By Mark Saldana Rating: 3.5 (Out of 4 Stars) It’s not usually in Tim Burton’s nature to be subtle with the visuals in his films. In his cinematic universe, colors, characters and set designs often get exaggerated for better or worse. What makes his latest film so refreshing is the fact that he has decided… Continue reading Review: BIG EYES
Author: Mark Saldana
Review: INTO THE WOODS
By Mark Saldana Rating: 3.5 (Out of 4 Stars) Rob Marshall is definitely the go-to director for movie musical adaptations. With TV musicals such as Cinderella and Annie and theatrical films Chicago and Nine, Marshall has proven that he can present stage shows beautifully and with much flair and style. His latest adaptation is Stephen… Continue reading Review: INTO THE WOODS
Review: THE IMITATION GAME
By Mark Saldana Rating: 4 (Out of 4 Stars) Based on the true story of Alan Turing and his top secret work for the British government during World War II, this extraordinary film not only gives audiences insight into the brilliant mind of Turing, but also reveals his tormented personal life. Adapted from Andrew Hodges’… Continue reading Review: THE IMITATION GAME
Spanish Review: UNBROKEN
Por Liz López Rating A+ La Segunda Guerra Mundial ha sido una fuente de historias de miles de personas, ambos sobrevivientes y a los que los perdimos a través del máximo sacrificio como militar. Solo en este otoño se lanzan tres largometrajes basado en historias que inspiran a los autores crear un guion, sea original… Continue reading Spanish Review: UNBROKEN
Local Movie Event: GOON
This January, Isle of Cinema is hosting a Tugg screening for the hilarious hockey comedy, GOON. Starring Seann William Scott, this wild, uproarious, no holds barred movie, that went straight to video on demand in the U.S., has a bit of a cult following and continues to gain fans to this day. The screening is scheduled… Continue reading Local Movie Event: GOON
Review: FOXCATCHER
By Mark Saldana Rating: 3.5 (Out of 4 Stars) The bizarre murder of Dave Schultz by John du Pont shook the world in 1996 and has now been made into a feature film by writers E. Max Frye, Dan Futterman, and director Bennett Miller. This movie features some of the best performances of the year… Continue reading Review: FOXCATCHER
Review: ANNIE
By Mark Saldana Rating: 2 (Out of 4 Stars) I was nine years-old when my mother and sister dragged me to go see John Huston’s adaptation of Annie in 1982. They dragged me because I had no interest in what I perceived to be a very “girlie” musical. Though I was partially correct in my… Continue reading Review: ANNIE
Review: WINTER SLEEP
By Mark Saldana Rating: 3.5 (Out of 4 Stars) Winner of this year’s Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival and Turkey’s official entry for Best Foreign Language Film, Winter Sleep truly is a remarkable film that critiques relations between the wealthy and poor classes in Turkey, but also is an engrossing portrait of disconnected… Continue reading Review: WINTER SLEEP
Movie News: AFCA Announces Its Film Awards for 2014
‘BOYHOOD’ IS AUSTIN FILM CRITICS ASSOCIATION FAVORITE IN 2014 The Austin Film Critics Association (AFCA) announced its 2014 awards today, with Austin filmmaker Richard Linklater’s feature “Boyhood” winning Best Film, Best Director, and two other awards, as well as leading the group’s Top Ten list. “Nightcrawler,” “Birdman” and “Gone Girl” also won multiple awards this… Continue reading Movie News: AFCA Announces Its Film Awards for 2014
Review: THE HOBBIT: THE BATTLE OF THE FIVE ARMIES
By Mark Saldana Rating: 3 (Out of 4 Stars) Peter Jackson’s Hobbit trilogy concludes with this often fun, occasionally thrilling, but somewhat padded movie that will certainly polarize fans of Jackson’s adaptations of J.R.R. Tokien’s Middle Earth series. I said it before and will probably say it again, but were three films necessary to adapt… Continue reading Review: THE HOBBIT: THE BATTLE OF THE FIVE ARMIES