The Hunt: Movie Review

One bad deed, many questionable decisions and never-ending consequences.

The Hunt begins with a hunt, in the woods, for their latest animal prey. The hunt continues when one five-year-old girl, Klara, decides to tell the school’s director that her Kindergarten teacher, Lucas (Mads Mikkelsen), made inappropriate advances on her. He did no such thing, but thus begins the hunt of a lonely man’s innocence and second-guessing on everyone's part.		2012 Directed by: Thomas Vinterberg Screenplay by: Tobias Lindholm and Thomas Vinterberg Starring: Mads Mikkelsen

Paris-Manhattan: Movie Review

Getting past an immature and frustrating heroine, the film delivers a funny
and feel-good comedy about Woody Allen.

“Paris-Manhattan” features a woman obsessed with Woody Allen, much like myself and many others are. She lives in Paris, works as a pharmacist, is single, spends her days discussing Woody Allen movies and spends her nights discussing her life with Woody Allen – meaning, a poster of Woody Allen. Luckily the film got the rights to Allen’s movies, and he responds to her with things he has said before.		2012 Directed by: Sophie Lellouche Screenplay by: Sophie Lellouche Starring: Alice Taglioni, Patrick Bruel

Blancanieves: Movie Review

The twist to Snow White loses its emotional focus but maintains its ingenuity.

"Blancanieves" (literally Snow White in Spanish) places Snow White into 1920s Spain in black and white and classic silent film form. This version of Snow White not only takes on a Spanish twist, but a dark and gothic twist too; however, you will have to wait until the end for the latter twist to reveal itself. The beginning establishes the bullfighting setting with a Flamenco dancing flourish		2012, Spain Directed by: Pablo Berger Screenplay by: Pablo Berger Starring: Daniel Giménez Cacho, Macarena Garcia and Sofia Oria

A Royal Affair: Movie Review

Love, power and enlightenment in the Royal Court of Denmark.

A young princess, Caroline Matilda (Alicia Vikander), lived an affluent lifestyle in 1760s England and at age 15 she was shipped off to Denmark to marry King Christian VII (Mikkel Folsgaard). Christian was mentally ill and Caroline did not know. Upon arrival at the castle in Copenhagen, it wasn’t long before she understood his mental state. He took to her with force, spoke bluntly and rudely and acted like a child. As soon as Caroline conceived a son, she retreated internally.		2012 Directed by: Nikolaj Arcel Screenplay by: Rasmus Heisterberg, Nikolaj Arcel Starring: Alicia Vikander, Mads Mikkelsen and Mikkel Folsgaard

Holy Motors: Movie Review

Meaningless ideas presented incoherently in an "artful" film.

“Holy Motors” begins with Monsieur Oscar (Denis Levant), a middle-aged Parisian man, in the back of a functionally tricked-out limousine. His assistant/driver hands him a folder, the first of today’s jobs, and he begins to transform himself into an old woman. Out on the street, Oscar passes himself off as a poor, begging, old woman, conning the passers-by. But is it really a con if he doesn’t get any money?		2012 Directed by: Leos Carax Screenplay by: Leos Carax Starring: Denis Lavant, Edith Scob

Little White Lies: Movie Review

 

You will laugh and cry as you are sure to find at least one character to care about.

“Little White Lies” is a multi-relationship drama; one about love, loss and life. It has witty situations, witty lines, and a near-fatal accident. Oh yes, this is an attempt at the hard-to-write comedy-tragedy genre. Thankfully, it doesn’t really fail, but instead of being overly comedic or tragic, it plays out mostly dramatically.		2010 Directed by: Guillaume Canet Screenplay by: Guillaume Canet Starring: Marion Cotillard, François Cluzet and Benoît Magimel

The Skin I Live In: Movie Review

 

Into the mind of mysteriously disturbed individuals.

“The Skin I Live In” is the latest Spanish film from writer and director Pedro Almodóvar who once again explores issues of sexuality, rape, and extremely dysfunctional relationships. Set in the future, as in, next year, a scientist, Robert (Antonio Banderas), has invented the “perfect” skin. Presumably to help burn victims. But things get more mysterious, sinister and unnatural.		2011 Directed by: Pedro Almodóvar Screenplay by: Pedro Almodóvar Starring: Antonio Banderas

Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives: Movie Review

There may be something to this appealing but disturbing and possibly offensive film.

With a mystifying title like "Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives", it begs viewers to be open to transcendental ideas like the belief of past lives, forms of the spiritual world, and the transformation of the human world, the animal world and nature. I am usually open to those kinds of perceptions, at least in the world of film. When this film took those forms, I could at least appreciate it, if not understand it.		2010 Directed by: Apichatpong Weerasethakul Screenplay by: Apichatpong Weerasethakul Starring: Thanapat Saisaymar

3 Idiots: Movie Review

A college comedy, and joking aside, they're not idiots.

A college comedy. You know the genre, movies where idiots get into college and then continue to behave as idiots, and usually by the end they get a girl. 3 Idiots is not such a movie. Mostly because our three protagonists are not idiots. Rancho is a smart-alecky trouble-maker but he's not an idiot. Raju and Farhan might fail a lot of exams, but they try hard and they have good hearts. Same goes for the movie.		2009 Directed by: Rajkumar Hirani Screenplay by: Vidhu Vinod Chopra, Rajkumar Hirani and Abhijat Joshi Starring: Aamir Khan, Sharman Joshi and Madhavan

Certified Copy: Movie Review

"Certified Copy" is an original work of art.

Discussions on art, on the interpretations of art, and on the value of copies of original art. Discussions on relationships, marriage, and on the types of individuals it takes to enter into one. Discussions on what is truth, what can be left up to the viewer's imagination, and what really matters. "Certified Copy" is all of that.		2010 Directed by: Abbas Kiarostami Screenplay by: Abbas Kiarostami Starring: Juliette Binoche and William Shimell

Midsummer Madness: Movie Review

Lives up to the madness in its title of the beauty of its country.

It's midsummer in Latvia, and everybody has gone mad. Although for most of these characters, they are probably just as crazy any day of the year. A group of British firemen are in search of the "magic fern"; two brothers hatch a plan so those damn capitalists will stop raising gas prices; a French woman picks up flirtatious men as she's on her way to distribute her late husband's ashes; a sex-crazed stewardess is on the prowl for Mr. Right or Mr. Right-now; an American and his taxi driver are trying to find his half-sister; and then there's a kangaroo...		2007 (with 2011 DVD release) Directed by: Alexander Hahn Screenplay by: Alexander Hahn, Alexander Mahler and Norman Hudis Starring: Orlando Wells and Gundars Abolins