Supposedly the French are stubborn. That is what is the prime mover in this entire narrative, which does not beautify New York as much as Woody Allen would had he been behind the lens. And interestingly, this is a very Woody Allen picture. Or late Woody Allen picture, where he explores the emotions of evanescent […]

Adrift in Tokyo excels where Lost In Translation tried. While the latter emphasizes the alien planet of Tokyo, actively looking on the inside like a 2nd grader to an ant farm, Adrift in Tokyo dazzles us by removing the feeling of alienation with respect to the city, plunging ourselves into its rhythm. It is quite […]

  Gravity is a film from a filmmaker that is in love with a technique. Alfonso Cuaron etched his name in filmmaking glory with Children of Men. His single-shot inventiveness was able to capture suspense in such a genius way that it seems as though he became mesmerized with his visionary abilities. Unfortunately, the intent […]

Hindsight is 20/20. Perhaps this is why so many set their eyes upon the past, as a way to move forward. Because of its clarity, it provides some sort of certainty in living life. This is especially keen when the past feels much better than the present life. This is the mutually shared feeling between […]

Let’s talk about sex. Let’s talk about sex in the 21st century, in the catacombs of cultural decline of what was vigorously constructed by the ancestors of the west that birthed the most sophisticated idealism and ratiocination of the transcendent known to man. After all, when Eastern Gurus have an infection they yield to the […]

Our Idiot Brother makes an interesting stab at trying to portray an imbecile who means well. The film by necessity has to walk the difficult line of exhibiting an idiot who can also hold conversations with people. Is it plausible that he can have deep introspective conversations with other people, yet have short-circuited reasoning abilities? […]

Dredd comes across as a film that wishes it were deeper, but then its $45 million budget would be unwarranted, as any semblance of activating the minds of teenage adolescents apparently steers them away from what they pay almost $15 dollars for these days: spectacle. Escapism. Not art, but a way to run away from […]

What does the Last Night portend to? Surely, a thing of the past. Something that is presenting an impression of superiority to the present? Perhaps.   Yet what is going so wrong with the main character’s wedding vows? Why are the wedding bands cracking? Where is the straining pressure coming from? Boredom? Or worse: doubt. […]

This is a challenging film to pick apart. There are definitely admirable feats. But there are also sore spots that stick out, the most mind-burning being the horrific efforts at emulating Monty Python non-sequiturs. It stands to reason that Americans should lay off that kind of humor. I gather the first 60% of the film […]

It must be emphasized that this film is a loose adaptation of the novel of the same name. To even consider it loose is even a ripping stretch. The only parallels between the two stories are the character names and the context: the anxiety of young rich nihilists.   The novel is much more graphic […]