Comment Archives: Stories: Movies
Re: “The Tree of Life encompasses a multitude of one”
"Snarky" — the first word that always comes to mind with Malick. It's like Ingmar Bergman and "wacky."
Re: “The Tree of Life encompasses a multitude of one”
This movie was absolutely AWFUL, and anyone who says otherwise needs a lobotomy. 2 1/2 hours of snarky and condescending vomit that Malick passes off as art. Run for your life.
Re: “The Tree of Life encompasses a multitude of one”
Terrence Malick did it again. He made another movie that's worth every second you spend watching it. In another note, it's sad to say that it will probably be years before we get to see Malick in action again.
The Tree of Life Movie Soundtrack
Re: “The Upsetter and Master Harold ... and the Boys”
The reviewer doesn't say he wanted "famous white people talking about how great he is"; he wanted other reggae musicians who might actually provide the context you're talking about. Sorry you missed that part.
Re: “The Upsetter and Master Harold ... and the Boys”
the context is that he invented Reggae you morons - and thank god the filmmakers didn't have countless headshot interviews of famous white people talking about how great he is like every other boring Music Doc out there - looks like these reviewers missed the point of the movie and wanted like the crap template VH1 has made people think music movies should be like -
Re: “Welcome to Shelbyville”
It's really just a bore and truly patronizing. The characters are unmemorable. Storytelling is 'pat'. It's simply lame propaganda. Does not even begin to address any of the important issues that we all face with US immigration. There are so many compelling immigration films out there. "Papers", "9500 Liberty", "Tony & Janina's American Wedding" and "The Harvest". All telling important aspects of the issue. This unfortunately is not one of them.
Re: “Boisterous Memphis wrestling doc, Memphis Heat: The True Story of Memphis Wrasslin', struts into town”
This looks good. Nothing more REAL than wrestling's entertainment value. Like rocknroll or even televangelism.
Re: “Hobo With a Shotgun: grindhouse for genre- slumming poseurs”
Sounds like someone went in already hating it. Loosen up brah
Re: “The Belcourt's new Terrence Malick retrospective honors the Thoreau of cinema”
TREE OF LIFE is a marvel to behold — I can't wait to hear (and join) the conversations afterward in the lobby. I had the opposite reaction of almost everyone I know: I was a little skeptical during the soon-to-be-legendary in-the-beginning movement — Mike D'Angelo was right on the money in calling this symphonic — but the evocation of Malick's Texas boyhood affected me like nothing I've seen since ... well, the end of THE NEW WORLD. A lot of people (me, for one) are going to feel like someone tapped their innermost memories and sensations of growing up.
Re: “Flabbergasting killer-tire movie Rubber is anything but a retread”
As for the possibility that the whole thing is a trap, I did worry that I might be stepping in one by asserting that this was one of those 'thinking-man's killer-tire movies'. In the end though I decided that if the joke is on me, it only means the movie is more successful than I though
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Re: “Flabbergasting killer-tire movie Rubber is anything but a retread”
"There is a lot there that would appeal to people who aren't going to find themselves at Belcourt at midnight watching a movie about a killer tire and there is a lot that will not appeal to people consuming large amounts of alcohol to settle in for a meta, fourth wall obliterating look at audience and performance."
http://www.christianlouboutindiscountoutle…
Re: “Flabbergasting killer-tire movie Rubber is anything but a retread”
I hope more people, including Sir Pink, will chime in after the screenings. I can't imagine opinions of this being uninteresting, either way.
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Re: “The Belcourt's new Terrence Malick retrospective honors the Thoreau of cinema”
Thanks for the compliment, Jason. I really enjoyed trying to work through what fascinates me about Malick. His style and obsessions hit my personal sweet spots, but I don't think the experience of his movies boils down to a matter of personal taste. He uses cinema in a unique way, and whatever you feel while watching his movies, I think you have to deal consciously with that very distinct approach an method.
Re: “The Belcourt's new Terrence Malick retrospective honors the Thoreau of cinema”
Great piece, Donna... thanks. Even though he's made only a few films, I'm leaning toward Malick as being America's greatest living filmmaker -- especially if TREE OF LIFE is as good as I've heard. It seems unbelievable that I've seen only four Malick films; I guess I've seen each one so many times that it seems like his output is much larger than it really is.
Re: “Leave it to The Beaver to produce — or provoke — one of Mel Gibson's best performances”
"There's no denying that Gibson has said and done things that are indefensible."
Apparently, there's no end to denying it...which is, I presume, "the problem" Michael has associated with this film. It's an opportunity for another successful man to elude the consequences of his behavior. Indicative (Again, I'm presuming) of the preferred fantasy of more Americans, a romantic public figure who is free from consequences as we wish we could be... as opposed to the fantasy of this movie, in which finding an alternate method of taking responsibility is valued.
As far as "get some facts", what are facts? The reports of Gibson abusing his girlfriend and glibly belittling her about it are false, that's a fact?? A careers worth of reports of people accusing him of being a dick isn't at least anecdotal evidence? Meanwhile, is the (apparently uncontroversial) accusation that Jodie Foster "has never been an interesting director" a fact or not? Or has the reviewer "gotten his facts" by sitting thru Little Man Tate?
Factually speaking, I think Michael Sicinski has gotten to what's important about this film, and gotten it out of the way for the benefit of us who don't want to sit through it... and are more eager to read what he has to say about "The Tree of Life".
Subjectively, I don't think Mel Gibson's accomplishments as an actor or public figure are so great that I'm eager to forgive him.
Re: “Murder fills the yawning void of Malick's marvelous Badlands”
Best spam comment ever?
Re: “With Geoffrey Rush aboard, your eye isn't always on the Sparrow in the much-improved On Stranger Tides”
Marshall, who knows from both choreography and the simple joys of music stings and scenery-chewing thespians, keeps things fleet of foot — even if, as is the syndrome these days, On Stranger Tides is way too long for such a throwaway entertainment.
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Re: “Robert Redford's The Conspirator takes aim at post-Lincoln assassination frenzy — and misfires”
For all its straining for significance, however, The Conspirator is messy and mediocre. The courtroom scenes alone exhibit the sort of bombastic overacting and pompous dialogue that makes the whole thing just embarrassing to watch.
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Re: “The fizzy French comedy Potiche is an actress-director love match”
Unfortunately, the story, which is freely adapted from a hit '70s play by Pierre Barillet and Jean-Pierre Grédy (as well as inspired by the French presidential race between Nicolas Sarkozy and Segolene Royal) is something of an antic mess.
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Re: “Zookeeper: where are the People for the Ethical Treatment of Audiences?”
Animals die all the time, so do people. Get over it.