Author Archive
Film Analysis – Best Picture Predictions
It’s that time again: Oscar time. Many of the contenders have been seen, and the race for Best Picture is starting to take shape. But with the possibility of having five to ten nominees, things get a bit trickier. Here are the most likely contenders,…
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Film Review – Smashed
Alcoholism is a disease with many faces and names to it. For Kate (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) and Charlie (Aaron Paul) in Smashed, it is their way of life and the foundation of their marriage. They drink together, laugh a lot, have passionate sex, and keep…
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Film Review – The Family Jams
The documentary The Family Jams (2009), described as a look at young musicians, follows Devendra Banhart, Joanna Newsom, and Vetiver as they go on tour in 2004. What we get is mostly random shots of random concerts and these singers walking around, without ever getting…
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Film Review – Oslo, August 31st
Addiction, depression, and regret fuel 34-year-old Anders (Anders Danielsen Lie) in Oslo, August 31st. He is a drug addict getting out of the treatment center for one day for a job interview in Oslo, his hometown. When following Anders over this day, we know from…
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An Analysis – Hollywood’s “It” Comedies
There has been a trend of each year having an “it” comedy movie: the comedy that everyone ends up talking about, even at the year’s end. Now, there can be more than one great comedy a year, but there is usually only one that both…
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Film Review – Arbitrage
Right now in America, the most hated people are the bankers, the hedge fund managers, and the rich people who seem to be able to get away with everything because they have money. So to take on a character that not only is one of…
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My Five Most Anticipated Films for Awards Season
Predicting the movies that you will like is (let’s be honest) really, really fun. You take little details that you know about a movie and you find yourself excited beyond logic. Here are the upcoming films that have me most excited.
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Film Review – A Separation
Family and the issues surrounding what is best for one’s family are dominant themes of life no matter where you are in the world. In Asgar Farhadi’s A Separation, out on DVD yesterday, Nader (Peyman Moadi) and Simin (Leila Hatami) are one of those families,…
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