What happens when you plop down a couple of famous faces in the Alaskan wilderness and pair them with a gross misrepresentation of animal behavior? Well, you get 1997's The Edge, which stars Anthony Hopkins (at his most regal) and Alec Baldwin (at his most greasy). http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GQZDxh5Im6E The Edge is a survivalist drama that strives…Read more Film Review: The Edge (1997)
Film Review: Mamma Roma (1962)
Mamma Roma begins by showcasing the emotive bombast of its star Anna Magnani, who is seen hooting, hollering, and cackling with unbridled glee in the center of the film's opening wedding scene. Magnani, one of the most forceful presences behind the neorealism movement, plays the titular Mamma Roma like her life depends on it. Her…Read more Film Review: Mamma Roma (1962)
The Complex – Chapter II: Sarah
And so he sat there - with only a few minutes to spare - staring at the snow that continued to amass upon his windshield. By morning the car would be entirely encased, its bulk indistinguishable from the glacial surroundings. He quietly cursed himself for moving back from Chicago. For as bad as the weather was…Read more The Complex – Chapter II: Sarah
Film Review: Dawn of the Planet of the Apes (2014)
The title of this sequel/prequel/reboot is a bit of misnomer, suggesting that the film will chronicle something of grave importance. Yet, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes ultimately falls short of that promise. The title is also on the verbose side, and its length is one of the problems that the film itself shares. These issues…Read more Film Review: Dawn of the Planet of the Apes (2014)
Film Review: Mandela – Long Walk to Freedom (2013)
Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom ends on lyrical note. A swooping aerial shot spins around in a moment of sublime romanticism, capturing the rosy color of the African countryside at sunset. A small figure walks across the hills: it is Idris Elba's Nelson Mandela, who is pumping his fists in the air with a rousing…Read more Film Review: Mandela – Long Walk to Freedom (2013)
Film Review: The Rover (2014)
From Ravenous and Memento, to The Hard Word and The Proposition, Guy Pearce has shown himself again and again to be the posterboy for dirty, grim tales of crime and violence. These titles - where he typically embodies gaunt, unpredictable men - showcase the actor's preternatural ability to evoke both extreme emotion and remarkable restraint. In…Read more Film Review: The Rover (2014)
On A History of Violence and Darwinian Masculinity
“I am a complete Darwinian,” - David Cronenberg For many people, 2005's A History of Violence marked a turning point in David Cronenberg's career. The Oscar-nominated drama seemed a world away from the director's earlier films, offering a (deceptively) straightforward story about crime and hidden identities in bucolic Americana. Yet beneath the surface of the…Read more On A History of Violence and Darwinian Masculinity
Film Review: Ernest and Celestine (2013)
The Oscar nominated French animated film, Ernest and Celestine, gets major points for sweetness. This delicate, uniquely drawn work is endearing, yet its effect quickly dissipates. Functioning as a rather tired paean for tolerance, the story feels thinly sketched and unsubstantial, with critical components of the film’s world possessing an arbitrary quality. Additionally, the English…Read more Film Review: Ernest and Celestine (2013)
Film Review: Edge of Tomorrow (2014)
Groundhog Day, Groundhog Day, Groundhog Day. These are the only words critics are using to describe the recent Tom Cruise actioner, Edge of Tomorrow, as if that 80's classic invented the concept of a time loop. Instead of cribbing from the Harold Ramis' comedy, Edge of Tomorrow (AKA All You Need is Kill) feels thematically…Read more Film Review: Edge of Tomorrow (2014)
On Gwen Stacy and The Amazing Spiderman 2’s Dubious Feminism
Scott Mendelson, a contributor at Forbes and owner of one of the creepiest profile photos of all time, wrote a piece recently on The Amazing Spiderman 2 and the problems inherent to its most iconic scene. As anybody with even a passing interest in Spiderman comics knows, Gwen Stacy is one of the Web Head's…Read more On Gwen Stacy and The Amazing Spiderman 2’s Dubious Feminism
Adam Mohrbacher 