Posted on September 26th, 2008 by Zettel Film Reviewer
Tweet Juno – Jason Reitman Juno McGuff is up the duff. Dad, Mac MacGuff (J.K Simmons) and stepmom Bren McGuff (Allison Janney) are shocked but cool; as only parents in a cool Hollywood movie can be. At 16 Juno is already too cool for school. We know this because she rejects testosterone-driven jocks in favour […]
Filed under: 3 star, Comedy, Drama, General, Hollywood, Humorous, Jason Reitman, Oscar Winner, Philosophical, Romance | No Comments »
Posted on September 26th, 2008 by Zettel Film Reviewer
Tweet The Passenger – Michelangelo Antonioni Uncompromising and austere, Antonioni, like a painter, demands everything of his audience. He once described his actors as ‘living pigment’ – mere elements in his ‘picture’, not its raison d’être. His is not a hostile universe: worse – it is an absolutely indifferent one. Hostility might induce rebellion. Our […]
Filed under: 5 stars, Antonioni, Drama, Europe/World cinema, General, Philosophical, Political | No Comments »
Posted on September 25th, 2008 by Zettel Film Reviewer
Tweet March of The Penguins – Luc Jacquet Peerless cinematography (Laurent Chalet, Jerome Maison) and impeccable, sensitive editing (Sabine Emiliani) make this a shoe-in for a documentary Oscar. Every camera shot, every note of Alex Wurman’s lyrical score, breathes a sense of respect for these extraordinary, impossibly endearing creatures. So it is disturbing to read […]
Filed under: 3 star, Documentary, General, Hollywood, Luc Jacquet, Oscar Winner, Philosophical | No Comments »
Posted on September 25th, 2008 by Zettel Film Reviewer
Tweet The Pervert’s Guide to Cinema – Sophie Fiennes Great film. Dumb title. This is a tour de force of intellectual passion and sheer irrepressible enthusiasm displayed by Slavoj Žižek’s, Slovenian psychoanalyst, sociologist and philosopher. Žižek applies his psychoanalytic concepts to the interpretation of cinema as a serious and cathartic art form. His obvious love […]
Filed under: 4 stars, Documentary, Europe/World cinema, General, Philosophical, Sophie Fiennes | No Comments »
Posted on September 25th, 2008 by Zettel Film Reviewer
Tweet(A ‘found’ poem based upon Slavoj Žižek’s views on movies). Žižek’s Movies Anxiety alone does not deceive Subjectivity is to see what is missing from reality Libido need fantasy to sustain itself before the abyss of another mind Fantasy realised is nightmare but the final nightmare is immortality not death Desires are not given but […]
Filed under: Experimental, Philosophical, Political | No Comments »
Posted on September 25th, 2008 by Zettel Film Reviewer
TweetLord Of War (LOW) – Director Andrew Niccol Philosophy distinguishes between the mention and use of a word. “‘Love’ is a four-letter word” is mention; “I love you deeply” is use. Roughly: mentioning a word is to make a trivial observation about language; using a word is to connect, engage with reality. This meretricious, cynical, […]
Filed under: 0 stars, Action, Andrew Niccol, Drama, General, Hollywood, Humorous, Philosophical, Political, War | No Comments »
Posted on September 24th, 2008 by Zettel Film Reviewer
Tweet The Incredibles – Brad Bird Beg or borrow a couple of kids from friends and treat yourself to this movie: or just sneak in on your own and treat yourself. Wall to wall animation on TV and some of the so-called animated blockbusters has for me made the genre very tired and predictable in […]
Filed under: 4 stars, Action, Animation, Brad Bird, Comedy, Fantasy, General, Humorous | No Comments »
Posted on September 24th, 2008 by Zettel Film Reviewer
Tweet The Inside Man – Spike Lee Elastic disbelief required. If you are willing to stretch a bit then this slightly over 2 hours piece of hokum is entertaining enough. A cross between a what-is-it? and a how-done-it? The answer to neither question challenges the little grey cells over much. There are a few stereotypical […]
Filed under: 3 star, Action, Detective, Drama, Hollywood, Humorous, Philosophical, Spike Lee | No Comments »
Posted on September 24th, 2008 by Zettel Film Reviewer
Tweet Iron Man – Jon Favreau As techno-fascist movies go, this is a good one: a well-paced narrative, above average acting for this genre, and an at times distinctive, stylish, visually witty tone. Favreau, making the most of Robert Downey Junior’s trademark insouciant, self-deprecating acting style, tongue-in-cheeks the preposterous goings-on well enough to induce you […]
Filed under: 3 star, Action, Comedy, Fantasy, General, Hollywood, Humorous, Jon Favreau, Sci-Fi, War | No Comments »
Posted on September 23rd, 2008 by Zettel Film Reviewer
TweetThe Happening – M Night Shyamalan Bad Night at the movies. M Night Shyamalan has produced a first: the only movie ever where the trailer is actually better than the movie. We are familiar with ‘comedies’ where the only funny bits are all the in the trail, but MNS has gone one better – not […]
Filed under: 0 stars, Action, Drama, Fantasy, General, Hollywood, Humorous, M Night Shyamalan, Philosophical, Political, Sci-Fi, War | No Comments »