By Mark Saldana Rating 4 (Out of 4 Stars) Derek Cianfrance really is an exceptional film writer and director. His romantic tragedy Blue Valentine broke the hearts of film audiences and earned the acclaim of critics in 2010. He has such wonderful grasp of human relationships and the consequences of our behavior and actions. While… Continue reading Review: THE PLACE BEYOND THE PINES
Category: Film Reviews
Review: TRANCE
By Renee’ Collins Rating: 4 (Out of 5 Reels) This film is a complete roller coaster ride from beginning to end. An art auctioneer, Simon (James McAvoy), becomes mixed up with a group of criminal partners and a hypnotherapist, Elizabeth (Rosario Dawson) in order to recover a lost painting.
Review: TRANCE
By Mark Saldana Rating: 3 (Out of 4 Stars) Acclaimed director Danny Boyle, the filmmaker who brought audiences 127 Hours and Slumdog Millionaire, brings a film to theaters which feels a bit closer to his earlier work (Trainspotting, Shallow Grave), though not as satisfying. Trance is a sometimes mesmerizing head-scratcher of a mystery thriller that… Continue reading Review: TRANCE
Review and Interview: AFF Best of the Fest Presents JUNK
By Mark Saldana Rating: 3.5 (Out of 4) The Austin Film Festival has continued their post-festival film series showcasing the Audience Award winners from last year. At the 2012 festival, Kevin Hamedani’s Junk took home the audience’s choice for best film in the Narrative Feature category. On April 1, AFF screened the film with writer/director/star… Continue reading Review and Interview: AFF Best of the Fest Presents JUNK
SXSW 2013 Review: MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING
By Laurie Coker Rating: A+ Updating Shakespeare – a challenge, a risk? Impressively, Avengers director Joss Whedon rises to both, with his black and white, modernized version of Much Ado About Nothing, one of my favorite of the Bard’s plays. In the first few minutes of the pre-SWSX screening, I had my doubts. I typically… Continue reading SXSW 2013 Review: MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING
SXSW 2013 Review: EVIL DEAD
By Laurie Coker Rating: D+ (But this in NOT a genre of film I typically enjoy!) I cannot stand gore for gore sake and shy away from most horror films. I especially loathe films like Saw and Hostel. I prefer to be scared. With that said, I am perhaps the worst person to review the… Continue reading SXSW 2013 Review: EVIL DEAD
Review: JURASSIC PARK 3D
By Laurie Coker Rating: A I remember spending evening after evening reading Michael Crichton’s Jurassic Park with and to my dyslexic son, because we both wanted to see the film when it hit theatres. Six years before I became a film critic, with a lifetime love for film, unending admiration for Spielberg and a fascination… Continue reading Review: JURASSIC PARK 3D
Review: JURASSIC PARK IN 3D
By Mark Saldana Rating: 4 (Out of 4 Stars) To celebrate the twentieth anniversary, Universal has released a 3D version of Steven Spielberg’s science fiction thriller, but before a collective groan arises from any nay-sayers, hear me out. The people who worked on converting the 1993 film to 3D deserve a standing ovation. This film… Continue reading Review: JURASSIC PARK IN 3D
Review: EVIL DEAD
By Mark Saldana Rating: 3.5 (Out of 4 Stars) Fede Alvarez’s remake/re-imagining/sequel to Sam Raimi’s cult classic horror film The Evil Dead delivers thrills, chills, cringe-worthy gore galore, and just a little humor, making this an exciting and sensory overload of a horror film experience. Horror fans and fans of the original Evil Dead movies will… Continue reading Review: EVIL DEAD
Review: GINGER AND ROSA
By Laurie Coker Rating: B Some films simply make us feel and connect us wholly to the characters. With exceptional lead actresses like Ella Fanning (Dakota’s younger sister) and Alice Englert and an equally impressive supporting cast, Ginger and Rosa, a coming of age film set in England during the 1960s, engages while it entertains.… Continue reading Review: GINGER AND ROSA