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4/5
|
Precious: Based on the Novel "Push" by Sapphire
(2009)
|
Marlow Stern
|
Since Precious bears such an unpalatable, relentlessly-bleak-to-the-point-of-cliché ghetto premise (see: Tyler Perry), its effectiveness as a film hinges on the quality of the performances
Posted Oct 12, 2009
|
|
3.5/5
|
Antichrist
(2009)
|
Marlow Stern
|
the lensing by Oscar-winning Slumdog Millionaire cinematographer Anthony Dod Mantle is absolutely precious...expressionistic in nature, give the feeling of a Bosch painting brought to life
Posted Oct 09, 2009
|
|
4.5/5
|
Inglourious Basterds
(2009)
|
Marlow Stern
|
The film's real star is Christoph Waltz, who steals the show as Jekyll & Hyde inquisitor Hans Landa. He is a screwball menace, giggling one moment then strangling you the next
Posted Aug 20, 2009
|
|
4.5/5
|
Moon
(2009)
|
Marlow Stern
|
Take the entrancing, all-white production design and thrilling score of 2001: A Space Odyssey, the psychology of Solaris and the energy-mining subplot of Outland, and you have Moon, an ethereal and philosophic new entry into th
Posted May 06, 2009
|
|
4/5
|
The Girlfriend Experience
(2008)
|
Marlow Stern
|
with its fragmented narrative and cinéma vérité approach, recalls Jean-Luc Godard's exploration of the life of a prostitute, Vivre sa vie
Posted May 06, 2009
|
|
4/5
|
Black Dynamite
(2009)
|
Marlow Stern
|
a muscular, mustachioed, lethally suave motharf*cka, armed with nunchuks, kung-fu kicks, and a roaring .44 Magnum, has come to rescue jive turkey movie auds from spoof-film purgatory
Posted May 06, 2009
|
|
2/5
|
Stay Cool
(2009)
|
Marlow Stern
|
like an exercise in calculated nostalgia
Posted May 06, 2009
|
|
3.5/5
|
Serious Moonlight
(2009)
|
Marlow Stern
|
a solid directorial debut for Ms. Hines, that does ample justice to the legacy of its gifted architect %u2013 slain actress-cum-filmmaker Adrienne Shelly
Posted May 06, 2009
|
|
2.5/5
|
Rudo y Cursi
(2008)
|
Marlow Stern
|
with its vexing voiceover narration, puerile sense of humor, and cliché-ridden storyline, this material isn't worthy of its two charismatic, fiery young stars
Posted May 06, 2009
|
|
2.5/5
|
Changeling
(2008)
|
Marlow Stern
|
If Changeling develops any sort of pop-culture currency, one could foresee a drinking game in which college students take a shot every time Ms. Jolie shrieks, "HE'S NOT MY SON!"
Posted Oct 17, 2008
|
|
5/5
|
The Wrestler
(2008)
|
Marlow Stern
|
This tragicomic portrait of 'God's Lonely Man' is the dark horse contender for best film of the year, although I'm sure its star wouldn't have it any other way.
Posted Oct 13, 2008
|
|
2.5/5
|
Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist
(2008)
|
Marlow Stern
|
...an analog film in a digital world.
Posted Oct 06, 2008
|
|
3/5
|
Che: Part One
(2008)
|
Marlow Stern
|
Soderbergh's Che is a visually-striking ode to guerrilla warfare and revolutionary zeal but as a character study, his complicated protagonist still remains an enigma.
Posted Oct 04, 2008
|
|
4/5
|
Hunger
(2008)
|
Marlow Stern
|
Given... the prevailing 'us vs. them' anti-opposition mentality, it's reassuring to see a movie like Hunger that assumes the perspective of the stalwart revolutionary.
Posted Oct 02, 2008
|
|
5/5
|
Bigger, Stronger, Faster
(2008)
|
Marlow Stern
|
Bell's debut feature addresses its subject with both humor and intelligence, approaching the issue of performance enhancement from every conceivable angle
Posted May 26, 2008
|
|
5/5
|
Man on Wire
(2008)
|
Marlow Stern
|
In a city synonymous with hustle and bustle, the image of a stony-faced Frenchman gracefully dancing across a wire suspended between the Twin Towers, with no safety net or harness, is an overwhelmingly beauteous juxtaposition.
Posted May 05, 2008
|
|
4/5
|
Let the Right One In
(2008)
|
Marlow Stern
|
While the film's ending is, quite literally, overkill, this poetic and unexpectedly tender film is mesmerizing from start to finish. Lets hope they don't screw up the inevitable American remake too badly...
Posted May 05, 2008
|
|
2/5
|
Bart Got a Room
(2008)
|
Marlow Stern
|
It's sort of ironic that the only demographic that'll appreciate this lame, watered-down brand of humor mirrors the community portrayed in the film: the elderly and infirm
Posted May 02, 2008
|
|
4/5
|
The Wackness
(2008)
|
Marlow Stern
|
Bolstered by its strong performances and inspired direction, The Wackness is anything but, yo
Posted Apr 28, 2008
|
|
3/5
|
Mister Lonely
(2007)
|
Marlow Stern
|
despite the film's odd, whimsical tone, solid performances, and sartorial splendor, Mister Lonely runs out of steam and, as a commentary on our celebrity-obsessed culture, doesn't have a whole lot to say
Posted Apr 25, 2008
|
|
4/5
|
My Blueberry Nights
(2007)
|
Marlow Stern
|
Filmed in impressionistic splashes of motion and color -- the somber blues of the sweets shop contrasting brilliantly with the violent neon glow of the passing subway -- it's Edward Hopper's Nighthawks brought to stunning, iridescent life.
Posted Apr 01, 2008
|
|
2/5
|
Run Fat Boy Run
(2007)
|
Marlow Stern
|
When all is said and done, you're better off renting the Friends Season Four finale...That was brilliant. This is like a bad Farrelly Brothers movie.
Posted Mar 31, 2008
|
|
3/5
|
Stop-Loss
(2008)
|
Marlow Stern
|
While Stop-Loss is more ambitious and well-crafted than the paint-by-numbers Varsity Blues, these two coming-of-age stories still belong in a similar film category: melodrama
Posted Mar 27, 2008
|
|
4/5
|
Funny Games
(2007)
|
Marlow Stern
|
What many people will fail to realize is that this is a Dadaist exercise -- it is not concerned with traditional aesthetics, and is intended to offend, in order to destroy the current climate of filmmaking, and its fostering of a culture of violence.
Posted Mar 17, 2008
|
|
2/5
|
CJ7
(2008)
|
Marlow Stern
|
Unfortunately, the li'l critter is by far the most interesting thing about Chow's film.
Posted Mar 10, 2008
|
|
3/5
|
The Signal
(2007)
|
Marlow Stern
|
tone shifts awkwardly to a Shaun of the Dead-meets-Fido-style satirical commentary on domestic life
Posted Mar 06, 2008
|
|
4/5
|
In Bruges
(2008)
|
Marlow Stern
|
the sight of a coked-up Colin Farrell karate-chopping a racist dwarf in the neck alone is worth the price of admission
Posted Feb 11, 2008
|
|
4/5
|
The Band's Visit
(2007)
|
Marlow Stern
|
both a clever parable on the state of Israeli/Egyptian relations, as well as a surprisingly affectionate, amusing tale.
Posted Feb 11, 2008
|
|
4/5
|
Be Kind Rewind
(2008)
|
Marlow Stern
|
Anyone who has ever made a no-budget home movie, replete with exaggerated performances and makeshift props out of The Warriors, will hold a special place in their heart for Be Kind Rewind
Posted Feb 03, 2008
|
|
1/5
|
The Air I Breathe
(2007)
|
Marlow Stern
|
Mr. Lee is a former director of Asian music videos, which explains why his debut feature, from the high-octane opening credits to the Marnie-esque ending, is all style and no substance.
Posted Feb 03, 2008
|
|
5/5
|
4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days
(2007)
|
Marlow Stern
|
This is cinematic naturalism at its finest.
Posted Jan 16, 2008
|
|
3/5
|
Teeth
(2007)
|
Marlow Stern
|
Ultimately, Teeth will probably never become the late night cult film it aspires to be, but it does achieve an overwhelming sense of castration anxiety
Posted Jan 16, 2008
|
|
2/5
|
Cassandra's Dream
(2007)
|
Marlow Stern
|
As with Match Point, this is a glorified morality play, albeit with less poetic symbolism, shakier performances, predictable plot, and constricting dialogue
Posted Jan 16, 2008
|
|
5/5
|
Persepolis
(2007)
|
Marlow Stern
|
like the titular ancient city, is truly a sight to behold
Posted Dec 18, 2007
|
|
2/5
|
Actresses
(2007)
|
Marlow Stern
|
there is what we can call the House of Sand and Fog problem: this woman is way too attractive to be in this desperate a situation
Posted Dec 18, 2007
|
|
5/5
|
No Country for Old Men
(2007)
|
Marlow Stern
|
a genre classic; like a menacing mélange of Peckinpah's Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia, and Cronenberg's A History of Violence
Posted Dec 18, 2007
|
|
3/5
|
I'm Not There
(2007)
|
Marlow Stern
|
an intricate exercise in synthetic cubism
Posted Dec 18, 2007
|
|
2/5
|
Paranoid Park
(2007)
|
Marlow Stern
|
a bunch of confused skaters trapped in an existentialist Nouvelle Vague film
Posted Dec 18, 2007
|
|
4/5
|
Flight of the Red Balloon
(2007)
|
Marlow Stern
|
relying on a muted narrative - tempered occasionally by the twinkling ivories of Aznavour - imbues Flight of the Red Balloon with a degree of naturalism.
Posted Dec 18, 2007
|
|
4/5
|
The Darjeeling Limited
(2007)
|
Marlow Stern
|
this quirky, aesthetically-pleasing ride is one worth taking
Posted Dec 18, 2007
|
|
1/5
|
Redacted
(2007)
|
Marlow Stern
|
The film is so artificial that it feels like a mockumentary (i.e. a deranged black comedy), and marks a low point in the career of De Palma.
Posted Dec 18, 2007
|
|
2/5
|
The Hunting Party
(2007)
|
Marlow Stern
|
a very poor man's Three Kings, minus the deft mixture of witty satire/raw emotion and solid chemistry amongst the three leads.
Posted Dec 18, 2007
|
|
3/5
|
Stalking Santa
(2006)
|
Marlow Stern
|
Remember Conspiracy Theory? Mel Gibson would've made a perfect Lloyd Darrow. Plus, you know he believes in Santa Claus.
Posted Dec 18, 2007
|
|
5/5
|
Superbad
(2007)
|
Marlow Stern
|
be sure to stick it out through the closing credits. You'll thank me later.
Posted Dec 18, 2007
|
|
5/5
|
The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters
(2007)
|
Marlow Stern
|
You could say it's sort of like Murderball, only these guys' disabilities are of the social variety. At any rate, it's a great film
Posted Dec 18, 2007
|
|
3/5
|
Dans Paris
(2006)
|
Marlow Stern
|
will induce a shortage in precious vacation days, stirring up visions of oneself mimicking the carefree Jonathan, gallivanting about Paris without a care in the world
Posted Dec 18, 2007
|
|
4/5
|
Human Cost of War: Michael Franti: I Know I'm Not Alone
(2005)
|
Marlow Stern
|
a testament to the healing power of music
Posted Dec 18, 2007
|
|
5/5
|
Ratatouille
(2007)
|
Marlow Stern
|
arguably the finest film in Pixar's distinguished canon
Posted Dec 18, 2007
|
|
4/5
|
Sicko
(2007)
|
Marlow Stern
|
Prepare to laugh (nervously), cry and be outraged.
Posted Dec 18, 2007
|
|
2/5
|
Dog Bite Dog
(2006)
|
Marlow Stern
|
One can't help but brand the final 15 minutes of this film as one of the most glaring cases of self-sabotage since the twist-ending of M. Night Shyamalan's The Village.
Posted Dec 18, 2007
|
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