Review: BIG EYES

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

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

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

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

Review: THEO’S HOUSE (Opening Exclusively at the Quad Cinema in New York)

By Mark Saldana Rating: 3 (Out of 4 Stars) Progress and prosperity have both positive and negative effects.  During the Industrial Revolution, humanity made advancements in technology; however, initially, living standards declined and in the long run, some of the processes developed during this period would have some negative effects on the environment.  More recently… Continue reading Review: THEO’S HOUSE (Opening Exclusively at the Quad Cinema in New York)

AFF 2014 Review: WILD

By Mark Saldana Rating: 4 (Out of 4 Stars) Jean Marc Vallee, director of one of my favorite films of 2013 (Dallas Buyers Club), returns this year with another affecting true story.  The acclaimed director has, with screenwriter Nick Hornsby, adapted Cheryl Strayed’s critically acclaimed and best selling memoir, Wild: From Lost to Found on… Continue reading AFF 2014 Review: WILD