Thursday, May 12 2011
‘Bob Dylan Revealed’ & ‘Bob Dylan 1990-2006 The Never Ending Narrative’
What's fun about Dylan is the contradictory responses he generates; one person hates what another loves and each can give good reasons for feeling the way they do.
‘Sliding Doors’ Meets ‘Mad Men’: ‘The Awakening Conscience’ in James Hill’s ‘Lunch Hour’
Clever and strategic emblems placed along the way define this modern cinematic take on Holman Hunt's The Awakening Conscience.
Who by Two in ‘Doctor Who: The Ark’
There are bad stories, goofy aliens and lousy special effects littered throughout the Doctor Who series, but stories like this help us keep the faith.
Wednesday, May 11 2011
Wheedle’s Groove: Seattle’s Forgotten Soul of the 1960’s and ‘70s
This winning documentary sheds a light on a part of Seattle's musical history that probably very few residents of Seattle knew very much about.
Terrible Truths and Beauty in ‘Antarctic Mission’ and ‘The Last Continent’
Antarctic Mission: The Complete Series and The Last Continent are two inter-related Canadian documentary productions that explore Antarctica to study the impact global warming is having upon the continent and its inhabitants, and to track how climate change is accelerating.
‘The Green Hornet’: Separate Ways, Worlds Apart
Seth Rogen + Michel Gondry does not = great action movie. Who would've guessed?
Tuesday, May 10 2011
The So-Called Normal and Monstrous Collide in Another Great Season: ‘Being Human Season 3’
Being Human remains a nearly pitch perfect fictive universe with characters we care about and, show for show, far more unforgettable set-pieces than most of what's on television.
Really, ‘Who Do You Think You Are?’
What was something of a self-indulgent escapade in the UK version takes on far more resonance and dramatic and cultural relevance in the US version.
What Awaits Beneath the Ice? ‘Doctor Who: The Seeds of Doom’
There are themes of conservation and environmental responsibility here, but they’re secondary, supplements to all the monster madness.
Monday, May 9 2011
Colin Firth’s Poor Little Rich Boy in ‘The King’s Speech’
Bertie’s feeling of being trapped in a code that has time and time again failed him is gut-wrenchingly clear, perhaps never more than when he is trying to be funny. His are jokes that would break your heart.
‘No Strings Attached’: From Raunchy to Romantic
A contemporary couple finds a traditional answer to a modern question.
‘Four Lions’ With a Ridiculous Roar
Chris Morris transcends the obstacles of the delicate subject matter of suicide bombers and creates a sharp satire.
Friday, May 6 2011
‘Jews and Baseball’: Setting the Record Straight
Jewish sportsmen may be the butt of jokes, from the "Famous Jewish Athletes" leaflet in Airplane! to Jon Stewart's quips, but the quintessential American sport has been home to many Jewish players since its earliest days.
‘Ingrid Bergman in Sweden’: Nordic Glamour and the Feminist Impulse
This collection of three films is a fascinating portrait of a bold young artist before she became a Hollywood legend.
Thursday, May 5 2011
‘Kes’: The Bird Appropriate to the Common Man
A phrase attributed to Truman Capote might well be applied to Billy Casper and his kestrel, as well: The world is not kind to little things.
‘The Lickerish Quartet’ and Other Old School Erotica
Everything old is new again when, in the age of internet porn and Blu-ray, outdated relics of softcore erotica from the '70s and '80s become resuscitated for new generations.
Wednesday, May 4 2011
‘Fiddler on the Roof’ Asks: How Does One Cling to Personal Belief in the Wake of Change?
Fiddler on the Roof represents the Hollywood musical at its most astute. A terrific, light-hearted, but deep thinking dramedy filled with dazzling performances, and ponderous, insightful, even timeless themes.
‘Road, Movie’ Gorgeously Conveys the Transformative Power of Cinema
Road, Movie is a weird mix of seemingly discordant elements and influences, but one that comes together to create something as wholly unusual as it is compulsively watchable.
Tuesday, May 3 2011
Julian Assange: A Modern Day Hero? Inside the World of WikiLeaks
“Leaking is an anarchist act,” Julian Assange says, and you half expect him to pull out a cape and vanish in the middle of a smoke cloud.
‘The Third Reich’: A Rare, Man-on-the-Street View of Nazi Germany
The Third Reich gives us ordinary German civilians' point-of-view through home movies they shot from 1920 through 1945, as the Nazis rose to power and promised a peaceful utopia, only to drag their country through hell.