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Film Review – The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies
Six films, about twenty hours of runtime, spread out over thirteen years. That’s a lot of commitment for Peter Jackson to give one franchise. And for his efforts, he’s delivered two trilogies taking place in the same universe, but different in terms of quality. The…
READ MOREFilm Review – Top Five
Chris Rock’s Top Five (2014) is a movie that is in conflict with itself. On one hand, it’s an insightful examination of fame and artistic freedom. On the other, it’s a sexual comedy of the most obscene nature. Rock (who wrote and directed) is going…
READ MOREFilm Review – Exodus: Gods and Kings
When the cast for Exodus: Gods and Kings (2014) was announced, there was controversy over the ethnicities of the characters. In retelling the biblical story of Moses and the escape of Hebrew slaves out of Egypt, a Welshman was cast as the lead (Christian Bale),…
READ MORESIFF Film Review – Keep On Keepin’ On
There have been a number of good musical documentaries in the last few years. Alan Hicks’ Keep On Keepin’ On (2014) is one of the best, because it’s about something more than just the music. It’s about love, life, and the passage of time. We…
READ MOREFilm Review – Miss Julie
I’m at such conflict regarding Miss Julie (2014) that I’m still not sure whether I liked it or not. There are many things worth commending, one of which is the strength of the performances. But as I step back and think about it as an…
READ MOREFilm Review – The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1
Katniss Everdeen has gone through an interesting journey so far in the Hunger Games saga. Strangely, she has often been the victim of circumstance – constantly trying to adjust as things swirl further out of her control. In Catching Fire (2013) she entered the games…
READ MOREFilm Review – Mood Indigo
Michel Gondry is one of the most unique filmmakers working today. His ability to create imagery out of spare parts is unmatched – there are very few who exhibit such a sense of whimsy in a world of paper mache and cardboard cutouts. Sadly, Gondry’s…
READ MOREFilm Review – Big Hero 6
Walt Disney Animation has been making interesting choices in the last few years. The studio known for traditional fairytales has stepped out of the box as of late. Wreck-It Ralph (2012) tried something different, and even Frozen (2013) took well-worn tropes and flipped them to…
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