In addition to ushering in the unchecked era of narcissistic self-regard, mushy, feminized therapeutic healing, and an undying cynicism about the Academy Awards, Robert Redford’s Ordinary People remains one of cinema’s undisputed heavyweights of dubious character loyalties and directorial sympathies. From its opening chill to the final, despicably affluent sweater-filled frame of father/son reconciliation, this…

The creeping dread of a faltering global economy is likely to inspire a wave of films with themes of depression, loss, and vulnerability within developed nations. Punching holes in ideas of safety and permanence while all of our friends and neighbors lose jobs and businesses would seem to be a fairly easy target, and one…

In its own way, this film is perfect. From start to finish, the performances are flawless, not a moment is wasted, and the story ends just as it should. I would use the word masterpiece, but director Ramin Bahrani is only on his third feature, and given his work in Man Push Cart and Chop…

How does one conduct a character study of a complete void? The human soul is elusive enough when it has emotion, connection, and interacts with those who share its space. When that soul retreats deeply and sheds aspiration, joy, and intellectual craving, then a standard investigation into that marrow would be halting, and make for…

Given the troubled production history and the reputation of Watchmen as unfilmable, it is remarkable that this ever came to the screen, and was able to reduce the expansive narrative into a digestible chunk. Though the comic book (‘Graphic novel’ is a stupid term – if there is nothing wrong with ‘comic book’ then there…

Leaping at the chance to ham it up alongside a rich cast of puppets cut from felt might seem like a strange choice, but anyone who witnessed the wit and irreverence of its stars could understand the appeal.