From the “guaranteed to depress” files comes Blue Valentine, writer/director Derek Cianfrance’s exhaustive dissection of a relationship from beginning to end. Put an accent on “end,” because the film spends much of its runtime wallowing in its own misery and piling catastrophe upon catastrophe. Where Cianfrance does succeed, however, is… Continue reading
Shutter Island is a solid psychological drama anchored by a great lead performance by Leonardo DiCaprio, masterful and patient direction by Martin Scorsese, and a genuinely creepy atmosphere that permeates every scene. To say this is Hitchcock-esque is an understatement. I wish the whole thing had been shot in black… Continue reading
What a beautiful film. That’s what I kept thinking throughout Brokeback Mountain, a film that will stay with you for many days – and for many reasons. Out of all the attempts at realistic love stories we see each year, it’s actually quite a rarity to find one that hits… Continue reading