongelig affære) depicts the historical love triangle between a mentally ill King, a Queen, and a physician, all who eventually pushed for sweeping progressive reforms throughout the kingdom.

Stand Up Guys
Published by on Monday, February 4, 2013 - 4:00am | 0 Comments

For most, our last day alive will come unexpectedly. For Val (Al Pacino) in Stand Up Guys, it is the day after he is released from serving in prison for twenty-eight years. He is met by his friend and former partner Doc (Christopher Walken) who obliges to foot the bill for Val’s night of partying. Val has been marked for death, and Doc has been tapped to make the execution. The reason?

Not Fade Away
Published by on Friday, February 1, 2013 - 10:00am | 0 Comments

The British Invasion phenomenon influenced American culture like never before. Music all of a sudden became a necessity rather than a luxury, and the move to form a band and make it big was priority for many teenagers. In Not Fade Away, we see a dedicated musician and music lover struggle with band politics, women, and toll time has on dreams.

Movie 43
Published by on Monday, January 28, 2013 - 5:00am | 0 Comments

Movie 43 is a post-modern anthology of ill-connected juvenile short films. Certainly far from being art, the film is specifically designed to be a fun experience, particularly if maintaining attention is a difficulty.

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