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It’s Such a Beautiful Day (2012) – Dir: Don Hertzfeldt (Rejected, The Animation Show)

Never before has hand drawn animation been so raw, so artsy, so bad. It is minimalist to the extreme – one supposes this is a conscious effort to draw the focus to what is more important than flashy spectacle, the fireworks. The story matters more. And it is cleverly and at times beautifully told. It’sContinue reading “It’s Such a Beautiful Day (2012) – Dir: Don Hertzfeldt (Rejected, The Animation Show)”

Hard Candy (2005) – Dir: David Slade (Twilight: Eclipse, 30 Days of Night)

Ellen Page injects her whole self into this role, a prepubescent siren in Hayley Stark. Patrick Wilson plays Jeff, the clueless predator wannabe with unfortunate tendencies – a predication for the prepubescent. She drives the hunt, despite the fact that she very convincingly plays the victim. The sexual implications hover beneath the flimsy surface, whichContinue reading “Hard Candy (2005) – Dir: David Slade (Twilight: Eclipse, 30 Days of Night)”

A History of Violence (2005) – Dir: David Cronenberg (Naked Lunch, Eastern Promises)

This is one of the most effective films I’ve seen. A small town, a simple world – a simple story for it, a study of violence – performances that hit you like blunt instruments. The heat is first, a lazy Summer day. The temperature is palpable. The violence doesn’t wait. These characters are brutal andContinue reading “A History of Violence (2005) – Dir: David Cronenberg (Naked Lunch, Eastern Promises)”

5150 Elm’s Way (France: 2009) – Dir: Eric Tessier (The Pee-Wee 3D: The Winter That Changed My Life)

A young filmmaking student moves into a new flat in a suburban French neighbourhood. He rides his bike around town. And tapes his new location. A fat black cat crosses his path and with a squeal of brakes he avoids the cat, but crashes his bike – breaking the bike chain and his phone inContinue reading “5150 Elm’s Way (France: 2009) – Dir: Eric Tessier (The Pee-Wee 3D: The Winter That Changed My Life)”

Goal: the Dream Begins (2005) – Dir: Danny Cannon (Nikita, CSI)

This is a made for TV movie. This at first should be understood. It actually has a lot of heart and it’s not morally superior or patronising. Goal is a story about soccer/football. Tension between father and son as the Munez family, illegal Mexican immigrants in Los Angeles, California, struggle to make ends meet. SantiagoContinue reading “Goal: the Dream Begins (2005) – Dir: Danny Cannon (Nikita, CSI)”

We Bought A Zoo (2011) – Dir: Cameron Crowe (Almost Famous, Jerry Maguire)

A tear came to my eye the first time I saw this film, I was choked up. Not streams of tears – but that kind of tear jerking emotional effect from a film or from anything is rare for me. The relationship between the young single dad and his son is familiar only because IContinue reading “We Bought A Zoo (2011) – Dir: Cameron Crowe (Almost Famous, Jerry Maguire)”

Argo (2012) – Dir: Ben Affleck (The Town, Gone Baby Gone)

The one thing I liked about this film is Ben Affleck’s performance as Tony Mendez. However, overall I hated this film so much that I was forced to give it zero stars. This film is introduced as a political thriller, it does not achieve this. It feels as if the film can’t decide whether toContinue reading “Argo (2012) – Dir: Ben Affleck (The Town, Gone Baby Gone)”

The Rocker (2008) – Dir: Peter Cattaneo (The Full Monty)

Rainn Wilson from the American version of The Office (TV) stars in this lovely and silly piece of rock trash. A beautiful parody with a soft heart. Wilson as Fish is hilarious. Fish is loud, gross and brutal. He is a satire of rock/metal attitude. The movie is infinitely re-watchable. The music is cool, theContinue reading “The Rocker (2008) – Dir: Peter Cattaneo (The Full Monty)”

Super High Me (2007) – Dir: Michael Blieden (Melvin Goes to Dinner, Late Night with Jimmy Fallon)

Starring Doug Benson as himself. Benson is a funny guy and a legitimate pothead. His quest to do thirty days of dope smoking is a fun concept. Especially when to be truly scientific, he has to abstain for thirty days prior to the experiment. And attempt to function in the world and in his ratherContinue reading “Super High Me (2007) – Dir: Michael Blieden (Melvin Goes to Dinner, Late Night with Jimmy Fallon)”

Last days of disco (1998) – Dir: Whit Stillman (Damsels in Distress)

We all know that disco sucks. However, this is the second disco film that I have enjoyed. It is intelligent, peculiar and unique. It celebrates disco as an era, and its end. Alice (Chloe Sevigny) is beautiful, naïve, tragically burned. There is a lovely juxtaposition of the nervous pre-coupling rituals for men and women. TheContinue reading “Last days of disco (1998) – Dir: Whit Stillman (Damsels in Distress)”