Le Cercle Rouge

DVD, Blu-Ray Movie Review

Directed by Jean-Pierre Melville, Written by Jean-Pierre Melville, 140 minutes, Unrated.

By our guest blogger, Matthew Schimkowitz

Few styles in cinema have that instant cool factor quite like film noir. It's shadowy lights, crackling dialogue and incriminating perspective are all too frequently revived, revised and recycled, without much variation. While lesser filmmakers use the conventions for stylistic purposes, it takes a true genius to make those attributes their own.

Jean-Pierre Melville does just that. "Le Cercle Rouge" isn't a traditional film noir; its bad guys aren't relatable; Melville distances us from the crime, rather than implicating us in it; and the dialogue is sparse and direct. To this effect, Melville does the exact opposite of what noir is supposed to do. But by slowing things down, the auteur creates a surprisingly quiet caper that is as taut as any classic noir and doesn't skimp on any of the cool.

A smooth, tight-lipped ex-con, Corey (Alain Delon), and an boorish fugitive, Vogel (Gian Maria Volonté), plan an intricate jewel heist, while averting the trail of an overtly determined police officer (Bourvil).

Melville lets the camera do the talking and stretches his simple plot over two and half tense hours. Utilizing every space, each shot carefully creates a relationship between the characters and their surroundings. Whether he's lingering on a wide shot or an alarm system, Melville’s static moments build tension. The cast matches the director's patience, relying mostly on a series of hard stares to get their point across. “Rouge” is painfully slow at times, but leaves the viewer in complete suspense.

All these squints and sighs build towards the fantastic and intricate third act heist. Melville and his cast are so precise in their actions that even the most out of step movement can send jolts through the frame. It’s a nail-biting conclusion that rewards our patience.

"Le Cercle Rouge" is a very different experience. Melville uses his spaces and actors to focus on the tightly wound caper and constructs his noir in a new and subversive way. By distancing us from the characters, he uses tension to pull us in. No longer are we, the audience, implicated in the crime on screen, we are mere observers. But as the film argues, we are far from innocent.

Grade: A-

Le Cercle Rouge

DVD, Blu-Ray Movie Review

Directed by Jean-Pierre Melville, Written by Jean-Pierre Melville, 140 minutes, Unrated.

By our guest blogger, Matthew Schimkowitz

Few styles in cinema have that instant cool factor quite like film noir. It's shadowy lights, crackling dialogue and incriminating perspective are all too frequently revived, revised and recycled, without much variation. While lesser filmmakers use the conventions for stylistic purposes, it takes a true genius to make those attributes their own.

Jean-Pierre Melville does just that. "Le Cercle Rouge" isn't a traditional film noir; its bad guys aren't relatable; Melville distances us from the crime, rather than implicating us in it; and the dialogue is sparse and direct. To this effect, Melville does the exact opposite of what noir is supposed to do. But by slowing things down, the auteur creates a surprisingly quiet caper that is as taut as any classic noir and doesn't skimp on any of the cool.

A smooth, tight-lipped ex-con, Corey (Alain Delon), and an boorish fugitive, Vogel (Gian Maria Volonté), plan an intricate jewel heist, while averting the trail of an overtly determined police officer (Bourvil).

Melville lets the camera do the talking and stretches his simple plot over two and half tense hours. Utilizing every space, each shot carefully creates a relationship between the characters and their surroundings. Whether he's lingering on a wide shot or an alarm system, Melville’s static moments build tension. The cast matches the director's patience, relying mostly on a series of hard stares to get their point across. “Rouge” is painfully slow at times, but leaves the viewer in complete suspense.

All these squints and sighs build towards the fantastic and intricate third act heist. Melville and his cast are so precise in their actions that even the most out of step movement can send jolts through the frame. It’s a nail-biting conclusion that rewards our patience.

"Le Cercle Rouge" is a very different experience. Melville uses his spaces and actors to focus on the tightly wound caper and constructs his noir in a new and subversive way. By distancing us from the characters, he uses tension to pull us in. No longer are we, the audience, implicated in the crime on screen, we are mere observers. But as the film argues, we are far from innocent.

Grade: A-

“Source Code”

Movie Review

Directed by Duncan Jones, Written by Ben Ripley, 93 minutes, Rated PG-13

By our guest blogger, Matthew Schimkowitz

Duncan Jones’ “Source Code” is one of the spoils of living in a post-“Inception” society. With original and smart sci-fi a viable commodity, films like this one can exist without precaution, franchises, or source materials. Jones builds a well-paced and structured sci-fi thriller that’s as complex as it is clear-headed.

But amidst the time travel, alternate realities, and quantum physics, Jones and star Jake Gyllenhaal offer enough fun cinematic surprises and dramatic turns to keep your eyes locked to the screen and your mind away from its messy science.

Captain Colter Stevens (Jake Gyllenhaal) awakes on a speeding train a new man, literally, as the woman across from him identifies him as Sean Fentress, school teacher. Confused, Stevens makes a mad dash for the bathroom, observing his fellow passengers in a haze, when suddenly, the train explodes.

Stevens reawakes in a cold, desolate pod, with a voice on a screen asking him for the bomber’s name. After some debriefing, he is reminded of his mission--travel eight-minutes into the past and find the train’s bomber, before the culprit can strike again.

“Source Code”’s Philip K. Dick influenced plot keeps things complicated not confusing. Ben Ripley’s script layers on the genre tropes without the heavy science, allowing it to move like a speeding train without stopping for extended exposition. It builds to dramatic shocks, which causes the science to fall apart by the third act. But much like Christopher Nolan’s dream machine in “Inception,” the details are secondary to the ideas.

Jones realizes this brilliantly, constructing a film around shifts in perception through repetition. He transports us to the same place and time again and again, and as Colter becomes more aware of his surroundings, the more emotional his journey becomes, setting “Source Code” apart from the cold, sterility of most sci-fi.

Gyllenhaal carries the film’s existential weight as the man in the bubble and the man in another’s body, acting with compassion and a little bit of fun. And the star, who usually rests on his confused disposition, is perfectly suited for the mission. Michelle Monaghan and Vera Farmiga offer similarly human and confident performances. Gyllenhaal may ask the questions, but they give the answers.

Duncan Jones proved himself a directorial heavyweight with “Source Code.” As he transports his indie tendencies (namely, respecting the audience enough to give them a meaty plot), Jones offers a film that is altogether intelligent and entertaining. With theaters still reaming with remakes and sequels, it’s a welcome change of pace.

Grade: A-

“Source Code”

Movie Review

Directed by Duncan Jones, Written by Ben Ripley, 93 minutes, Rated PG-13

By our guest blogger, Matthew Schimkowitz

Duncan Jones’ “Source Code” is one of the spoils of living in a post-“Inception” society. With original and smart sci-fi a viable commodity, films like this one can exist without precaution, franchises, or source materials. Jones builds a well-paced and structured sci-fi thriller that’s as complex as it is clear-headed.

But amidst the time travel, alternate realities, and quantum physics, Jones and star Jake Gyllenhaal offer enough fun cinematic surprises and dramatic turns to keep your eyes locked to the screen and your mind away from its messy science.

Captain Colter Stevens (Jake Gyllenhaal) awakes on a speeding train a new man, literally, as the woman across from him identifies him as Sean Fentress, school teacher. Confused, Stevens makes a mad dash for the bathroom, observing his fellow passengers in a haze, when suddenly, the train explodes.

Stevens reawakes in a cold, desolate pod, with a voice on a screen asking him for the bomber’s name. After some debriefing, he is reminded of his mission--travel eight-minutes into the past and find the train’s bomber, before the culprit can strike again.

“Source Code”’s Philip K. Dick influenced plot keeps things complicated not confusing. Ben Ripley’s script layers on the genre tropes without the heavy science, allowing it to move like a speeding train without stopping for extended exposition. It builds to dramatic shocks, which causes the science to fall apart by the third act. But much like Christopher Nolan’s dream machine in “Inception,” the details are secondary to the ideas.

Jones realizes this brilliantly, constructing a film around shifts in perception through repetition. He transports us to the same place and time again and again, and as Colter becomes more aware of his surroundings, the more emotional his journey becomes, setting “Source Code” apart from the cold, sterility of most sci-fi.

Gyllenhaal carries the film’s existential weight as the man in the bubble and the man in another’s body, acting with compassion and a little bit of fun. And the star, who usually rests on his confused disposition, is perfectly suited for the mission. Michelle Monaghan and Vera Farmiga offer similarly human and confident performances. Gyllenhaal may ask the questions, but they give the answers.

Duncan Jones proved himself a directorial heavyweight with “Source Code.” As he transports his indie tendencies (namely, respecting the audience enough to give them a meaty plot), Jones offers a film that is altogether intelligent and entertaining. With theaters still reaming with remakes and sequels, it’s a welcome change of pace.

Grade: A-

"Inside Job"

DVD, Blu-Ray Movie Review

Directed by Charles Ferguson, Written by Chad Beck and Adam Bolt, 120 minutes, Rated PG-13.

By our guest blogger, Matthew Schimkowitz

The complex tale of fraud, foreclosure and whole a lot of money goes under the microscope in Charles Ferguson's Oscar-winning documentary "Inside Job," now out on Blu-Ray and DVD. Ferguson’s film chronicles the recent economic recession, starting from the downfall of the Internet stock boom to the rise of the derivative bubble and the financial disaster that crippled the world.

If this sounds confusing or overwhelming, fear not, Ferguson’s tight narrative, daring interviews and careful explanation breaks down the details, making this financing nightmare clear and infuriating.

“Inside Job” opens with Iceland’s quick economic meltdown, which turned the self-sustaining bastion of prosperity into a destitute nation. Iceland’s prologue offers a micro example of what would become the world’s economic recession.

Ferguson begins America’s role in 2001, after the fall of the Internet boom, another microcosm of the soon-to-be worldwide disaster. The fall of this industry caused Wall Street to turn their sites towards something more controllable, namely mortgages, financing, and loans, which would allow them to play other people’s money on the stock market, as well as control which stocks rated higher.

With the stock buyers, regulators and raters in control, they could raise the price of risky stocks and bail out and profit before it crashed. It is a cycle of increased risk taking, deregulation, and lowered morals, which not only brought great wealth to few, but also bankrupted many.

The film counteracts the confusing Wall Street jargon and economic aerobics by sitting down with those who know, teach, and utilize these practices from both sides of the fence. Speaking with economic professors, stockholders, and regulators, Ferguson gets a well-rounded, clear argument – although his opposition doesn’t really have much of one. Some speak of the amoral attitudes and ambitions of Wall Street’s heavy-hitters, as those responsible stumble between bad excuses and not commenting.

Matt Damon’s narration over Ferguson’s graphics tie it all together. While the film might be cold and factual, it never allows anything but the facts to get in the way. There are consequences to these actions, and the film doesn’t ignore those affected entirely, but “Inside Job” educates its audience with a sure voice, rather than an emotional one. The filmmakers slow things down and break apart the flaws in economic logic, as well as the pratfalls in those supposedly looking out for the public’s best interest.

Grade: A-

"Inside Job"

DVD, Blu-Ray Movie Review

Directed by Charles Ferguson, Written by Chad Beck and Adam Bolt, 120 minutes, Rated PG-13.

By our guest blogger, Matthew Schimkowitz

The complex tale of fraud, foreclosure and whole a lot of money goes under the microscope in Charles Ferguson's Oscar-winning documentary "Inside Job," now out on Blu-Ray and DVD. Ferguson’s film chronicles the recent economic recession, starting from the downfall of the Internet stock boom to the rise of the derivative bubble and the financial disaster that crippled the world.

If this sounds confusing or overwhelming, fear not, Ferguson’s tight narrative, daring interviews and careful explanation breaks down the details, making this financing nightmare clear and infuriating.

“Inside Job” opens with Iceland’s quick economic meltdown, which turned the self-sustaining bastion of prosperity into a destitute nation. Iceland’s prologue offers a micro example of what would become the world’s economic recession.

Ferguson begins America’s role in 2001, after the fall of the Internet boom, another microcosm of the soon-to-be worldwide disaster. The fall of this industry caused Wall Street to turn their sites towards something more controllable, namely mortgages, financing, and loans, which would allow them to play other people’s money on the stock market, as well as control which stocks rated higher.

With the stock buyers, regulators and raters in control, they could raise the price of risky stocks and bail out and profit before it crashed. It is a cycle of increased risk taking, deregulation, and lowered morals, which not only brought great wealth to few, but also bankrupted many.

The film counteracts the confusing Wall Street jargon and economic aerobics by sitting down with those who know, teach, and utilize these practices from both sides of the fence. Speaking with economic professors, stockholders, and regulators, Ferguson gets a well-rounded, clear argument – although his opposition doesn’t really have much of one. Some speak of the amoral attitudes and ambitions of Wall Street’s heavy-hitters, as those responsible stumble between bad excuses and not commenting.

Matt Damon’s narration over Ferguson’s graphics tie it all together. While the film might be cold and factual, it never allows anything but the facts to get in the way. There are consequences to these actions, and the film doesn’t ignore those affected entirely, but “Inside Job” educates its audience with a sure voice, rather than an emotional one. The filmmakers slow things down and break apart the flaws in economic logic, as well as the pratfalls in those supposedly looking out for the public’s best interest.

Grade: A-

“Bambi” 

DVD, Blu-Ray Movie Review

Directed by James Algar, Samuel Armstrong, David Hand, Graham Heid, Bill Roberts, Paul Satterfield, and Norman Wright, Written by Felix Salten (Story), Perce Pearce, Larry Morey, Vernin Stallings, Melvin Shaw, Carl Fallberg, Chuch Couch, and Ralph Wright, 70 minutes, Rated G.

By our guest blogger, Matthew Schimkowitz

Disney’s fifth animated feature--now out on Blu-ray disc--is a film of firsts.

Following a young fawn through the first year of his life, the film offers its audience a glimpse into the life of animals, from birth to death, and it recalls the joys of youth in the process. The film's realistic illustrations, careful structure and its depiction of death make it one the studio’s most beloved works. It's a coming-of-age story told with charm, beauty and reality.

Beginning at his birth, the film follows our titular fawn prince throughout his first year. Born in the summer, we see Bambi (voice of Donnie Dugan) take his first steps, hear him say his first words and watch him make his first friends. Bambi learns through socialization as do Thumper the rabbit (Peter Behn), Flower the skunk (Stan Alexander), and Faline the female fawn (Cammie King Conlon). They listen to their parents and thus learn through experience.

Bambi is born without a personality, and as we watch his character develop, we connect with his fresh look at the forest, whether he's doing so with curiosity or fear. Man provides Bambi with his first taste of the latter. With guns and fire in toe, man terrorizes the forest and, keeping with the film’s realistic view of nature, man succeeds in killing main characters.

The death of Bambi’s mother is one the most defining moment in Disney animation and, frankly, film itself. Moving away from the fairy tales of their first few pictures, Disney’s team doesn’t shy away from mortality in “Bambi.” It creates not only Bambi’s first look at death, but also a first look at death for the film's young audience. It's a moment that traumatized children across the nation, and one that Disney continued to replicate in such films as “The Lion King.”

“Bambi” offered the studio something entirely different. The forest's dim colors and the realistic depiction of animals make the film feel more down to Earth than, say, “Pinocchio” or “Snow White.”  The animals may talk, but they never appear as cartoonish as Disney's other works. The film’s loyalty to this realistic aesthetic bleeds over into the plot, and it does a remarkably fine job of it.

Grade: A

“Bambi” 

DVD, Blu-Ray Movie Review

Directed by James Algar, Samuel Armstrong, David Hand, Graham Heid, Bill Roberts, Paul Satterfield, and Norman Wright, Written by Felix Salten (Story), Perce Pearce, Larry Morey, Vernin Stallings, Melvin Shaw, Carl Fallberg, Chuch Couch, and Ralph Wright, 70 minutes, Rated G.

By our guest blogger, Matthew Schimkowitz

Disney’s fifth animated feature--now out on Blu-ray disc--is a film of firsts.

Following a young fawn through the first year of his life, the film offers its audience a glimpse into the life of animals, from birth to death, and it recalls the joys of youth in the process. The film's realistic illustrations, careful structure and its depiction of death make it one the studio’s most beloved works. It's a coming-of-age story told with charm, beauty and reality.

Beginning at his birth, the film follows our titular fawn prince throughout his first year. Born in the summer, we see Bambi (voice of Donnie Dugan) take his first steps, hear him say his first words and watch him make his first friends. Bambi learns through socialization as do Thumper the rabbit (Peter Behn), Flower the skunk (Stan Alexander), and Faline the female fawn (Cammie King Conlon). They listen to their parents and thus learn through experience.

Bambi is born without a personality, and as we watch his character develop, we connect with his fresh look at the forest, whether he's doing so with curiosity or fear. Man provides Bambi with his first taste of the latter. With guns and fire in toe, man terrorizes the forest and, keeping with the film’s realistic view of nature, man succeeds in killing main characters.

The death of Bambi’s mother is one the most defining moment in Disney animation and, frankly, film itself. Moving away from the fairy tales of their first few pictures, Disney’s team doesn’t shy away from mortality in “Bambi.” It creates not only Bambi’s first look at death, but also a first look at death for the film's young audience. It's a moment that traumatized children across the nation, and one that Disney continued to replicate in such films as “The Lion King.”

“Bambi” offered the studio something entirely different. The forest's dim colors and the realistic depiction of animals make the film feel more down to Earth than, say, “Pinocchio” or “Snow White.”  The animals may talk, but they never appear as cartoonish as Disney's other works. The film’s loyalty to this realistic aesthetic bleeds over into the plot, and it does a remarkably fine job of it.

Grade: A

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"Network"

DVD, Blu-Ray Movie Review

Directed by Sidney Lumet, Written by Paddy Chayefsky, 121 minutes, Rated R.

By our guest blogger, Matthew Schimkowitz

Ever wonder what an episode of Mary Tyler Moore might look like had it been written by Kurt Vonnegut? Well, look no further than "Network." Just out on Blu-ray disc, director Sidney Lumet's satire about a failing television station leaves no stone unturned, tearing into the stars, the executives, and the audience with a sharp comic edge and a dark sense of humor.

"Network" is about a failing television station called UBS. More specifically, it chronicles the consequences of having lousy ratings. No one learns this lesson more so than longtime news anchor Howard Beale (Peter Finch), who after 15 years behind the desk is cast out from the network in lieu of more contemporary programming. Mad as hell and not going to take it anymore, Howard hijacks the camera during his final broadcast and vents about the grotesque state of humanity and actually makes a connection with the audience.

The rest of the network is flabbergasted, save for the new station programmer Diana Christensen (Faye Dunaway). Diana spent the better part of her time at UBS searching out angry television. With the country in the heart of a recession and the dream of the '60s dead, she’s sees a demand for volatile shows that channel this rage--and Howard Beale becomes her poster child.

Things escalate quickly as Howard becomes the host of his own televangelist talk show. Howard's close friend and longtime partner, Max (William Holden), watches in horror as the show leads to the downfall of the news department, a cult-like viewership, television show's developed by political radicals and terrorist organizations, and the decline of the American family unit.

"Network" is a product of the sum of its parts. The snappy script rattles-off jokes and call-backs with ease. The cast plays along, making sure the audience never misses a moment of just how stupid everything at the network actually is. Finally, Lumet's directing keeps things feeling lighthearted -- even when the subject matter is darkly insulting. Lumet reduces those in the business to sniveling money grubbers and raving lunatics, and the audience -- brainless sheep, willing to eat up anything the executives feed them.

For all of its strange idiosyncrasies, "Network" remains sharply satirical with a keen eye for detail. It's easy to get wrapped up in these people's lives, even if, as Max so appropriately points out, they act as if they're reading from a script. "Network" has little respect for the phony television generation, and through its scathing perception of it, it's easy to understand why.

Grade: A

"Network"

DVD, Blu-Ray Movie Review

Directed by Sidney Lumet, Written by Paddy Chayefsky, 121 minutes, Rated R.

By our guest blogger, Matthew Schimkowitz

Ever wonder what an episode of Mary Tyler Moore might look like had it been written by Kurt Vonnegut? Well, look no further than "Network." Just out on Blu-ray disc, director Sidney Lumet's satire about a failing television station leaves no stone unturned, tearing into the stars, the executives, and the audience with a sharp comic edge and a dark sense of humor.

"Network" is about a failing television station called UBS. More specifically, it chronicles the consequences of having lousy ratings. No one learns this lesson more so than longtime news anchor Howard Beale (Peter Finch), who after 15 years behind the desk is cast out from the network in lieu of more contemporary programming. Mad as hell and not going to take it anymore, Howard hijacks the camera during his final broadcast and vents about the grotesque state of humanity and actually makes a connection with the audience.

The rest of the network is flabbergasted, save for the new station programmer Diana Christensen (Faye Dunaway). Diana spent the better part of her time at UBS searching out angry television. With the country in the heart of a recession and the dream of the '60s dead, she’s sees a demand for volatile shows that channel this rage--and Howard Beale becomes her poster child.

Things escalate quickly as Howard becomes the host of his own televangelist talk show. Howard's close friend and longtime partner, Max (William Holden), watches in horror as the show leads to the downfall of the news department, a cult-like viewership, television show's developed by political radicals and terrorist organizations, and the decline of the American family unit.

"Network" is a product of the sum of its parts. The snappy script rattles-off jokes and call-backs with ease. The cast plays along, making sure the audience never misses a moment of just how stupid everything at the network actually is. Finally, Lumet's directing keeps things feeling lighthearted -- even when the subject matter is darkly insulting. Lumet reduces those in the business to sniveling money grubbers and raving lunatics, and the audience -- brainless sheep, willing to eat up anything the executives feed them.

For all of its strange idiosyncrasies, "Network" remains sharply satirical with a keen eye for detail. It's easy to get wrapped up in these people's lives, even if, as Max so appropriately points out, they act as if they're reading from a script. "Network" has little respect for the phony television generation, and through its scathing perception of it, it's easy to understand why.

Grade: A

“The Cove”

DVD, Blu-Ray Review

Directed by Louie Psihoyos, Written by Mark Monroe, 92 minutes, Rated PG-13.

By our guest blogger, Matthew Schimkowtiz

In the documentary “The Cove,” aquatic-life activist Richard O’Barry continues his longtime crusade to expose the world of dolphin poaching and the trade’s immediate effects on our world.

The multi-million dollar industry, based primarily out of the small fishing town of Taiji, Japan, moves along without inspection, murdering thousands of dolphins every year and imprisoning thousands of others. “The Cove”’s argument is simple: Dolphins are sentient beings and to treat them this way is morally wrong. The film lays out its points of contention carefully and convincingly, making the truth even harder to stomach.

In the small city of Taiji, dolphin poaching is the main source of revenue. As the camera crew enters the city, decorations memorializing dolphins greet us. This is nothing more than a front. At a small inlet off the coast of the city, O’Barry explains that Taiji is the center of the largest dolphin slaughter in the world.

O’Barry began working with dolphins in the 1960s, discovering the world’s most famous porpoise, Flipper. After working with these creatures for so long, O’Barry realized that these were self aware beings, with an understanding of life and death, just like humans. Shortly thereafter, he began championing for their release from captivity.

The documentary lays out the argument clearly, and O’Barry provides examples to make it succinct and persuasive. Dolphins look in the mirror and recognize themselves. They feel depression and joy, and to hunt and imprison them is no different from hunting humans.

Gaining access to the cove drives the argument forward. It gives the narrative a center at which to focus, and from there, it can branch out to other points. O’Barry reasons that it is morally wrong to do this, explains the massive government cover-up to protect it, and that to stop it, they must gather video footage of the cove.

“The Cove” is an important, well-crafted and down-right scary film. Psihoyos makes a strong argument for why the dolphin slaughter is wrong, but the final point requires no words. The footage they take from the cove will leave you speechless.

One can hope that the film’s rock-solid argument is enough to put an end to this tragedy, but apparently, dolphins have a greater sense of compassion than humans do.

Grade: A

“The Cove”

DVD, Blu-Ray Review

Directed by Louie Psihoyos, Written by Mark Monroe, 92 minutes, Rated PG-13.

By our guest blogger, Matthew Schimkowtiz

In the documentary “The Cove,” aquatic-life activist Richard O’Barry continues his longtime crusade to expose the world of dolphin poaching and the trade’s immediate effects on our world.

The multi-million dollar industry, based primarily out of the small fishing town of Taiji, Japan, moves along without inspection, murdering thousands of dolphins every year and imprisoning thousands of others. “The Cove”’s argument is simple: Dolphins are sentient beings and to treat them this way is morally wrong. The film lays out its points of contention carefully and convincingly, making the truth even harder to stomach.

In the small city of Taiji, dolphin poaching is the main source of revenue. As the camera crew enters the city, decorations memorializing dolphins greet us. This is nothing more than a front. At a small inlet off the coast of the city, O’Barry explains that Taiji is the center of the largest dolphin slaughter in the world.

O’Barry began working with dolphins in the 1960s, discovering the world’s most famous porpoise, Flipper. After working with these creatures for so long, O’Barry realized that these were self aware beings, with an understanding of life and death, just like humans. Shortly thereafter, he began championing for their release from captivity.

The documentary lays out the argument clearly, and O’Barry provides examples to make it succinct and persuasive. Dolphins look in the mirror and recognize themselves. They feel depression and joy, and to hunt and imprison them is no different from hunting humans.

Gaining access to the cove drives the argument forward. It gives the narrative a center at which to focus, and from there, it can branch out to other points. O’Barry reasons that it is morally wrong to do this, explains the massive government cover-up to protect it, and that to stop it, they must gather video footage of the cove.

“The Cove” is an important, well-crafted and down-right scary film. Psihoyos makes a strong argument for why the dolphin slaughter is wrong, but the final point requires no words. The footage they take from the cove will leave you speechless.

One can hope that the film’s rock-solid argument is enough to put an end to this tragedy, but apparently, dolphins have a greater sense of compassion than humans do.

Grade: A

“Alice in Wonderland”

DVD, Blu-Ray Review

Directed by Clyde Geronimi, Wilfred Jackson, and Hamilton Luske, Written by Lewis Carroll (novel), Winston Hibler, Ted Sears, Bill Peet, Erdman Penner, Joe Rinaldi, Milt Banta, William Cottrell, Dick Kelsey, Joe Grant, Dick Huemer, Del Connell, Tom Oreb, and John Walbridge, 75 minutes, Rated G.

By our guest blogger, Matthew Schimkowitz

Disney may have sent Tim Burton down the rabbit hole in 2010’s 3D pseudo-sequel, but the mouse house’s animated “Alice in Wonderland” is the studio’s seminal version. Capturing the sublime absurdity of Lewis Carroll’s original work, "Alice" uses Disney’s animators, writers and voice actors to create something altogether playful and wicked.

Now enjoying its 60th anniversary, “Alice in Wonderland” follows a young girl named Alice (Kathryn Beaumont), who, after deciding that a life of homework and reason wasn’t the life for her, chases an anthropomorphic rabbit down a deep hole. When she reaches the bottom, she discovers an illogical world filled with bizarre creatures and plants.

As she travels, she comes across a host of distractions, including the twins Tweedledee and Tweedledum (J. Pat O’Malley); the mischievous Cheshire Cat (Sterling Holloway); the over-caffeinated Mad Hatter (Ed Wynn); and the fascist Queen of Hearts (Verna Felton). However, the further into wonderland she goes, the more dangerous these absurd characters become.

If “Alice in Wonderland” has one flaw, it’s Alice. As Alice wanders from character to character, it becomes clear that she has no bearing on any of the events. She’s a spectator, and in some cases, like at the "Mad Tea-party," her presence is trivial. Despite the rousing location, Alice’s passivity slows the plot.

Disney more than compensates for Alice’s character problems, however. Their animation team makes the diverse creatures of wonderland pop off the screen, while the script keeps the playful wordplay of Carroll lively. Finally, the voice acting of the whole cast is fantastic. They are expressive, impulsive, and, most importantly, funny. Carroll’s story is an exercise in nonsense, and the production team takes this idea to heart.

Disney’s team makes the story’s pitfalls irrelevant. Alice may not be the strongest protagonist, but her time in Wonderland is everything a movie goer could want. The animators, cast and script move things along nicely, with an air of doubt that makes Alice’s adventures slightly dangerous.

Despite the lack of forward motion, Alice’s adventures in wonderland are altogether exciting. After 60 years, "Wonderland" is still worth visiting.

Grade: A-

“Alice in Wonderland”

DVD, Blu-Ray Review

Directed by Clyde Geronimi, Wilfred Jackson, and Hamilton Luske, Written by Lewis Carroll (novel), Winston Hibler, Ted Sears, Bill Peet, Erdman Penner, Joe Rinaldi, Milt Banta, William Cottrell, Dick Kelsey, Joe Grant, Dick Huemer, Del Connell, Tom Oreb, and John Walbridge, 75 minutes, Rated G.

By our guest blogger, Matthew Schimkowitz

Disney may have sent Tim Burton down the rabbit hole in 2010’s 3D pseudo-sequel, but the mouse house’s animated “Alice in Wonderland” is the studio’s seminal version. Capturing the sublime absurdity of Lewis Carroll’s original work, "Alice" uses Disney’s animators, writers and voice actors to create something altogether playful and wicked.

Now enjoying its 60th anniversary, “Alice in Wonderland” follows a young girl named Alice (Kathryn Beaumont), who, after deciding that a life of homework and reason wasn’t the life for her, chases an anthropomorphic rabbit down a deep hole. When she reaches the bottom, she discovers an illogical world filled with bizarre creatures and plants.

As she travels, she comes across a host of distractions, including the twins Tweedledee and Tweedledum (J. Pat O’Malley); the mischievous Cheshire Cat (Sterling Holloway); the over-caffeinated Mad Hatter (Ed Wynn); and the fascist Queen of Hearts (Verna Felton). However, the further into wonderland she goes, the more dangerous these absurd characters become.

If “Alice in Wonderland” has one flaw, it’s Alice. As Alice wanders from character to character, it becomes clear that she has no bearing on any of the events. She’s a spectator, and in some cases, like at the "Mad Tea-party," her presence is trivial. Despite the rousing location, Alice’s passivity slows the plot.

Disney more than compensates for Alice’s character problems, however. Their animation team makes the diverse creatures of wonderland pop off the screen, while the script keeps the playful wordplay of Carroll lively. Finally, the voice acting of the whole cast is fantastic. They are expressive, impulsive, and, most importantly, funny. Carroll’s story is an exercise in nonsense, and the production team takes this idea to heart.

Disney’s team makes the story’s pitfalls irrelevant. Alice may not be the strongest protagonist, but her time in Wonderland is everything a movie goer could want. The animators, cast and script move things along nicely, with an air of doubt that makes Alice’s adventures slightly dangerous.

Despite the lack of forward motion, Alice’s adventures in wonderland are altogether exciting. After 60 years, "Wonderland" is still worth visiting.

Grade: A-

"Let Me In" 

DVD, Blu-ray Movie Review

Directed by Matt Reeves, Written by Reeves, 115 Minutes, Rated R

By our guest blogger, Rob Stammitti

"Cloverfield" director Matt Reeves is one of the last people one may have expected to helm the American interpretation of the stellar Swedish horror-romance "Let the Right One In." The original is frightening, but works far more on an unsettling level than a truly horrific one. It's cerebral. "Cloverfield" was far from that--a solid effort, for sure, but definitely nothing that would indicate a sound understanding of subtle horror or personal drama.

But, behold, Reeves appears to have been the perfect match for this material. Not only is "Let Me In" one of the finest remakes ever made, it dares to match its foreign counterpart in both tone and subject matter--that is, it doesn't shy away from being quiet where the American audiences might expect it to be loud, nor is it afraid to be romantic and sensual in places that would make people uncomfortable. In other words, Reeves has done the impossible and made a foreign film for a mainstream American audience.

The film, like its predecessor, follows a young boy, here named Owen (Kodi Smit-McPhee), who lives in a shabby apartment in Los Alamos, New Mexico with his perpetually inebriated mother (in an inspired move unmatched in the original, her face is never shown) and is in constant fear of torment from his school nemesis, Kenny (Dylan Minnette). One day in the winter Owen gets some new neighbors. They are Abby (Chloe Moretz) and a man who appears to be her father (Richard Jenkins). Though shy and wary, Owen befriends the mysterious girl, but what he doesn't realize is that she's actually a vampire--much older than 12, as she appears--and her "father" is her caretaker, who takes it upon himself to go out in the awful cold in the middle of the night to find unfortunate people from which to drain blood for Abby.

In many ways, and this was said even back in 2008 upon the original's release, "Let Me In" vaguely resembles its tween counterpart, "Twilight." In both, an outcast is rescued from the pain of their mundane lives by affection for something dangerous, something they cannot understand, but something they know is somehow good for them. Of course, they're not very similar otherwise--the romance of these two characters, one just reaching adolescence and the other never having reached it, is much more mature than in any of the "Twilight" films. It's more urgent, more real, and it can be felt far more deeply. And it's far from shallow, which the relationship in "Twilight" certainly is.

But to even call this adolescent romance just an ordinary romance would be a mistake. Again, like the Swedish film, there are some very dark undertones to the whole affair, especially when the real implications of Abby's desires for Owen are considered. And, startlingly, this is one area where the remake definitely trumps the original. Though the ambiguity regarding the nature of Abby's sexuality goes completely unexplored here, the overall nature of her relationship with Jenkins' caretaker character is a bit more overtly explored.

But it would be unfair to continue comparing the remake to the original--Reeves' film definitely works on its own, both in its stylistic changes and in its thematic and narrative additions. The action centerpiece of the film that has garnered a good deal of critical attention is entirely deserving of focus--it's truly one of the finest thriller setpieces of the last few years, and it has possibly the best and most startling car crash scene I've seen put to film.

Really, it's fascinating to see Reeves go from his Blair Witch-cam style in "Cloverfield" to something so thoughtful and beautiful here. Sure, he takes many cues from Tomas Alfredson, director of the original, with some moments generally taken shot-for-shot from his film, but he very much makes the film his own and any additions and subtractions are well-earned. It's really quite an exciting display of directorial prowess from someone I really didn't expect to see so much excellence from.

"Let Me In" may very well be a redundancy, but like Michael Haneke's own American remake of his film "Funny Games" and Soderbergh's "Solaris," it's a remake very much with its own merit, something that takes note from its inspiration while being wholly unique. And, with some consideration, "Let Me In" may ultimately be the better adaptation of the material.

Grade: A

"Let Me In" 

DVD, Blu-ray Movie Review

Directed by Matt Reeves, Written by Reeves, 115 Minutes, Rated R

By our guest blogger, Rob Stammitti

"Cloverfield" director Matt Reeves is one of the last people one may have expected to helm the American interpretation of the stellar Swedish horror-romance "Let the Right One In." The original is frightening, but works far more on an unsettling level than a truly horrific one. It's cerebral. "Cloverfield" was far from that--a solid effort, for sure, but definitely nothing that would indicate a sound understanding of subtle horror or personal drama.

But, behold, Reeves appears to have been the perfect match for this material. Not only is "Let Me In" one of the finest remakes ever made, it dares to match its foreign counterpart in both tone and subject matter--that is, it doesn't shy away from being quiet where the American audiences might expect it to be loud, nor is it afraid to be romantic and sensual in places that would make people uncomfortable. In other words, Reeves has done the impossible and made a foreign film for a mainstream American audience.

The film, like its predecessor, follows a young boy, here named Owen (Kodi Smit-McPhee), who lives in a shabby apartment in Los Alamos, New Mexico with his perpetually inebriated mother (in an inspired move unmatched in the original, her face is never shown) and is in constant fear of torment from his school nemesis, Kenny (Dylan Minnette). One day in the winter Owen gets some new neighbors. They are Abby (Chloe Moretz) and a man who appears to be her father (Richard Jenkins). Though shy and wary, Owen befriends the mysterious girl, but what he doesn't realize is that she's actually a vampire--much older than 12, as she appears--and her "father" is her caretaker, who takes it upon himself to go out in the awful cold in the middle of the night to find unfortunate people from which to drain blood for Abby.

In many ways, and this was said even back in 2008 upon the original's release, "Let Me In" vaguely resembles its tween counterpart, "Twilight." In both, an outcast is rescued from the pain of their mundane lives by affection for something dangerous, something they cannot understand, but something they know is somehow good for them. Of course, they're not very similar otherwise--the romance of these two characters, one just reaching adolescence and the other never having reached it, is much more mature than in any of the "Twilight" films. It's more urgent, more real, and it can be felt far more deeply. And it's far from shallow, which the relationship in "Twilight" certainly is.

But to even call this adolescent romance just an ordinary romance would be a mistake. Again, like the Swedish film, there are some very dark undertones to the whole affair, especially when the real implications of Abby's desires for Owen are considered. And, startlingly, this is one area where the remake definitely trumps the original. Though the ambiguity regarding the nature of Abby's sexuality goes completely unexplored here, the overall nature of her relationship with Jenkins' caretaker character is a bit more overtly explored.

But it would be unfair to continue comparing the remake to the original--Reeves' film definitely works on its own, both in its stylistic changes and in its thematic and narrative additions. The action centerpiece of the film that has garnered a good deal of critical attention is entirely deserving of focus--it's truly one of the finest thriller setpieces of the last few years, and it has possibly the best and most startling car crash scene I've seen put to film.

Really, it's fascinating to see Reeves go from his Blair Witch-cam style in "Cloverfield" to something so thoughtful and beautiful here. Sure, he takes many cues from Tomas Alfredson, director of the original, with some moments generally taken shot-for-shot from his film, but he very much makes the film his own and any additions and subtractions are well-earned. It's really quite an exciting display of directorial prowess from someone I really didn't expect to see so much excellence from.

"Let Me In" may very well be a redundancy, but like Michael Haneke's own American remake of his film "Funny Games" and Soderbergh's "Solaris," it's a remake very much with its own merit, something that takes note from its inspiration while being wholly unique. And, with some consideration, "Let Me In" may ultimately be the better adaptation of the material.

Grade: A

"The Illusionist"

Movie Review

Written and directed by Sylvain Chomet, 80 minutes, rated PG.

By Christopher Smith

For those who have seen Sylvain Chomet's outstanding, 2003 Academy Award-nominated film, "The Triplets of Belleville," it would be difficult to believe that he could top it with his latest animated film, "The Illusionist." And guess what? He hasn't.

But he's come close.

The film is so good, it recently earned the Academy Award nomination for Best Animated Film it deserves. It's a beautifully rendered mood piece that features so little dialogue, it might have been a silent movie--if a silent movie didn't employ title cards to help nudge the story along, which this film doesn't.

Instead, Chomet leans hard on his talent to tell his story with almost no words (there's the occasional grunt, the happenstance "oui," a muddled line used more to capture a sense of emotion than to offer a clear sense of insight). He also leans hard on his audience to trust him to tell his story well. That he accomplishes each is an admirable feat.

The movie is a slick sleight-of-hand for many reasons, beginning with the script, which comes with an intriguing history.

Since the movie is based on a character who smacks of Jacques Tati, the writer, director and actor who is perhaps best known for directing such films as "Mon Oncle" and "Mr. Hulot's Holiday" (and also for co-starring in them), it's no wonder that the dialogue here is mashed into nothingness, since that's how Tati approached his own work. The film’s other kicker? Tati actually wrote the script's first draft before his 1982 death. It fell into Chomet's hands, who reworked it, and what we have now in the main character is an affectionate nod to Tati himself.

You don't need to know any of this to enjoy the film, but it does deepen the experience of watching it. Set in the 1950s, when the stage's footlights were giving way to the brighter lights of televisions and jukeboxes, the film follows Tatischeff (Tati's real surname), an illusionist of a certain age who is approaching the end of his career thanks to the intrusion of technology.

The movie opens in Paris, where Tatischeff is reduced to performing his act to the slim few who still care that a man can pull a scrappy rabbit out of a hat, which isn't many--certainly not what it used to be. And so, knowing there is little left for him here, he leaves for London, where he's struck with the onslaught of rock-and-roll just as it's taking root. With no chance to compete with this brash, new wave of music and its screaming fans, he travels on to Scotland, where he finds work at a local pub and meets Alice, a poor chambermaid who is fascinated by him.

Soon, this odd couple is living together. He's older than she is by decades and so he assumes a fatherly role, taking money he doesn't have to buy Alice a few things that might make her happy--new shoes, a beautiful dress, a smart coat. But for Tatischeff, the money is running out and worse, Alice has caught a younger man's eye. What's he to do? Since he's a gentleman, he let's Alice choose her own course.

Mirroring "The Triplets of Belleville," the water-colored animation in "The Illusionist" is presented in such a way that it gives the movie a unique sense of style and depth--you feel as if you could reach into it. Occasionally, Chomet allows for bits of computer-generated imagery to shock the screen with the unexpected, such as in a train's realistic puff of smoke or in the scenes in which silvery sheets of rain fall from the sky (there is another effect that's so smashing, it won't be revealed here--but you'll know it when you see it, and movie buffs just might faint at the sight of it).

Each of these moments are as real as the characters Chomet has created. And while it's true that his movie loses momentum midway through, that's a quibble because it finds itself again. For a film of so few words, the human emotions that are explored and revealed here are as staggering as they are ironic. Nobody communicates traditionally in "The Illusionist," but since Chomet lifts the movie to a high level of art, what's clearly communicated is that this is one of last year's best films.

Grade: A-

"The Illusionist"

Movie Review

Written and directed by Sylvain Chomet, 80 minutes, rated PG.

By Christopher Smith

For those who have seen Sylvain Chomet's outstanding, 2003 Academy Award-nominated film, "The Triplets of Belleville," it would be difficult to believe that he could top it with his latest animated film, "The Illusionist." And guess what? He hasn't.

But he's come close.

The film is so good, it recently earned the Academy Award nomination for Best Animated Film it deserves. It's a beautifully rendered mood piece that features so little dialogue, it might have been a silent movie--if a silent movie didn't employ title cards to help nudge the story along, which this film doesn't.

Instead, Chomet leans hard on his talent to tell his story with almost no words (there's the occasional grunt, the happenstance "oui," a muddled line used more to capture a sense of emotion than to offer a clear sense of insight). He also leans hard on his audience to trust him to tell his story well. That he accomplishes each is an admirable feat.

The movie is a slick sleight-of-hand for many reasons, beginning with the script, which comes with an intriguing history.

Since the movie is based on a character who smacks of Jacques Tati, the writer, director and actor who is perhaps best known for directing such films as "Mon Oncle" and "Mr. Hulot's Holiday" (and also for co-starring in them), it's no wonder that the dialogue here is mashed into nothingness, since that's how Tati approached his own work. The film’s other kicker? Tati actually wrote the script's first draft before his 1982 death. It fell into Chomet's hands, who reworked it, and what we have now in the main character is an affectionate nod to Tati himself.

You don't need to know any of this to enjoy the film, but it does deepen the experience of watching it. Set in the 1950s, when the stage's footlights were giving way to the brighter lights of televisions and jukeboxes, the film follows Tatischeff (Tati's real surname), an illusionist of a certain age who is approaching the end of his career thanks to the intrusion of technology.

The movie opens in Paris, where Tatischeff is reduced to performing his act to the slim few who still care that a man can pull a scrappy rabbit out of a hat, which isn't many--certainly not what it used to be. And so, knowing there is little left for him here, he leaves for London, where he's struck with the onslaught of rock-and-roll just as it's taking root. With no chance to compete with this brash, new wave of music and its screaming fans, he travels on to Scotland, where he finds work at a local pub and meets Alice, a poor chambermaid who is fascinated by him.

Soon, this odd couple is living together. He's older than she is by decades and so he assumes a fatherly role, taking money he doesn't have to buy Alice a few things that might make her happy--new shoes, a beautiful dress, a smart coat. But for Tatischeff, the money is running out and worse, Alice has caught a younger man's eye. What's he to do? Since he's a gentleman, he let's Alice choose her own course.

Mirroring "The Triplets of Belleville," the water-colored animation in "The Illusionist" is presented in such a way that it gives the movie a unique sense of style and depth--you feel as if you could reach into it. Occasionally, Chomet allows for bits of computer-generated imagery to shock the screen with the unexpected, such as in a train's realistic puff of smoke or in the scenes in which silvery sheets of rain fall from the sky (there is another effect that's so smashing, it won't be revealed here--but you'll know it when you see it, and movie buffs just might faint at the sight of it).

Each of these moments are as real as the characters Chomet has created. And while it's true that his movie loses momentum midway through, that's a quibble because it finds itself again. For a film of so few words, the human emotions that are explored and revealed here are as staggering as they are ironic. Nobody communicates traditionally in "The Illusionist," but since Chomet lifts the movie to a high level of art, what's clearly communicated is that this is one of last year's best films.

Grade: A-

"The Color Purple"

DVD, Blu-ray Movie Review

Directed by Steven Spielberg, written by Alice Walker (novel), Menno Meyjes, 154-minutes, rated PG-13.

By our guest blogger, Matthew Schimkowitz

You'll forgive Steven Spielberg for indulging himself on a film as beautiful as "The Color Purple." This sweeping epic, just released on Blu-Ray, transcends racial boundaries to reach something entirely human. Its vibrant performances, rich photography, and brisk pace serve the sentiment in the best way possible. Spielberg's film is painful, inspirational and unforgettable.

"The Color Purple" begins at the turn of the 20th century and follows the life of Cecile (Whoopi Goldberg). Cecile's life is one of restraint and torment. Her father sexually and verbally abuses her and then marries her off to a violent farmer, who Cecile only refers to as "Mister" (Danny Glover). Mister flaunts his love for other women while he forces Cecile to a life of hardship and imprisonment. All the while, Cecile remains quiet.

Mister's greatest folly, as Cecile reminds us, isn't his short temper or his heavy fists. Rather, when Cecile was still a child, Mister separated her from her sister Nettie (Akosua Busia), who Cecile claims to be the only person in the world who loves her.

Cecile eventually finds this to be false. She meets other women, like Sophia (Oprah Winfrey), a strong, wrecking ball of a woman, unwilling to bow to her husband's hand; and Shug Avery (Margaret Avery), a juke-joint singer that brings out Cecile’s inner beauty. These women learn to love and respect Cecile, restoring her connection to humanity.

Goldberg is fantastic as the quiet lead. Despite rarely talking or even leaving her house, Goldberg's performance is transparent. Her few line deliveries are sparse, but when the woman smiles or looks shamefully to the ground, you feel it. Spielberg does a wonderful job condensing her life, and Goldberg puts enough history behind those eyes to fill in any gaps.

Spielberg is in top form here. The director spared no expense in creating a fully inhabited world for these characters. Regardless of the film's length and breadth, "The Color Purple" remains briskly paced and endlessly engaging. It's a testament to both Spielberg and the cast's energy that a story so filled with temporal gaps could feel so cohesive.

"The Color Purple" is an inspirational tale that doesn't shy away from the cruel sides of humanity. However, because Cecile's life is painful doesn't make the film sorrowful. Goldberg never allows Cecile to appear spiteful, and it keeps things remarkably uplifting, even when all appears hopeless.

“The Color Purple” is one of Spielberg’s most challenging and rewarding films.

Grade: A-

"The Color Purple"

DVD, Blu-ray Movie Review

Directed by Steven Spielberg, written by Alice Walker (novel), Menno Meyjes, 154-minutes, rated PG-13.

By our guest blogger, Matthew Schimkowitz

You'll forgive Steven Spielberg for indulging himself on a film as beautiful as "The Color Purple." This sweeping epic, just released on Blu-Ray, transcends racial boundaries to reach something entirely human. Its vibrant performances, rich photography, and brisk pace serve the sentiment in the best way possible. Spielberg's film is painful, inspirational and unforgettable.

"The Color Purple" begins at the turn of the 20th century and follows the life of Cecile (Whoopi Goldberg). Cecile's life is one of restraint and torment. Her father sexually and verbally abuses her and then marries her off to a violent farmer, who Cecile only refers to as "Mister" (Danny Glover). Mister flaunts his love for other women while he forces Cecile to a life of hardship and imprisonment. All the while, Cecile remains quiet.

Mister's greatest folly, as Cecile reminds us, isn't his short temper or his heavy fists. Rather, when Cecile was still a child, Mister separated her from her sister Nettie (Akosua Busia), who Cecile claims to be the only person in the world who loves her.

Cecile eventually finds this to be false. She meets other women, like Sophia (Oprah Winfrey), a strong, wrecking ball of a woman, unwilling to bow to her husband's hand; and Shug Avery (Margaret Avery), a juke-joint singer that brings out Cecile’s inner beauty. These women learn to love and respect Cecile, restoring her connection to humanity.

Goldberg is fantastic as the quiet lead. Despite rarely talking or even leaving her house, Goldberg's performance is transparent. Her few line deliveries are sparse, but when the woman smiles or looks shamefully to the ground, you feel it. Spielberg does a wonderful job condensing her life, and Goldberg puts enough history behind those eyes to fill in any gaps.

Spielberg is in top form here. The director spared no expense in creating a fully inhabited world for these characters. Regardless of the film's length and breadth, "The Color Purple" remains briskly paced and endlessly engaging. It's a testament to both Spielberg and the cast's energy that a story so filled with temporal gaps could feel so cohesive.

"The Color Purple" is an inspirational tale that doesn't shy away from the cruel sides of humanity. However, because Cecile's life is painful doesn't make the film sorrowful. Goldberg never allows Cecile to appear spiteful, and it keeps things remarkably uplifting, even when all appears hopeless.

“The Color Purple” is one of Spielberg’s most challenging and rewarding films.

Grade: A-

"Broadcast News"

DVD, Blu-Ray Movie Review

Directed by James L. Brooks, Written by James L. Brooks, 133 Minutes, Rated R.

By our guest blogger, Matthew Schimkowitz

In "Broadcast News," Albert Brooks, Holly Hunter and William Hurt add subtle and realistic dimensions to their characters, giving life to James L. Brooks' complex and fascinating characters.

Jane (Holly Hunter), an idealistic and talented news producer, fears the downfall of her medium. As honest reporting takes a backseat to human interest stories, she and her field reporter and best friend Aaron (Albert Brooks) strive to produce news that is real and respectable. They love their job but fear its fading integrity.

Enter Tom, the new network anchor. Tom is everything Jane and Aaron hate.  He's good looking, uneducated and exactly what their network has been looking for. However, since Jane is the best producer in the business, her bosses pair her up with him. Soon, their rocky partnership turns to attraction, and Tom and Jane's close working relationship bring them together, while their idea of what is newsworthy keeps them apart.

Brooks populates his film with real people with real problems. Jane, Aaron and Tom have fears, insecurities and dreams, all of which they are freely allowed to express. This makes the film funny and tragic, often in the same scene. James L. Brooks nicely balances this emotional split, and his cast is more than able to bear the weight.

The three leads fill the newsroom remarkably well. John Hurt's airhead news anchor is fantastic. He plays the guy who has it all without coming off as unsavory. Surprisingly, Tom's vulnerable naïveté and honest demeanor make him easy to like. Opposite Tom is Albert Brooks' neurotic field reporter Aaron, who is a funny nemesis to Tom and a source of warmth and pain to Jane. Balancing humor and sorrow, Aaron uses sarcasm as a defense mechanism.

This leaves Holly Hunter's Jane. Hunter creates a character with so much history that it is impossible not to love her. She's afraid of success, love and being wrong, and these emotional ticks give her pathos. The quick cuts to Hunter crying at her desk offer a funny juxtaposition and open the character to the audience. Jane has been hurt by the world, and Hunter does not hide it.

"Broadcast News" is a fantastic film filled with strong characters, performances and writing. Brooks hits his comedic and dramatic beats right on cue. He orchestrates a complex production with a more than able cast. The script and characters, as Tom would say, "sell it" -- they make you care about the story.

Grade: A

"Broadcast News"

DVD, Blu-Ray Movie Review

Directed by James L. Brooks, Written by James L. Brooks, 133 Minutes, Rated R.

By our guest blogger, Matthew Schimkowitz

In "Broadcast News," Albert Brooks, Holly Hunter and William Hurt add subtle and realistic dimensions to their characters, giving life to James L. Brooks' complex and fascinating characters.

Jane (Holly Hunter), an idealistic and talented news producer, fears the downfall of her medium. As honest reporting takes a backseat to human interest stories, she and her field reporter and best friend Aaron (Albert Brooks) strive to produce news that is real and respectable. They love their job but fear its fading integrity.

Enter Tom, the new network anchor. Tom is everything Jane and Aaron hate.  He's good looking, uneducated and exactly what their network has been looking for. However, since Jane is the best producer in the business, her bosses pair her up with him. Soon, their rocky partnership turns to attraction, and Tom and Jane's close working relationship bring them together, while their idea of what is newsworthy keeps them apart.

Brooks populates his film with real people with real problems. Jane, Aaron and Tom have fears, insecurities and dreams, all of which they are freely allowed to express. This makes the film funny and tragic, often in the same scene. James L. Brooks nicely balances this emotional split, and his cast is more than able to bear the weight.

The three leads fill the newsroom remarkably well. John Hurt's airhead news anchor is fantastic. He plays the guy who has it all without coming off as unsavory. Surprisingly, Tom's vulnerable naïveté and honest demeanor make him easy to like. Opposite Tom is Albert Brooks' neurotic field reporter Aaron, who is a funny nemesis to Tom and a source of warmth and pain to Jane. Balancing humor and sorrow, Aaron uses sarcasm as a defense mechanism.

This leaves Holly Hunter's Jane. Hunter creates a character with so much history that it is impossible not to love her. She's afraid of success, love and being wrong, and these emotional ticks give her pathos. The quick cuts to Hunter crying at her desk offer a funny juxtaposition and open the character to the audience. Jane has been hurt by the world, and Hunter does not hide it.

"Broadcast News" is a fantastic film filled with strong characters, performances and writing. Brooks hits his comedic and dramatic beats right on cue. He orchestrates a complex production with a more than able cast. The script and characters, as Tom would say, "sell it" -- they make you care about the story.

Grade: A

"Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind"

DVD, Blu-ray Movie Review

Directed by Michael Gondry, written by Charlie Kaufman, 108 minutes, rated R.

By Christopher Smith

What’s so captivating about Michael Gondry's 2004 movie, "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind," just out on Blu-ray disc, is its provocative premise.
Imagine if you could permanently erase someone from your memory--perhaps a former lover who jilted you; a trusted friend who wronged you; a childhood bully who humiliated you.

With those people no longer clouding your thoughts and causing you emotional pain, you would essentially be free of them forever, allegedly living a happier life basking in the eternal sunshine of your newly spotless mind.

In the heat of the moment, such a possibility would undoubtedly be tempting to some. I mean, imagine the power of entering a crowded doctor’s office and declaring that you’d like to delete Jane--forever! Or that memories of an abusive parent will no longer do.

Still, since who we are is all that we have experienced, is it wise to remove those negative elements from which we have learned so much? A caveat of undergoing this procedure is that you’re also erasing any good memories you might have had with that person. Is that wise? And what are the ramifications should you do so?

The movie, which Gondry based on Charlie Kaufman's screenplay, considers the ramifications, with Jim Carrey and Kate Winslet as the vehicles that drive them.
In the movie, Carrey and Winslet are Joel and Clementine, two polar opposites who meet by chance on a train, fall in love, and then fall out of it over the course of their relationship. When Clementine elects to erase Joel from her memory, he learns about it, visits her doctor (Tom Wilkinson), and promptly requests out of spite that she also be deleted from his memory.

But all isn’t so easy when it comes to matters of love and human relationships, and the filmmakers know this. So, what unfolds here is dense, complex and moving, particularly when it occurs to Joel during the procedure that he might be making a grave mistake. If Clementine evaporates from his memories, so does the knowledge that he once had love in his life. And isn’t that worth always knowing, even if the relationship ended badly?

Mark Ruffalo, Elijah Wood and Kirsten Dunst co-star, but they only add peripheral interest. This show belongs to Carrey and Winslet, who find in the trappings of Joel’s subconscious not only two strong performances, but reasons to review the past to find what really matters--the potentially brighter end that might accompany it.

Grade: A-

"Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind"

DVD, Blu-ray Movie Review

Directed by Michael Gondry, written by Charlie Kaufman, 108 minutes, rated R.

By Christopher Smith

What’s so captivating about Michael Gondry's 2004 movie, "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind," just out on Blu-ray disc, is its provocative premise.
Imagine if you could permanently erase someone from your memory--perhaps a former lover who jilted you; a trusted friend who wronged you; a childhood bully who humiliated you.

With those people no longer clouding your thoughts and causing you emotional pain, you would essentially be free of them forever, allegedly living a happier life basking in the eternal sunshine of your newly spotless mind.

In the heat of the moment, such a possibility would undoubtedly be tempting to some. I mean, imagine the power of entering a crowded doctor’s office and declaring that you’d like to delete Jane--forever! Or that memories of an abusive parent will no longer do.

Still, since who we are is all that we have experienced, is it wise to remove those negative elements from which we have learned so much? A caveat of undergoing this procedure is that you’re also erasing any good memories you might have had with that person. Is that wise? And what are the ramifications should you do so?

The movie, which Gondry based on Charlie Kaufman's screenplay, considers the ramifications, with Jim Carrey and Kate Winslet as the vehicles that drive them.
In the movie, Carrey and Winslet are Joel and Clementine, two polar opposites who meet by chance on a train, fall in love, and then fall out of it over the course of their relationship. When Clementine elects to erase Joel from her memory, he learns about it, visits her doctor (Tom Wilkinson), and promptly requests out of spite that she also be deleted from his memory.

But all isn’t so easy when it comes to matters of love and human relationships, and the filmmakers know this. So, what unfolds here is dense, complex and moving, particularly when it occurs to Joel during the procedure that he might be making a grave mistake. If Clementine evaporates from his memories, so does the knowledge that he once had love in his life. And isn’t that worth always knowing, even if the relationship ended badly?

Mark Ruffalo, Elijah Wood and Kirsten Dunst co-star, but they only add peripheral interest. This show belongs to Carrey and Winslet, who find in the trappings of Joel’s subconscious not only two strong performances, but reasons to review the past to find what really matters--the potentially brighter end that might accompany it.

Grade: A-

“Buried”

DVD, Blu-Ray Movie Review

Directed by Rodrigo Cortés, Written by Chris Sparling, 93 minutes, Rated R.

By our guest blogger, Matthew Schimkowitz

For a film so confined, "Buried" sure moves quickly. Like the film’s main character, director Rodrigo Cortés uses everything at his disposal to create a clear sense of space. He covers every inch of the central coffin, turning the story’s limits into the film’s strengths.

Amidst Cortés' fluid camera work, lightning-fast editing and Ryan Reynolds's frenzied performance, "Buried" keeps the tension building, the drama convincing and the surprises aplenty, all from the confines of a small wooden box.

Reynolds is Paul Conroy, a contract truck driver working in Iraq. Kidnapped by a group of Iraqi criminals, Paul finds himself buried alive until his family pays a ransom of $5 million. Armed with few supplies, Paul struggles to survive. But with a quickly depleting cell phone battery, he only has 90-minutes before his situation turns hopeless.

Ironically, Cortés never lets his tight premise bury him. His inventive filming style keeps the story racing, even though we're stuck in one spot. So, while Reynolds remains static, Cortés’ camera does not. The lens surveys the area, noticing every nook and cranny before suddenly jilting and spinning as Conroy's situation intensifies.

With his camera, the director expresses Paul’s turmoil without resorting to flashbacks, keeping things well contained. The director gives us an appropriate idea of our boundaries, and then moves outside of them.

But for as good as Cortés is, it's Reynolds who ties it all together. Working from Chris Sparling's fantastic script, Mr. Reynolds makes every movement and moment count. Reynolds, with the help of some great sound editing, makes his squeezing around the box tense and painful, so when he needs to reach an item on the opposite side of the coffin, it’s as suspenseful as any multi-camera shootout.

On the phone, Paul’s logical. He asks the right questions with conviction and deals with the problems realistically. Conroy's panic could easily come off as annoying, and in such a small space, redundant, but Reynolds keeps the script's revelations surprising and reacts to each piece of information with skepticism and contemplation.

"Buried" has everything going for it--a tight script, resourceful filmmaking and a strong lead.

Grade: A-

“Buried”

DVD, Blu-Ray Movie Review

Directed by Rodrigo Cortés, Written by Chris Sparling, 93 minutes, Rated R.

By our guest blogger, Matthew Schimkowitz

For a film so confined, "Buried" sure moves quickly. Like the film’s main character, director Rodrigo Cortés uses everything at his disposal to create a clear sense of space. He covers every inch of the central coffin, turning the story’s limits into the film’s strengths.

Amidst Cortés' fluid camera work, lightning-fast editing and Ryan Reynolds's frenzied performance, "Buried" keeps the tension building, the drama convincing and the surprises aplenty, all from the confines of a small wooden box.

Reynolds is Paul Conroy, a contract truck driver working in Iraq. Kidnapped by a group of Iraqi criminals, Paul finds himself buried alive until his family pays a ransom of $5 million. Armed with few supplies, Paul struggles to survive. But with a quickly depleting cell phone battery, he only has 90-minutes before his situation turns hopeless.

Ironically, Cortés never lets his tight premise bury him. His inventive filming style keeps the story racing, even though we're stuck in one spot. So, while Reynolds remains static, Cortés’ camera does not. The lens surveys the area, noticing every nook and cranny before suddenly jilting and spinning as Conroy's situation intensifies.

With his camera, the director expresses Paul’s turmoil without resorting to flashbacks, keeping things well contained. The director gives us an appropriate idea of our boundaries, and then moves outside of them.

But for as good as Cortés is, it's Reynolds who ties it all together. Working from Chris Sparling's fantastic script, Mr. Reynolds makes every movement and moment count. Reynolds, with the help of some great sound editing, makes his squeezing around the box tense and painful, so when he needs to reach an item on the opposite side of the coffin, it’s as suspenseful as any multi-camera shootout.

On the phone, Paul’s logical. He asks the right questions with conviction and deals with the problems realistically. Conroy's panic could easily come off as annoying, and in such a small space, redundant, but Reynolds keeps the script's revelations surprising and reacts to each piece of information with skepticism and contemplation.

"Buried" has everything going for it--a tight script, resourceful filmmaking and a strong lead.

Grade: A-

“Animal Kingdom”

DVD, Blu-Ray Movie Review

Directed by David Michôd, Written by David Michôd, 113 minutes, Rated R.

By our guest blogger, Matthew Schimkowitz

"Animal Kingdom" should not be taken lightly. Its go-for-the-gut narrative and intense, yet cold performances create a world of fear and anguish, punctuated by tense silences and violent outbursts.

This story of a young boy living with his criminal family never falters in its attempts to instill a sense of dread and rarely fails to deliver gripping setups with painful results. Director David Michôd’s film hunts the viewer, and as such, "Animal Kingdom" emerges on top of the food chain as one of the scariest and most dangerous films of 2010.

After his mother overdoses, authorities send Jay (James Frencheville) to live with his aunt Janine (Jackie Weaver) and her lawless, middle-aged sons. Jay watches them sell drugs and avoid police successfully until his fugitive uncle Andrew (Ben Mendelsohn) returns home. Andrew’s reentrance into home life creates a world of violence and paranoia, as police intimidate the family into giving him up. As things spiral out of control, Jay finds himself and the ones he loves on the front lines.

To say more would risk the film's structure, which depends on moments of quiet stillness to set up the feral, startling violence that follows. Scenes of family togetherness are followed by a bloody rebuttal from police. Like a lion on the prowl, the film approaches slowly and attacks fiercely.

Michôd imbues this bestial drive into the film’s every aspect. The family’s actions resemble animals. For example, Cody’s flee from police resembles a hunted gazelle running across the Sahara, while Andrew’s playful wrestling looks like a lion toying with his cub. This central theme gives the films editing, look, and acting common ground. These people are animals, and Michôd never forgets it.

Yet, while its characters are rich, the film relies mainly on its brutality. Andrew’s cruelty and volatility makes for some nail-biting tension and ghastly results. Mendelsohn turns the character into something so vile, that your heart will sink each time he comes onscreen.

In the end, "Animal Kingdom" shows natural selection at its worst, allowing no mercy in the fight for survival. Yet Michôd isn't afraid to show sympathy to its victims. The mix of humanity and the brutality is haunting--and so is "Animal Kingdom."

Grade: A

“Animal Kingdom”

DVD, Blu-Ray Movie Review

Directed by David Michôd, Written by David Michôd, 113 minutes, Rated R.

By our guest blogger, Matthew Schimkowitz

"Animal Kingdom" should not be taken lightly. Its go-for-the-gut narrative and intense, yet cold performances create a world of fear and anguish, punctuated by tense silences and violent outbursts.

This story of a young boy living with his criminal family never falters in its attempts to instill a sense of dread and rarely fails to deliver gripping setups with painful results. Director David Michôd’s film hunts the viewer, and as such, "Animal Kingdom" emerges on top of the food chain as one of the scariest and most dangerous films of 2010.

After his mother overdoses, authorities send Jay (James Frencheville) to live with his aunt Janine (Jackie Weaver) and her lawless, middle-aged sons. Jay watches them sell drugs and avoid police successfully until his fugitive uncle Andrew (Ben Mendelsohn) returns home. Andrew’s reentrance into home life creates a world of violence and paranoia, as police intimidate the family into giving him up. As things spiral out of control, Jay finds himself and the ones he loves on the front lines.

To say more would risk the film's structure, which depends on moments of quiet stillness to set up the feral, startling violence that follows. Scenes of family togetherness are followed by a bloody rebuttal from police. Like a lion on the prowl, the film approaches slowly and attacks fiercely.

Michôd imbues this bestial drive into the film’s every aspect. The family’s actions resemble animals. For example, Cody’s flee from police resembles a hunted gazelle running across the Sahara, while Andrew’s playful wrestling looks like a lion toying with his cub. This central theme gives the films editing, look, and acting common ground. These people are animals, and Michôd never forgets it.

Yet, while its characters are rich, the film relies mainly on its brutality. Andrew’s cruelty and volatility makes for some nail-biting tension and ghastly results. Mendelsohn turns the character into something so vile, that your heart will sink each time he comes onscreen.

In the end, "Animal Kingdom" shows natural selection at its worst, allowing no mercy in the fight for survival. Yet Michôd isn't afraid to show sympathy to its victims. The mix of humanity and the brutality is haunting--and so is "Animal Kingdom."

Grade: A

"The King's Speech"

Movie Review

Directed by Tom Hooper, written by David Seidler, 118 minutes, rated R.

By Christopher Smith

God save the competition, because when the Academy announces its picks for this year's Academy Award nominations, "The King's Speech" is certain to pass around its crown and collect a devastating share of them.

The movie is that good--it's one of the best times I've had at the movies in months. Working from David Seidler's script, which balances wit and mischief with the shame and rage one man feels about being saddled with a stammer, director Tom Hooper creates a movie that is at once light and witty--and overwhelmingly dark, sad and claustrophobic.

The film opens in 1925 at the British Empire Exhibition, where King George V's son, Prince Albert (Colin Firth, primed for his second Best Actor nomination in a row), is about to address not only a packed Wembley Stadium, but also--more terrifying--a microphone that looks something like a bullet. That microphone is poised to cast his voice to a quarter of the world, which for Albert is akin to taking a bullet to the chest.

The prince suffers from a stammer, which makes this address the last thing he wants to do, but Royals have duties and no stammer will stop them from performing them, particularly when your father (Michael Gambon) is the king and he demands that you see those duties through.

With trepidation, Albert begins his speech, flop sweat forms, the words get lodged--and disaster occurs. Powerless, he is forced to stand there and struggle with his disability while watching the crowd turn away from him in embarrassment. It's only his wife, Elizabeth (Helena Bonham Carter, well deserving of the nomination she'll receive), who doesn't turn her back to him.

In fact, she decides to fully back him.

With an appealing pluck, she goes to the newspaper and clips out an advertisement that leads her to one Lionel Logue (Geoffrey Rush, reminding us why he matters in the film's third performance that will enjoy a nomination).

Logue is a speech therapist who uses some rather unconventional methods to cure his clients of their stammer. Since Elizabeth wants to be treated as a commoner so she can have a complete idea of what Logue is like, she introduces herself as "Mrs. Johnson," who is there because her husband needs help with his stutter. The dynamic that forms between them is a treat. Since Lionel has no idea that he's dealing with a Royal, the casual way he treats her is a jolt to audiences, but amusing to Elizabeth.

Sold on Logue, she brings along Albert, who Lionel recognizes at once. In that moment, the room seems to shrink around him. But Lionel is nothing if not real, and soon he's over being star struck. He tells Albert that this is his castle and if they are going to work together, it will be by his rules.

Given that Albert is second in line to the crown, you can imagine how that directive goes over, but soon they're working together and making progress, until Albert's father dies, his older brother (Guy Pierce) becomes King Edward VIII and then throws it all away to marry the twice-divorced Wallis Simpson (Eve Best). In a quick turn of events, Albert is suddenly King George VI, and thus placed in the unwanted position of being put front and center. With World War II building, the pressure he feels as king is enormous, which makes his stutter worse. Since the church and the Royal court want nothing to do with Lionel, they toss him out. And what does that mean for Albert, who must face his public on the eve of war, just when they need to hear him and his words most?

What ensues is engrossing for a host of reasons, the first being the terrific acting ensemble. Firth, Rush and Carter are a force onscreen. While Rush and Carter often steal the movie's lighter moments, it's Firth who must carry the film's weight and convey what it must be like to suffer from a stutter.

Watching his struggle is like watching a master class in acting. For those who have ever suffered from a stutter, as I once did, you can fully appreciate the humiliation and rage the crosses Firth's face in caustic waves as he tries to force the words out. He is nothing short of riveting, he nails Albert's plight in all its complexities, and it's for this reason that Firth is a major threat to win the Academy Award.

Grade: A

"The King's Speech"

Movie Review

Directed by Tom Hooper, written by David Seidler, 118 minutes, rated R.

By Christopher Smith

God save the competition, because when the Academy announces its picks for this year's Academy Award nominations, "The King's Speech" is certain to pass around its crown and collect a devastating share of them.

The movie is that good--it's one of the best times I've had at the movies in months. Working from David Seidler's script, which balances wit and mischief with the shame and rage one man feels about being saddled with a stammer, director Tom Hooper creates a movie that is at once light and witty--and overwhelmingly dark, sad and claustrophobic.

The film opens in 1925 at the British Empire Exhibition, where King George V's son, Prince Albert (Colin Firth, primed for his second Best Actor nomination in a row), is about to address not only a packed Wembley Stadium, but also--more terrifying--a microphone that looks something like a bullet. That microphone is poised to cast his voice to a quarter of the world, which for Albert is akin to taking a bullet to the chest.

The prince suffers from a stammer, which makes this address the last thing he wants to do, but Royals have duties and no stammer will stop them from performing them, particularly when your father (Michael Gambon) is the king and he demands that you see those duties through.

With trepidation, Albert begins his speech, flop sweat forms, the words get lodged--and disaster occurs. Powerless, he is forced to stand there and struggle with his disability while watching the crowd turn away from him in embarrassment. It's only his wife, Elizabeth (Helena Bonham Carter, well deserving of the nomination she'll receive), who doesn't turn her back to him.

In fact, she decides to fully back him.

With an appealing pluck, she goes to the newspaper and clips out an advertisement that leads her to one Lionel Logue (Geoffrey Rush, reminding us why he matters in the film's third performance that will enjoy a nomination).

Logue is a speech therapist who uses some rather unconventional methods to cure his clients of their stammer. Since Elizabeth wants to be treated as a commoner so she can have a complete idea of what Logue is like, she introduces herself as "Mrs. Johnson," who is there because her husband needs help with his stutter. The dynamic that forms between them is a treat. Since Lionel has no idea that he's dealing with a Royal, the casual way he treats her is a jolt to audiences, but amusing to Elizabeth.

Sold on Logue, she brings along Albert, who Lionel recognizes at once. In that moment, the room seems to shrink around him. But Lionel is nothing if not real, and soon he's over being star struck. He tells Albert that this is his castle and if they are going to work together, it will be by his rules.

Given that Albert is second in line to the crown, you can imagine how that directive goes over, but soon they're working together and making progress, until Albert's father dies, his older brother (Guy Pierce) becomes King Edward VIII and then throws it all away to marry the twice-divorced Wallis Simpson (Eve Best). In a quick turn of events, Albert is suddenly King George VI, and thus placed in the unwanted position of being put front and center. With World War II building, the pressure he feels as king is enormous, which makes his stutter worse. Since the church and the Royal court want nothing to do with Lionel, they toss him out. And what does that mean for Albert, who must face his public on the eve of war, just when they need to hear him and his words most?

What ensues is engrossing for a host of reasons, the first being the terrific acting ensemble. Firth, Rush and Carter are a force onscreen. While Rush and Carter often steal the movie's lighter moments, it's Firth who must carry the film's weight and convey what it must be like to suffer from a stutter.

Watching his struggle is like watching a master class in acting. For those who have ever suffered from a stutter, as I once did, you can fully appreciate the humiliation and rage the crosses Firth's face in caustic waves as he tries to force the words out. He is nothing short of riveting, he nails Albert's plight in all its complexities, and it's for this reason that Firth is a major threat to win the Academy Award.

Grade: A

"The Social Network"

DVD, Blu-ray Movie Review

Directed by David Fincher, written by Aaron Sorkin, 120 minutes, rated PG-13.

By Christopher Smith

We don't talk much anymore, but we certainly do "like." And we "share," though not necessarily face-to-face. We're fans and we're friends, even if we've never met some of our 800 "friends." For many (they'll tell you otherwise), this is a game of numbers, baby. The more "friends" we have, the more self-esteem we have, the better we are and thus the easier it is to sleep at night on that pillow of faux popularity.

Welcome to the world of "The Social Network," which is the story of Facebook, where many readers likely spend at least some of their time. David Fincher directs from Aaron Sorkin's script, itself based on the book "The Accidental Billionaires," and what they've captured is a zeitgeist for the times in a movie that exposes not only the makers of Facebook but also, slyly, more than a trace of ourselves.

Have we ever been so isolated and social at once? Have we ever put such an effort into being social? And what about building our own social myths? We like to do that--a lot. Facebook is, after all, about personal myth building. Smile just right for the camera, say something meaningful or witty or provocative on your wall, and become the person you always wanted to be. With a few key strokes, you've positioned yourself with those who matter. You know, your 800 "friends." And just imagine if they share your thoughts with their friends--that's money in the bank. You might, after all, get even more "friends" out of it. And, as a result, you’d look more important to those around you.

And what's better than that? Well, plenty, but that’s for psychologists to figure out.

All of this, of course, is the core of "The Social Network," a movie that focuses on how a few Harvard students had the genius to tap into the human psyche and realize what they wanted most--recognition and validation. And friends. So many, many friends.

For the founders of Facebook, it was something a little more intense. They wanted power, money, fame and sex, which Sorkin examines in a film that mostly exposes Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg (Jesse Eisenberg, dark and excellent and primed for his own Academy Award nomination), who ruthlessly (sociopathically?) decided that possessing those elements was far more important than having real friends. The irony is staggering.

So beyond Zuckerberg, who created Facebook? As the movie sees it, a handful of people, most significantly twins Tyler and Cameron Winklevoss (Armie Hammer), Eduardo Saverin (Andrew Garfield) and Sean Parker (Justin Timberlake, exceeding expectations). Parker founded Napster and was nailed to the wall for it. It's how he greases his way into Mark's life that at once lifts Facebook into the stratosphere with his contacts and which also makes him lose face to his best friend, Saverin. Again, the irony.

"The Social Network" has an unusually difficult task to pull off--it has to make computer programming exciting--and it does so with aplomb.

Sorkin's script is one of the film's stars. It's consistently smart, tense and witty, particularly in the scenes that take place in the present, when Zuckerberg is being sued by the Winklevi, as he condescendingly calls them, and also by Saverin for their fair cut in a company all were instrumental in creating. The movie is at once light and brisk, but because Zuckerberg is filled with such self-loathing, bitterness and social ineptitude, it's also something of a tragedy.

Mark Zuckerberg may have designed a network that has created a virtual storage bin of 500 million people hoarding friends, but after seeing this movie, you have to wonder how many friends he truly can call his own.

Grade: A

View WeekinRewind.com's preview of "The Social Network" below.

"The Social Network"

DVD, Blu-ray Movie Review

Directed by David Fincher, written by Aaron Sorkin, 120 minutes, rated PG-13.

By Christopher Smith

We don't talk much anymore, but we certainly do "like." And we "share," though not necessarily face-to-face. We're fans and we're friends, even if we've never met some of our 800 "friends." For many (they'll tell you otherwise), this is a game of numbers, baby. The more "friends" we have, the more self-esteem we have, the better we are and thus the easier it is to sleep at night on that pillow of faux popularity.

Welcome to the world of "The Social Network," which is the story of Facebook, where many readers likely spend at least some of their time. David Fincher directs from Aaron Sorkin's script, itself based on the book "The Accidental Billionaires," and what they've captured is a zeitgeist for the times in a movie that exposes not only the makers of Facebook but also, slyly, more than a trace of ourselves.

Have we ever been so isolated and social at once? Have we ever put such an effort into being social? And what about building our own social myths? We like to do that--a lot. Facebook is, after all, about personal myth building. Smile just right for the camera, say something meaningful or witty or provocative on your wall, and become the person you always wanted to be. With a few key strokes, you've positioned yourself with those who matter. You know, your 800 "friends." And just imagine if they share your thoughts with their friends--that's money in the bank. You might, after all, get even more "friends" out of it. And, as a result, you’d look more important to those around you.

And what's better than that? Well, plenty, but that’s for psychologists to figure out.

All of this, of course, is the core of "The Social Network," a movie that focuses on how a few Harvard students had the genius to tap into the human psyche and realize what they wanted most--recognition and validation. And friends. So many, many friends.

For the founders of Facebook, it was something a little more intense. They wanted power, money, fame and sex, which Sorkin examines in a film that mostly exposes Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg (Jesse Eisenberg, dark and excellent and primed for his own Academy Award nomination), who ruthlessly (sociopathically?) decided that possessing those elements was far more important than having real friends. The irony is staggering.

So beyond Zuckerberg, who created Facebook? As the movie sees it, a handful of people, most significantly twins Tyler and Cameron Winklevoss (Armie Hammer), Eduardo Saverin (Andrew Garfield) and Sean Parker (Justin Timberlake, exceeding expectations). Parker founded Napster and was nailed to the wall for it. It's how he greases his way into Mark's life that at once lifts Facebook into the stratosphere with his contacts and which also makes him lose face to his best friend, Saverin. Again, the irony.

"The Social Network" has an unusually difficult task to pull off--it has to make computer programming exciting--and it does so with aplomb.

Sorkin's script is one of the film's stars. It's consistently smart, tense and witty, particularly in the scenes that take place in the present, when Zuckerberg is being sued by the Winklevi, as he condescendingly calls them, and also by Saverin for their fair cut in a company all were instrumental in creating. The movie is at once light and brisk, but because Zuckerberg is filled with such self-loathing, bitterness and social ineptitude, it's also something of a tragedy.

Mark Zuckerberg may have designed a network that has created a virtual storage bin of 500 million people hoarding friends, but after seeing this movie, you have to wonder how many friends he truly can call his own.

Grade: A

View WeekinRewind.com's preview of "The Social Network" below.

“Rabbit Hole”

Movie Review

Directed by John Cameron Mitchell, written by David Linday-Abaire, based on his play, 91 minutes, rated PG-13.

By Christopher Smith

The aftereffects of death are explored in raw detail in John Cameron Mitchell's "Rabbit Hole," a dark movie about a couple coping with loss--and each other--in the wake of their 4-year-old son's sudden death.

Though eight months have passed since their child was run over by a car, Becca (Nicole Kidman) and Howie (Aaron Eckhart) are nowhere close to coming to terms with it in spite of (or because of) the surface adjustments they've made to their new routines.

Becca gave up her job when her son died and now she takes care of the house. She does laundry. She cleans. She gardens, she cooks and she visits with her mother, Nat (Dianne Wiest, one of the best reasons to see the movie). And she hides from her neighbors as much as possible, preferring to be left alone to complete small, manageable tasks that help to distract her from what she refuses to face.

As for Howie, his routine remains somewhat the same, but like Becca, it's all surface. He goes to the office. He comes home to dinner with his wife. They have meaningless conversations about everything trite and trivial, though nothing substantial. Their sex lives are toast. But at night, when Howie believes Becca is nowhere around, he finds remnants of his son's life in the home movies he keeps on his cell phone.

Knowing they must face their son's loss if they're ever to move forward as a couple, they start attending "The Group," which is comprised of a group of others caught in a seemingly bottomless malaise of mourning. Howie is for it--he knows they can't go on like this and initially tries to make the best of it. But for cynical Becca, whose coldness is enough to fan the tears off the glum faces surrounding her, her frustration with these people is palpable, so much so that she isn't above snapping at them when they start sharing their feelings.

In spite of this ongoing grimness, "Rabbit Hole" isn't without a sense of humor. The film, after all, comes from Mitchell, who directed the beautifully bizarre "Headwig and the Angry Inch." What he understands is that death, as cruel as it can be, isn't without awkwardness or absurdity for those left to pick up the pieces.

For Howie, he finds his reprieve in Gaby (Sandra Oh), another member of the group who for years has been trying to heal from her own loss. Just before one session, each decides to get high on pot, which leads to an inappropriate (but very funny) fall-out since their world now has become a drug-induced joke.

For Becca, who shares a common bond with her mother, Nat, who also lost a son, together they work through their own issues, often laughing because what else is there to do? Nat knows that she will forever grieve her son's death, but with the passing of time, she also knows that the grieving has shifted into something she can deal with.

It's here that Becca starts to move forward, but is it too late? Her marriage is dangerously close to collapsing. For additional support, she turns to the young man (Miles Teller) who ran over her child. Their conversations lead to more healing for Becca, but additional tension at home when Howie learns that, in his eyes, she's "sleeping" with the enemy by befriending the young man.

With so many tricky undercurrents to manage, "Rabbit Hole" could have caved beneath their weight and gone into safe, predictable directions that would have been easier to navigate. But it doesn't. It's smarter and more complex than that. It taps into the human condition and exposes all of its unfortunate nooks and crannies with a satisfying fearlessness. With Kidman and Eckhart both nailing difficult roles, "Rabbit Hole," when it opens nationally, is well worth a look.

Grade: A-

View WeekinRewind.com's video preview of the movie below. What did you think of the film?

“Rabbit Hole”

Movie Review

Directed by John Cameron Mitchell, written by David Linday-Abaire, based on his play, 91 minutes, rated PG-13.

By Christopher Smith

The aftereffects of death are explored in raw detail in John Cameron Mitchell's "Rabbit Hole," a dark movie about a couple coping with loss--and each other--in the wake of their 4-year-old son's sudden death.

Though eight months have passed since their child was run over by a car, Becca (Nicole Kidman) and Howie (Aaron Eckhart) are nowhere close to coming to terms with it in spite of (or because of) the surface adjustments they've made to their new routines.

Becca gave up her job when her son died and now she takes care of the house. She does laundry. She cleans. She gardens, she cooks and she visits with her mother, Nat (Dianne Wiest, one of the best reasons to see the movie). And she hides from her neighbors as much as possible, preferring to be left alone to complete small, manageable tasks that help to distract her from what she refuses to face.

As for Howie, his routine remains somewhat the same, but like Becca, it's all surface. He goes to the office. He comes home to dinner with his wife. They have meaningless conversations about everything trite and trivial, though nothing substantial. Their sex lives are toast. But at night, when Howie believes Becca is nowhere around, he finds remnants of his son's life in the home movies he keeps on his cell phone.

Knowing they must face their son's loss if they're ever to move forward as a couple, they start attending "The Group," which is comprised of a group of others caught in a seemingly bottomless malaise of mourning. Howie is for it--he knows they can't go on like this and initially tries to make the best of it. But for cynical Becca, whose coldness is enough to fan the tears off the glum faces surrounding her, her frustration with these people is palpable, so much so that she isn't above snapping at them when they start sharing their feelings.

In spite of this ongoing grimness, "Rabbit Hole" isn't without a sense of humor. The film, after all, comes from Mitchell, who directed the beautifully bizarre "Headwig and the Angry Inch." What he understands is that death, as cruel as it can be, isn't without awkwardness or absurdity for those left to pick up the pieces.

For Howie, he finds his reprieve in Gaby (Sandra Oh), another member of the group who for years has been trying to heal from her own loss. Just before one session, each decides to get high on pot, which leads to an inappropriate (but very funny) fall-out since their world now has become a drug-induced joke.

For Becca, who shares a common bond with her mother, Nat, who also lost a son, together they work through their own issues, often laughing because what else is there to do? Nat knows that she will forever grieve her son's death, but with the passing of time, she also knows that the grieving has shifted into something she can deal with.

It's here that Becca starts to move forward, but is it too late? Her marriage is dangerously close to collapsing. For additional support, she turns to the young man (Miles Teller) who ran over her child. Their conversations lead to more healing for Becca, but additional tension at home when Howie learns that, in his eyes, she's "sleeping" with the enemy by befriending the young man.

With so many tricky undercurrents to manage, "Rabbit Hole" could have caved beneath their weight and gone into safe, predictable directions that would have been easier to navigate. But it doesn't. It's smarter and more complex than that. It taps into the human condition and exposes all of its unfortunate nooks and crannies with a satisfying fearlessness. With Kidman and Eckhart both nailing difficult roles, "Rabbit Hole," when it opens nationally, is well worth a look.

Grade: A-

View WeekinRewind.com's video preview of the movie below. What did you think of the film?

"The Fighter"

Movie Review

Directed by David O. Russell, written by Scott Silver, Paul Tamasy and Eric Johnson, 114 minutes, rated R.

By Christopher Smith

Let's just address the elephant in the room, feed it some hay and send it on its way.

David O. Russell's terrific new movie, "The Fighter," is not another "Rocky." It's also not another "The Wrestler” or “Raging Bull.” While it employs underdog elements of each, this is its own movie, with the focus not so much placed on boxing as it is on the more caustic dynamics thriving within one seriously dysfunctional family.

Based on the true story of "Irish" Mickey Ward (Mark Wahlberg), a boxer from Lowell, Mass., who has long lived in his brother’s shadow even though years ago Dicky (Christian Bale) traded in his gloves in favor of a crack addition, “The Fighter” is about relationships. It’s about a family who lives in the heady and hopeful past, when Dicky was in his prime and knocked down Sugar Ray Leonard in the ring, which immediately made him the “pride of Lowell,” even though he didn’t win the fight.

For this sorry, scrappy family, of which there are many--the women alone could fill a mall parking lot with their enormous hair alone--nobody is looking to broken Dicky to get them back on track. Instead, that job is left to Mickey, who was taught by his brother to fight, but like Dicky, has never won a title of his own.

In fact, as the movie begins, he's a consistent loser in the ring. And how is he to manage that when his manager is his own mother, the power-wielding, smoky Alice (a wonderful Melissa Leo), whose sky-high kitchen sink dye job isn't her only offense. Wait until she opens her mouth. Or better yet, watch how she showers Dicky with affection when its Mickey who's putting food on the table.

When into his life comes Charlene (Amy Adams), a bartender who also never realized her true potential, the elements start to shift for Mickey with her support, and also with the support of his father and other men who see in him someone who could be a great fighter in the ring. That is, of course, if they can ditch Alice and Dicky, neither of whom will go quietly.

The plot sounds straight forward, but the familial elements boiling within the movie keep it intense and complex. Also in the film's favor is whether Dicky really should go away--he's trained Mickey since he was a boy. If he can somehow pull himself together, should he be trusted to coach his brother when Mickey finally lands a title fight at film's end? Charlene won't hear of it--and neither will others. But blood is tight in this movie, and while Mickey takes a forceful stand midway through to rid much of his family from his life, the question is whether he can do the same when all of their dreams are just a punch away.

The standout performances don't come down to Wahlberg or Adams, each of whom are nevertheless excellent--they ground the movie with common sense. The brilliant work comes from Bale, who will be nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor, and Leo, who might enjoy the same in the Supporting Actress category.

Each is so loose and sketchy, just try looking away from them when they're onscreen. They wreak of authenticity. Dicky isn't a bad guy--he's just screwed up on drugs. But Alice? Alice is one corrupt babe who will put herself first in any situation that doesn't involve her beloved Dicky. And where does that leave Mickey?

"The Fighter" could have gone where so many boxing movies have gone before--straight into the ring, where drama awaits with a right hook and a slow-motion punch to the face. Instead, most of the drama takes place outside of the ring, where lives are on the line, a family is divided and one of the year's best movies is found.

Grade: A

"The Fighter"

Movie Review

Directed by David O. Russell, written by Scott Silver, Paul Tamasy and Eric Johnson, 114 minutes, rated R.

By Christopher Smith

Let's just address the elephant in the room, feed it some hay and send it on its way.

David O. Russell's terrific new movie, "The Fighter," is not another "Rocky." It's also not another "The Wrestler” or “Raging Bull.” While it employs underdog elements of each, this is its own movie, with the focus not so much placed on boxing as it is on the more caustic dynamics thriving within one seriously dysfunctional family.

Based on the true story of "Irish" Mickey Ward (Mark Wahlberg), a boxer from Lowell, Mass., who has long lived in his brother’s shadow even though years ago Dicky (Christian Bale) traded in his gloves in favor of a crack addition, “The Fighter” is about relationships. It’s about a family who lives in the heady and hopeful past, when Dicky was in his prime and knocked down Sugar Ray Leonard in the ring, which immediately made him the “pride of Lowell,” even though he didn’t win the fight.

For this sorry, scrappy family, of which there are many--the women alone could fill a mall parking lot with their enormous hair alone--nobody is looking to broken Dicky to get them back on track. Instead, that job is left to Mickey, who was taught by his brother to fight, but like Dicky, has never won a title of his own.

In fact, as the movie begins, he's a consistent loser in the ring. And how is he to manage that when his manager is his own mother, the power-wielding, smoky Alice (a wonderful Melissa Leo), whose sky-high kitchen sink dye job isn't her only offense. Wait until she opens her mouth. Or better yet, watch how she showers Dicky with affection when its Mickey who's putting food on the table.

When into his life comes Charlene (Amy Adams), a bartender who also never realized her true potential, the elements start to shift for Mickey with her support, and also with the support of his father and other men who see in him someone who could be a great fighter in the ring. That is, of course, if they can ditch Alice and Dicky, neither of whom will go quietly.

The plot sounds straight forward, but the familial elements boiling within the movie keep it intense and complex. Also in the film's favor is whether Dicky really should go away--he's trained Mickey since he was a boy. If he can somehow pull himself together, should he be trusted to coach his brother when Mickey finally lands a title fight at film's end? Charlene won't hear of it--and neither will others. But blood is tight in this movie, and while Mickey takes a forceful stand midway through to rid much of his family from his life, the question is whether he can do the same when all of their dreams are just a punch away.

The standout performances don't come down to Wahlberg or Adams, each of whom are nevertheless excellent--they ground the movie with common sense. The brilliant work comes from Bale, who will be nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor, and Leo, who might enjoy the same in the Supporting Actress category.

Each is so loose and sketchy, just try looking away from them when they're onscreen. They wreak of authenticity. Dicky isn't a bad guy--he's just screwed up on drugs. But Alice? Alice is one corrupt babe who will put herself first in any situation that doesn't involve her beloved Dicky. And where does that leave Mickey?

"The Fighter" could have gone where so many boxing movies have gone before--straight into the ring, where drama awaits with a right hook and a slow-motion punch to the face. Instead, most of the drama takes place outside of the ring, where lives are on the line, a family is divided and one of the year's best movies is found.

Grade: A

"Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work"

DVD, Blu-Ray Movie Review

Directed by Ricki Stern and Anne Sundberg, Rated R, 84-minutes.

By our guest blogger, Matthew Schimkowitz

In many ways, "Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work" plays like a companion piece to last year’s "Anvil: The Story of Anvil." Directors Ricki Stern and Anne Sundberg examine the life of an influential, yet aging performer in an evolving public arena. As Rivers turns 75, the film shows her fears and strengths as she once again strives to reinvent herself.

To say Joan Rivers has had a turbulent career is an understatement. The comedienne was a star on the rise in the late-'60s and early-'70s, a star that has since tapered off considerably. Her dependency on plastic surgery, as well as her bombastic personality, alienated her critics, in spite of her vast influence.

It’s an old story--the ones who pave the road don’t get as much fanfare as those driving on it--and Rivers knows this all too well in the film. She opens her empty calendar in hopes of filling it with performances, but realizes it would be easier if she were Kathy Griffin.

Still, she presses on.

As the film opens, we see her struggle for jobs--she is not one to sit around waiting for them to come to her. Her new play begins casting and then there's rehearsals; she has two new books out; and her act is as vivacious as ever. She sees what holds her back (age, sex, reputation), but she's a fighter and won't go away quietly.

It's her war on age that's partially to blame for her troubles. Rivers’ advocation of plastic surgery made her both the poster child for it, as well as the butt of its joke. She became a caricature of herself, or at least that’s how her public saw it.

Still, in spite of her obsession with changing (or hiding) her real appearance, Rivers is honest, self reflexive and, of course, funny throughout the film. Her quick wit and biting commentary offer an interesting perspective on “The Career.”

Likewise, Stern and Sundberg litter the film with footage of her act, which remains as observant and subversive as ever, breaking up the film’s more painful moments with humor – a strength that’s kept Rivers going all these years.

It’s hard growing old in a youth-oriented world. Her age keeps her from packing the same punch of her heyday, and even though her act is still impressive, she finds herself in a difficult position.

Rivers deserves more, and "A Piece of Work" delivers it.

Grade: A-

"Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work"

DVD, Blu-Ray Movie Review

Directed by Ricki Stern and Anne Sundberg, Rated R, 84-minutes.

By our guest blogger, Matthew Schimkowitz

In many ways, "Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work" plays like a companion piece to last year’s "Anvil: The Story of Anvil." Directors Ricki Stern and Anne Sundberg examine the life of an influential, yet aging performer in an evolving public arena. As Rivers turns 75, the film shows her fears and strengths as she once again strives to reinvent herself.

To say Joan Rivers has had a turbulent career is an understatement. The comedienne was a star on the rise in the late-'60s and early-'70s, a star that has since tapered off considerably. Her dependency on plastic surgery, as well as her bombastic personality, alienated her critics, in spite of her vast influence.

It’s an old story--the ones who pave the road don’t get as much fanfare as those driving on it--and Rivers knows this all too well in the film. She opens her empty calendar in hopes of filling it with performances, but realizes it would be easier if she were Kathy Griffin.

Still, she presses on.

As the film opens, we see her struggle for jobs--she is not one to sit around waiting for them to come to her. Her new play begins casting and then there's rehearsals; she has two new books out; and her act is as vivacious as ever. She sees what holds her back (age, sex, reputation), but she's a fighter and won't go away quietly.

It's her war on age that's partially to blame for her troubles. Rivers’ advocation of plastic surgery made her both the poster child for it, as well as the butt of its joke. She became a caricature of herself, or at least that’s how her public saw it.

Still, in spite of her obsession with changing (or hiding) her real appearance, Rivers is honest, self reflexive and, of course, funny throughout the film. Her quick wit and biting commentary offer an interesting perspective on “The Career.”

Likewise, Stern and Sundberg litter the film with footage of her act, which remains as observant and subversive as ever, breaking up the film’s more painful moments with humor – a strength that’s kept Rivers going all these years.

It’s hard growing old in a youth-oriented world. Her age keeps her from packing the same punch of her heyday, and even though her act is still impressive, she finds herself in a difficult position.

Rivers deserves more, and "A Piece of Work" delivers it.

Grade: A-