People say that there is art through adversity. As such, to begin, it’s worth stating that Mattie Do‘s latest feature is the 13th film to come out of Laos… in its history. Furthermore, it is worth noting that she is a female filmmaker in a Marxist state. So while the country is fraught with local censorship, Do is able to deliver quality films in a place where there is no film industry or infrastructure for that kind of entertainment. Creative struggles are one thing, but judging the finished product, Dearest Sister is an admittedly hard film to review. The premise seems straightforward, yet vague enough to pique your interest: “After moving to the city, a poor…
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Off the Shelf…’Captain America: Civil War’
While we were not entirely fond of the previous installments in this series, Captain America: Civil War is a vast improvement in terms of dramatic storytelling. This third entry is much more sophisticated, and capable of handling multiple characters as opposed to the sluggish blur that was Avengers: Age of Ultron. The most memorable part of this (you can thank the Civil War comic series) is that there is motivation – true, legitimate impetus and consequences – for each character taking a stance. It’s easy to see why each character is so resolute, but don’t feel bad if you can’t easily take a side. Really, neither one is wrong. It’s amazing how…
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Off the Shelf…’The Jungle Book’
Everybody loves The Jungle Book, or, at least, a great deal of people claim to love the 1967 film. Truth is, whether or not you have nostalgic leanings towards it, it’s not that great a picture. Now, faults aside, there are some redeeming and rather endearing qualities. But on the whole, it’s not one of the studio’s best efforts. Further, just because something is old, it doesn’t exactly make it good – take that hilarious “Honest Trailer” for instance which really sends up the film. So now that Disney is on this live-action kick, Jon Favreau has taken the helm of this 2016 adaptation. His undying love for the original aside, this…
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Exclusive: Interview…David Harbour Talks Hats, Homages, and Jim Hopper in Netflix’s ‘Stranger Things’
We hope by now you have been able to check out the Netflix show, Stranger Things. An exceptional production, and even as a throwback yarn, it is far more than just the sum of its superficial ’80s parts. Aside from the story, and how expertly this is told, the characters truly grab you (check out our glowing review of it here). And if you’ve already seen it, you know all the hype is justified. Of the many things the show has going for it, acting is probably the most noteworthy. Top of that list of talking points is, without a doubt, seasoned character actor, David Harbour. You might not realize it right now,…
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G-S-T Review…Suicide Squad
It’s depressing when you look at a film and think how it could have been done better. In short, Suicide Squad is hyper-styled, over-produced, and yet very underwhelming. But one must realize that what we see on screen doesn’t just happen. These productions have a lot more hands in the pot than you might comprehend, especially considering a studio with clout like Warner Bros. Pictures. Even a competent director like David Ayer probably had his hand forced in a number of situations which recalls that saying that goes, “what is a camel? It’s a horse designed by a committee.”. Looking past the colorfully gritty versions of some of DC’s darkest…
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Off the Netflix Queue…’Stranger Things’
If you want one good example why television and long-format stories are continually trumping modern cinematic endeavors, look no further than The Duffer Brothers‘ Netflix series, Stranger Things. When thinking of all the positive and glowing attributes this tiny show encapsulates, it’s almost too much to put into words. The feelings and emotions you’ll have experiencing this exceptional show cannot easily be transcribed (hence this lengthy review). That may not make sense, but don’t worry about it too much; once you’ve seen the show, you will more than likely know what we mean. In just eight episodes, Stranger Things tells a perfectly paced story, replete with a wonderful ensemble cast…
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Off the Shelf…Hollywood in Vienna: The World of James Horner
To anyone even remotely interested in film or film music, James Horner should be more than a household name. With over 130 original compositions for a variety of film and television productions, Horner has put an indelible stamp on the entertainment world and, as a result, pop culture in general. Horner’s work became so essential to the project that he was not merely a consultant to each production, it was the narrative, characters, and editing that needed to keep pace with and adapt to what he’d written. That’s an exaggeration, sure, but to film fans, it sure feels that way. Arguably the poster child for the profession, John Williams, will be remembered…
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G-S-T Review…The Nice Guys
Whatever narrative nugget come from the mind of Shane Black, it is most likely guaranteed to be gold – comedic, dramatic, or something in between. Given that this hilarious detective yarn seems culled from any number of buddy cop films, or seminal TV shows, The Nice Guys is an uproarious outing, and one that allows Black to prove that what’s old is new again. Filmmakers can fall into a rhythm (or a rut) where they more or less make the same movie. The Nice Guys seems familiar, but Black is able to make this different by making it what he wants it to be. That does however mean a few too many…
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Off the Shelf…’Star Wars: The Force Awakens’
J.J. Abrams, after years in TV, proved his mettle revitalizing the Star Trek franchise on the big screen. He later left the galaxy where people boldly go, and ventured into another – this one far, far away. The first non-Lucas involved Star Wars episodic story expands on everything which came before. However, Episode VII, smartly, does not rely on nostalgia. The Bad Robot team knows this universe well, and they pick up on the previous saga’s material in ways both reverent and forward-thinking. Here, with a seemingly limitless canvas, Abrams and company offer, more or less, a new origin story and a true passing of the torch, err lightsaber to the likes of Daisy…
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G-S-T Review…Midnight Special
When it comes to Jeff Nichols, the man knows how to keep you in suspense while teetering on the edge of boredom. That’s meant to be a compliment, not an insult, but the banality, or better, normalcy in his films help ground both the protagonist and the viewer in the real world. A combination of roughly 85% practicality, and a very alluring 15% sci-fi, he repeatedly succeeds in these dream-like narratives because his stories draw on viewers’ imaginations and really hit home on an emotional level. Midnight Special, an homage as much as it is a stylized throwback, is light and fast, and gets the job done with nothing more…
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G-S-T-Review…Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice
If you saw one movie last weekend, it was most likely Zack Snyder’s follow-up to Man of Steel. A cinematic event both hotly anticipated and highly divisive in the movie-going community, this iconic “match up” is something of an anomaly. On paper (both the story from David S. Goyer and Chris Terrio, and the various seminal comics they culled from) this big screen throw down was a grapefruit that Snyder and company should have knocked out of the park….but sadly, BvS is a bit of a mess. While the intent was to craft a reverent adaptation, what fans got was a sluggish affair – one mashed together so hastily that very…
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G-S-T Review…Zootopia
You really have to give Disney a hand for getting back in the animation game. Thanks to hits like Wreck-It Ralph, Frozen, and last year’s Big Hero 6, Disney is once again a major force in the industry. Change is inevitable, and as things go, producing features using drawn animation could only have lasted so long. CGI powehouse Pixar hit their stride long ago, but now it is the Mouse House who is seemingly ahead of the curve when it comes to pixels and the digital arts. As the studio has come in and out of greatness, one thing has been constant – they are fantastic storytellers who are able to draw in…
