By Mark Saldana Rating: 3 (Out of 4 Stars) Part psychological thriller and part soap opera, The Maid’s Room does offer suspense, tension and some unexpected twists, but some of the beats play out a bit too cheesy for its own good. Nevertheless, the talented cast manages to maintain some gravity to their story, making… Continue reading AFF 2013 Review: THE MAID’S ROOM
Author: Mark Saldana
AFF 2013 Review: LIVING DOLLS
By Mark Saldana Rating: 3.5 (Out of 4 Stars) Certainly a curiosity piece, Living Dolls is a documentary which focuses on an unusual assortment of doll collectors. A young man who lives with his companion and parents has an obsession with collecting Barbie dolls and her accessories. A very eccentric artist loves turning Barbies and… Continue reading AFF 2013 Review: LIVING DOLLS
AFF 2013 Review: INNOCENCE
By Mark Saldana Rating: 2 (Out of 4 Stars) Teenage supernatural stories are all the rage right now, thanks to the success of the Twilight saga books and movies. The latest entry, which attempts to capitalize on this trend, takes place mostly in a private all girls school run by a faculty of supernatural, sexy… Continue reading AFF 2013 Review: INNOCENCE
BLU-RAY GIVEAWAY: PASSION
Coming to DVD and Blu-Ray on November 5 is Brian De Palma’s latest film, Passion.
Review: 12 YEARS A SLAVE
By Savannah Wood Rating: A+ Out of Hollywood’s greatest modern auteurs, no one captures the intricacies of human suffering quite like Steve McQueen. Anyone familiar with his previous two films, Hunger and Shame, knows how adept he is at conveying anguish in its most excruciating, raw form. His most recent film, 12 Years a Slave,… Continue reading Review: 12 YEARS A SLAVE
Review: ABOUT TIME
By Mark Saldana Rating: 3.5 (Out of 4 Stars) Written and directed by Richard Curtis, who previously helmed Love Actually and Pirate Radio, About Time is a time traveling movie in the guise of a romantic comedy. Actually, let me re-label that genre, because I feel it would be unfair to Curtis to dismiss his sweet, heartfelt,… Continue reading Review: ABOUT TIME
Review: 12 YEARS A SLAVE
By Mark Saldana Rating: 4 (Out of 4 Stars) Some of the most important films that deserve viewing by everyone are often the most difficult ones to sit through. Director Steve McQueen’s adaptation of Solomon Northrup’s autobiography Twelve Years a Slave certainly falls into this category. McQueen never shies away from vividly and graphically recreating… Continue reading Review: 12 YEARS A SLAVE
AFF 2013 Review: DRONES
By Mark Saldana Rating: 4 (Out of 4 Stars) Writer Matt Witten’s script was originally written as a stage play, but before audiences would see it performed in a theater, his intense, disturbing and thoughtful story was quickly made into a film. Director Rick Rosenthal and actors Eloise Mumford and Matt O’Leary do outstanding work… Continue reading AFF 2013 Review: DRONES
AFF 2013 Interview: RICK ROSENTHAL AND ELOISE MUMFORD OF DRONES
By Mark Saldana Two drone pilots, operating out of a trailer in a Nevada desert, have acquired a target in Afghanistan and are faced with a moral dilemma. They must follow their orders and terminate with extreme prejudice or face punishment for disobedience. This is the premise of the AFF film entry title Drones.
AFF 2013 Review: BIG SUR
By Mark Saldana Rating: 2.5 (Out of 4 Stars) Call it perfect timing or strange coincidence, but just last week, I finally watched Walter Salles’ film adaptation of Jack Kerouac’s iconic book On the Road. As much as I liked the movie, I felt that it isn’t quite the adaptation that Kerouac’s novel deserves. Still,… Continue reading AFF 2013 Review: BIG SUR