Category Archives: Indie

The World’s End review

Directed by Edgar Wright | Written by Wright and Simon Pegg | 109 min | On Demand You nerds know this: The World's End is the third and final film in Wright's Cornetto Trilogy, all made with buddies Simon Pegg and Nick Frost. The thematic thread is pretty thin, but basically these three British guys…Read More

In A World… review

Written and directed by Lake BellA lovely indie from writer/director/actor Lake Bell, In A World... manages to make a few very coherent and political points about women in Hollywood while telling a feather-light story set in the moribund romantic comedy genre. When you think about it, achieving all that is kind of a wonder.Bell is…Read More

Blue Jasmine review

Written and directed by Woody AllenJasmine is actually Jeanette. Somewhere along the way she changed it, because Jeanette didn't have the requisite flair. Jasmine married up, to Hal, a New York one-percenter if there ever was one. Except Hal is crook and when he's arrested, the lawyers take everything. Jasmine, desperate, heads to San Francisco…Read More

The Way, Way Back review

Written and Directed by Nat Faxon and Jim RashBeing 14 is no fun for most of us. There's this diabolical combination of feeling like you know everything about the world, it's all crystal clear in your pubescent brain, and feeling totally adrift and uncertain, especially around the opposite sex. Meanwhile, what you understand of adult…Read More

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

Much Ado About Nothing review

Directed by Joss Whedon Adapted for the screen by Whedon from the William Shakespeare play For those who have been suffering from heat exhaustion or the pummelling that accompanies seeing large-budget action movies every week through the summer, this is for you. Delivered by one of those self-same blockbuster directors—though it's pretty hard to imagine…Read More

The East review

Directed by Zal BatmanglijWritten by Batmanglij and Brit MarlingThough it has a rising star in the lead (Marling) and an Oscar-nominee in support (Ellen Page), this eco-thriller is an underdog in the landscape of summer releases, and well worth seeking out.Marling has made waves in recent years, as an actor, writer and producer, on films…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

The Bling Ring review

Written and directed by Sofia Coppola, from the Vanity Fair article byNancy Jo SalesAs an anthropological study, The Bling Ring works. As a study of characters who engage, it doesn't really. Judge accordingly.Based on the true story of affluent Los Angeles teens who—obsessed with celebrity in their midst—stole $3 million worth of clothes, shoes and jewellery…Read More

Before Midnight review

Directed by Richard Linklater Written by Linklater, Julie Delpy and Ethan Hawke, based on characters by Linklater and Kim Krizan What might have been film history's most unlikely—and delightful—sequel gets a sequel. Back in 1995 Linklater told a story in Before Sunrise that had the tang of authenticity and autobiography; two 20-somethings meet on a…Read More