Could there be a better week for Sacha Baron Cohen to release a film called “The Dictator”? A few days ago, Cohen parked a camel on the Croisette at the Cannes Festival, in what seemed like the first act of a cult of personality. Paring a touch of showmanship, a frisky film, and the spotlight of the festival, the star of “Borat” all but declared himself the worldwide ruler of ... more >
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REVIEW – “The Dictator”
"A dictator must adapt to succeed"
Sacha Baron Cohen, Ben Kingsley and Anna Faris
Directed by Larry Charles
REVIEW – “The Avengers”
An Experience worth the capital letter
Robert Downey, Jr., Scarlett Johansson and Samuel Jackson
Directed by Joss Whedon
Comic book mavens rejoice, for Marvel Studios has concocted a heady and wonderful sensory brew in “The Avengers.” Weaving together the origin stories of Iron Man, Thor, Hulk, and Captain America, “The Avengers” packages a star-studded cast, one that could easily have imploded under its own weight, into a fleet-footed, yet cohesive, plotline. Nefarious forces from other worlds threaten ... more >
“HYSTERIA,” when the world’s most famous toy was invented | REVIEW
A slightly naughty romp, not to be missed
Hugh Dancy, Maggie Gyllenhaal and Jonathan Pryce
Directed by Tanya Wexler
Director Tanya Wexler is no stranger to Hollywood: as Darryl Hannah’s younger half-sister she spent some of her formative years on the set of “Blade Runner” and soon saw filmmaking as a viable career choice. Fortunately for us it's the road she took, her new feature film “Hysteria” marking Wexler’s major debut. The premise is enough to incite giggles among the biggest cynics: an ... more >
“GATOS VIEJOS” AND “MISS BALA” – Two Spanish-language films you should take note of
The vicissitudes of aging in Chile, running ammo in Tijuana
In "Gatos Viejos" ("Old Cats") Isidora (Bélgica Castro) lives out her retirement days with her compagnon Enrique and the two cats of the film’s title. Their tidy world is devastated when Isadora’s daughter Rosario (Claudia Celedón) shows up. The young woman is an abrasive jumble of contradictions who’s been dragging resentments around awhile. She brought back a sack filled with homemade, ... more >
“The Cabin in the woods” -REVIEW
You think you know the story
Kristen Connolly, Chris Hemsworth and Anna Hutchison
Directed by Drew Goddard
Smart horror–is that an oxymoron? Not in “The Cabin in the Woods,” a devilishly-twisted film written by Joss Whedon, maker of beloved TV series “Buffy” and “Firefly.” Whedon starts with a generic plot premise that has been hackneyed to death: youth in the woods, getting feisty inside and out a cabin, and then getting killed. Luckily, Whedon torques this premise and pushes into ... more >
TRIBECA FESTIVAL | Documenting a struggling Maine fish cannery in “Downeast”-REVIEW
A narrative of resilience--to behold
Downeast is about what at first sounds like the most boring possible cinematic subject: rebuilding a destitute fish cannery. And yet it's anything but. Filmmaker David Redmon and Ashley Sabin manage to pack politics, economics, and a large dollop of human interest into their seventy-six minute film. Though it's not without its significant problems, Downeast brings light to the desperate economic ... more >
TRIBECA FESTIVAL | Next stop Francophrenia
Experimenting with the id, superid, and the ego
James Franco has a lot going for himself. At thirty-four he’s already had a prolific career having risen from the parapets of television to Hollywood challenger status all while attending grad school and appearing in a daytime soap. But doesn’t this sound like the last-ditch attempt of a fading star seeking to reclaim the limelight? In interviews I’ve seen of him Franco appears as nothing ... more >
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