ZERO DARK THIRTY

3/31/2013

 
Yeah, it's good. (Wish I was Kathy Bigelow...)

LINCOLN

2/1/2013

 
Daniel Day Lewis is great as Lincoln; and Janusz Kaminski's cinematography is the best thing that ever happened to Steven Spielberg. 250 minutes...

HYDE PARK ON HUDSON

12/29/2012

 
If you'd told me, years ago, that Bill Murray would one day portray F.D.R. I'd have hit you with my Dr. Scholls sandal, and yes, he's awesome! Laura Linney is so watchable, you're gonna love it.
http://focusfeatures.com/hyde_park_on_hudson

THE INVISIBLE WAR

11/16/2012

 
Rape is an epidemic in the military; as if fighting the enemy isn't enough. More than a documentary: it's a social movement, check it out.
http://invisiblewarmovie.com/

MY TRIP TO AL-QAEDA

10/11/2012

 
Alex Gibney brings journalist Lawrence Wright's one-man-play to the masses: love it!
 
Long, violent, flawed, yet engaging true life action drama starring Gerard Butler,  Michelle Monaghan, and Michael Shannon. What is up with that horrible accent, Gerard? I forgive you...
http://www.machinegunpreacher.org/movie/


 
Skip Prometheus and watch this one instead; low-budget first feature by Ridley Scott, shot by Frank Tidy, based on a short story by Joseph Conrad. Lush, beautiful, amazing costumes and locations. If you didn't love grads, you will be the end of this film! Love love love it.

CORIOLANUS

6/7/2012

 
"You fragments." The master of the contemptuous sneer, Ralph Fiennes, at his moody bloody best, stars in his directoral debut: a modern adaptation of Shakespeare's tragedy. Surrounded by top shelf talent; Gerard Butler, Vanessa Redgrave, Brian Cox. Violent war action: with Shakespearean dialogue: yes! Watch it with the subtitles on.
http://www.iconmovies.net/coriolanus/
 
Louis Malle's tale of a young man, casually rejected by the French Resisitence to German Occupation, who quickly becomes a member of the fascist lackeys; Milice, a paramilitary force, who used torture and murder to round-up Jews and Resistence members. The young lout, Lucien, imposes himself on the family of a Jewish woman whom we falls in love with. Interesting look at a unlikeable main character, and the era. Was controversial at the time 'cause it took the POV of the Fascist. Won the Oscar for best foreign film:1975.
http://www.criterion.com/films/776-lacombe-lucien
 
James Miller and Saira Shah explore the effects of the Israel occupation on the youngest residents of the Gaza Strip. A project that cost one of the filmmakers their life. Sad story: great documentary.