Author Archive
Film Review – Yakona
Paul Collins and Anlo Sepulveda’s Yakona (2014) doesn’t contain a true plot, but it does have a story. Focusing on the San Marcos River in Texas, the film sidesteps the usual narrative structure found in fiction and documentaries, and rather paints an impressionistic picture of…
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SXSW Film Review – Impossible Light
When someone mentions San Francisco, what’s the first thing you think of? Chances are most people would mention The Golden Gate Bridge, and for good reason. With its striking color and artistic flourishes, and set against the backdrop of the city skyline, its no wonder…
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SXSW Film Review – The Frontier
When characters sit down and hash out their problems, I ask myself two questions: 1) Why are they now confronting their issues? And 2) What compels them to stay instead of running away? The real world is filled with broken relationships and missed opportunities. More…
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Film Review – The Bag Man
The Bag Man (2014) starts out in midstream. A crime boss named Dragna (Robert De Niro) hires Jack (John Cusack) – one of his most trusted men – to carry out an important mission. Jack is to retrieve a black bag, take it to a…
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Film Review – Oscar Nominated Shorts (Animated)
While most people will be focusing on the big nominees at the Academy Awards (Picture, Director, etc.), one area that deserves more attention is the short film categories. Short films are an excellent way for artists to hone their craft and experiment. There’s more room…
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Film Review – Pompeii
One of the worst things a film can be is half measured. Regardless of the subject matter, if it doesn’t fully embrace its approach, it will falter. If it’s supposed to be serious, then be serious. If it’s supposed to be a silly b-movie, then…
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Film Review – Vic + Flo Saw A Bear
What a strange film this is. The French-Canadian Vic + Flo Saw A Bear (2013) is likely to draw responses from each end of the spectrum. I can’t say I loved it, but I can’t deny it stuck with me after it was over. Some…
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Film Review – The Lego Movie
The Lego Movie (2014) is more infectious than it probably has the right to be. The idea is absurd: an entire universe made up of those little building blocks we used to play with as children, and inhabited by yellow characters with funny shaped hands.…
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