It’s difficult to envision a more damning 83 minutes of celluloid for SeaWorld than Blackfish. Utilizing a host of ex-trainers, whistleblowers, and raw footage, director Gabriela Cowperthwaite has assembled quite the case for negligence against SeaWorld in the deaths of trainers and inhumane treatment of whales for at least the… Continue reading
We all have our own image of Abraham Lincoln in our head. One of the most beloved presidents in U.S. history, his legend has reached mythical levels. Steven Spielberg’s Lincoln brings the popular image of the man to life, flaws and all. Rather than creating a convoluted whole-life biopic, Spielberg… Continue reading
For the second time in the past month we have a film where the outcome is known. And for the second time, the tension couldn’t be higher. Everyone, even young kids, know who Osama bin Laden was. We know what he did, we know what he financed and carried out.… Continue reading
Heartbreaking, sad, and infuriating, The Invisible War may be the most intense talking head documentary ever made. Tackling the highly uncomfortable topic of the epidemic of rape (“epidemic” is the only word that can be used when faced with the film’s sickening statistics) in the United States military, The Invisible… Continue reading
“Argo f*ck yourself!” That’s the punch line to the “knock knock” joke that inspired the fake sci-fi film at the heart of Argo, actor/director Ben Affleck’s outstanding film about what has to be one of the strangest CIA missions in the history of the United States. Working from a fantastic… Continue reading
The Muppets is an absolute treasure, both as a tribute to devoted fans and for kids today, who likely haven’t even heard of them until now. In a Hollywood practically driven by crass consumerism and gimmicks, The Muppets never feels like such for an instant. This one is from the… Continue reading
The Adjustment Bureau somehow successfully combines romance, comedy, and science-fiction into an elegantly woven tale of the lengths in which we’ll go to defy Fate to be with the one we love. It may sound heavy, but the film introduces just enough ideas to keep interest and provides just few… Continue reading
I distinctly remember sitting in my college apartment in 2003 and reading the story of a hiker who cut his own arm off to free himself from a fallen boulder that had pinned it against a crevice wall. One can’t help but ask: What kind of mental state does a… Continue reading
Finally, a movie that depicts how women in a competitive environment actually feel about each other – at least I think. Black Swan is a spellbinding psychological thriller, a genre whose entrants have been sparse in recent history. Working with a fantastic cast and a first-rate script, director Darren Aronofsky… Continue reading
The Social Network represents the type of wide theatrical release that we rarely see these days. It’s smart, brilliantly written, and tells a story that is incredibly absorbable. It’s a miracle of sorts, as computer programming and big-time advertising deals aren’t exactly things that are accessible to the everyday person.… Continue reading