Category Archives: Drama

Only God Forgives review

Written and directed by Nicolas Winding RefnOnly God Forgives is a bloody and relentless operatic noir set largely in nighttime Bangkok, bathed in neon scarlet, emerald, topaz, and gold. Imagine a film conceived by Gaspar Noe—he's thanked in the credits—written by David Lynch circa Lost Highway, and directed by Stanley Kubrick somewhere between The Shining…Read More

Frances Ha review

Directed by Noah BaumbachWritten by Baumbach and Greta GerwigThe portrait of a hot mess, this is a self-conscious New York indie picture whose charm hinges on the lovely Gerwig. She coauthored and stars in this tale of a 27-year-old woman who can't quite get her act together.It's a treat to look at, Sam Levy's black and…Read More

Behind the Candelabra review

Directed by Steven SoderberghWritten by Richard LaGravenese, based on the book by Alex Thorleifson and Scott ThorsonThis feels like such an unlikely film, a biopic of the legendary entertainer Liberace. He was an extraordinarily private person for someone in the public eye, spending his entire life closeted. I think we can have a lot of…Read More

The Great Gatsby review

Directed by Baz LuhrmannWritten by Luhrmann and Craig Pearce, adapting the F. Scott Fitzgerald novelThe one thing I liked about Moulin Rouge, Luhrmann's last hit feature more than 10 years ago, was how he created this grand period spectacle laced with contemporary music. It was fun identifying the songs being performed by Nicole Kidman and…Read More

To the Wonder review

Written and directed by Terrence MalickCinema as poetry. This is how Malick's last feature, The Tree of Life, was described by some. But that wasn't half of it. To the Wonder takes that descriptor far further. And in doing so, Malick provides an astonishingly beautiful film, but one that demands a lot of attention and…Read More

Stoker review

Directed by Park Chan-Wook | Written by Wentworth Miller and Erin Cressida Wilson | 98 min | On Demand A little like if Dark Shadows was played totally straight, Stoker is a concoction both fluffy and gothic, a self-conscious Hitchcock pastiche that dances on the edge of camp before eventually becoming the thing it pretends to be. Park…Read More

Dead Man Down review

Directed by Niels Arden OplevWritten by JH WymanThere were a few things that drew me to this relatively unheralded release in the wasteland of Hollywood's March schedule. Oplev is the director of the first adaptation of The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, the Swedish edition. The trailer had a promising sheen to it. And I don't think…Read More

A Cult of One: Tequila Sunrise

The last one of these digressions was also a Michelle Pfeiffer movie, but you shouldn't expect a pattern.  Here's one that the critics were particularly cool on—it remains at 44% on Rotten Tomatoes. But it's a film that deserves a cult. I'm happy to be in it, even if I'm the only one. Tequila Sunrise…Read More

Life of Pi review

Directed by Ang LeeWritten by David Magee from the Yann Martel novelAng Lee is a great humanist director, someone who finds authenticity in character no matter the genre. I was one of the few who really liked his Hulk, but no apologies necessary for his universally approbated Brokeback Mountain, Ride With The Devil, The Ice Storm,…Read More