Posted in: No Huddle Reviews by J C on January 13th, 2015
“Those who are feared make peace. Those who are kind get killed.”
Both temperaments are well represented throughout the first season of Tyrant, FX’s Middle East-set family drama. I say “family drama” because even though the show features plenty of political power plays and double-crosses, Tyrant is at its best when it focuses on the rotting and crumbling of the central Al-Fayeed clan. Call it Godfather-lite.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on January 13th, 2015
"Since the beginning of civilization, dolls have been beloved by children, cherished by collectors and used in religious rites as conduits for good and evil."
The Conjuring was one of the best horror movies to come along in years. Why? Because it was a good scare with a story that didn't totally insult our intelligence or leave us scratching our heads too many times. The movie also dealt with its own red herring of sorts in a possessed doll kept under wraps by that film's hero couple.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on January 13th, 2015
The internet is destroying everything. It seems crazy, but it's true, and most people know it. I mean that so many businesses have been destroyed by the tremendous growth of the internet and its insidious and unchecked influence. The newspaper business, music business, broadcast business and probably the movie business have been fundamentally and permanently altered. Men, Women and Children addresses how it affects each and every one of us on a daily basis. We're all aware of this. It's our lives now, and it wasn't 10 years ago.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on January 13th, 2015
The internet is destroying everything. It seems crazy, but it's true, and most people know it. I mean that so many businesses have been destroyed by the tremendous growth of the internet and its insidious and unchecked influence. The newspaper business, music business, broadcast business and probably the movie business have been fundamentally and permanently altered. Men, Women and Children addresses how it affects each and every one of us on a daily basis. We're all aware of this. It's our lives now, and it wasn't 10 years ago.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by J C on January 12th, 2015
“Writers are a ridiculous class of people who make everything about themselves.”
For many, the current face — and oft-naked body — of “writers who make everything about themselves” is Lena Dunham, the creator/star/writer/director of HBO's Girls. The equal-parts brilliant and maddening quarter-life crisis comedy became one of the most polarizing shows on TV over its first two seasons, as self-involved heroine Hannah Horvath sought love and a career as a writer in NYC. At the start of season 3, Hannah has both of those things...which is why I'm astounded — and, frankly, pretty impressed — that she remains as egotistical as ever.
Posted in: Podcasts by Gino Sassani on January 12th, 2015
Anyone who has seen the Starz pirate drama Black Sails knows who Hannah New is. She plays the feisty Eleanor Guthrie. Eleanor runs the Island where all of the pirates sell their booty. It's a powerful position for a woman of 1715. Hannah New is up to the challenge and I had a chance to chat with her recently about her role on Black Sails. She's just as much fun as her character. Bang it here to listen in on my chat with Hannah New. There are a few clicks in the audio which were an unfortunate result of our telephone connection. It's worth the patience.
Posted in: The Reel World by J C on January 9th, 2015
“We negotiate, we demonstrate, we resist.”
Early on in Selma, Martin Luther King Jr. succinctly summarizes his preferred method for affecting change during the Civil Rights Movement. The film then proceeds to effectively dramatize each bullet point in that mantra. Selma sometimes looks like the typical “Great Man” biopic and it is very much a period piece rooted in a specific time and place. But the film still manages to feel alive and relevant today by embracing the deeply humane — and deeply human — spirit of Dr. King's righteous work.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Brent Lorentson on January 9th, 2015
Even though in this documentary we may not get to experience T-Rexes chasing after unfortunate paleontologists while running amuck in a theme park, Dinosaur 13 still manages to be an engaging adventure from start to finish. This is a film that reaches out to all the young kids inside all of us who while growing up dreamed about what life was like when dinosaurs once ruled the world. It taps into that adventurous bug that was once inside all of us as kids about exploring and discovering worlds that have not yet been discovered and creatures that now can only survive in our imaginations
Posted in: No Huddle Reviews by Jeremy Butler on January 9th, 2015
British Special Air Service (S.A.S.), the British special forces training. Becoming the elite is easier said than done, and I Am Soldier demonstrates that quite well. The transition is not just about physical strength and ability; as it turns out the mental aspect is more essential than that, for it takes great willpower and resilience to battle the trials and tribulations, the ability to push on while the rest of you is begging to stop. Inside this film, possibly for first time, we are treated to the training that goes into becoming S.A.S.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by J C on January 6th, 2015
The most remarkable thing about Looking might be how thoroughly unremarkable it is. This is a double-edged sword for HBO's dramedy, which follows the love lives of three gay friends living in modern-day San Francisco. The series sidesteps the headline-grabbing sensationalism that accompanies many other shows that prominently feature gay characters. (Looking at you, Ryan Murphy.) On the other hand, Looking is often low-key to the point that it bypasses being funny or particularly entertaining. What the series does have on its side is a naturalistic tone that makes the show more engrossing and immersive as the first season progresses.
On The Web
Sponsors
