Miramax Archives - From | The | Balcony

The Switch (2010)

Bill Clark — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 04:00:16 +0000

The Switch, originally titled The Baster (how’s that for a mental image?), is a surprisingly effective and genuine romantic comedy. You’d never guess it from the premise, which with just a few rewrites could have been turned into one of the raunchiest comedies ever made. A shaky first act settles… Continue reading

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Extract (2009)

Bill Clark — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 04:00:50 +0000

Perhaps no other filmmaker understands the working class as much as Mike Judge. His 1999 home video hit, Office Space, has become virtually a documentary since its release ten years ago. Anyone who works from a cubicle farm understands why. In Extract, a noticeably less-focused effort with scattershot laughs, Judge… Continue reading

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Smart People (2008)

Bill Clark — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 04:00:28 +0000

I realize the divorce rate is 50% here in the States, but does that mean that nearly every Indie flick has to be about dysfunctional families? I’ve had about enough of these sad sack snobs – and as a film critic I’m supposed to be one! Smart People, whose title… Continue reading

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No Country for Old Men (2007)

Bill Clark — Thu, 15 Nov 2007 05:00:21 +0000

No Country for Old Men is a true original, and that’s virtually impossible to come by these days. Smart, taut, suspenseful, and ever-so-weirdly funny, the film manages to attempt and succeed at nearly every genre under the sun. The Coen brothers have always been uniquely skilled filmmakers, but No Country… Continue reading

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Gone Baby Gone (2007)

Bill Clark — Thu, 18 Oct 2007 04:00:37 +0000

Gone Baby Gone is a sterling thriller, the kind of raw cinematic power that you tell your friends about as if you’ve just been put through the spin cycle. Helmed by first-time director Ben Affleck, and starring his brother, Casey, the film scorches a raw nerve from frame one and… Continue reading

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Bride and Prejudice (2005)

Bill Clark — Thu, 10 Mar 2005 05:00:47 +0000

Seeing Bollywood-inspired films make their way into American theaters is a refreshing thing. I was relatively unfamiliar with Bollywood until I saw Edward Jordon and Donald Farmer’s highly enjoyable Bollywood and Vine. Bollywood is a region in India that produces about three times the quantity of cinema product that Hollywood… Continue reading

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Hero (2002)

Bill Clark — Thu, 23 Dec 2004 05:00:56 +0000

Hero is the kind of film that often imitated, but never duplicated here in the States. This film is proof positive that it is possible for a film to stand on only style points, with the actual story taking a backseat. To watch Hero is to watch visual poetry, and… Continue reading

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Fahrenheit 9/11 (2004)

Bill Clark — Sat, 26 Jun 2004 00:00:01 +0000

Oh, how I will be eating my words on this one. You see, for the past several months I have been boo-hooing this entire project as nothing but propaganda for this country’s left of center. I think a little background is necessary. Unlike so many people who wish to keep… Continue reading

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Jersey Girl (2004)

Bill Clark — Sun, 04 Apr 2004 05:00:46 +0000

Jersey Girl emerges as Kevin Smith’s most polished effort to date, but not his funniest. Smith takes on his new-found fatherhood in the film, and the results are surprisingly sweet and heartfelt. The film opens with Ollie (Affleck) and Gertrude (Lopez) taking a trip from New York City back to… Continue reading

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The Human Stain (2003)

Bill Clark — Mon, 19 Jan 2004 05:00:43 +0000

The Human Stain is a never-ending trip into the depths of character development, and the end result is a bit of a mixed bag. The comes as a bit of a surprise considering the wealth of talent involved. The film opens with a tragic car accident, then introduces us to… Continue reading

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