Berlinale 2016: ‘Alone in Berlin’ – A Lifeless Tale of White Heroism
“An overlong melodramatic exercise in aridity, Alone in Berlin fails as a testament to the efforts of the Quangels and fails to tell a cohesive, engaging story.”
Jordan Brooks
Jordan Brooks is the sole contributor/editor of AViewtoaQueue.com and is also a contributor to EntertainmentFuse.com
Berlinale 2016 Review: Gianfranco Rosi’s ‘Fuocommare’
“Though separated by less than 100 miles of water, the lives of those lucky citizens of Lampedusa and those living in war-torn Africa are worlds apart.”
Berlinale 2016 Review: Kiyoshi Kurosawa’s ‘Creepy’
“Kurosawa possesses an almost supernatural ability to control his audience. “
Berlinale 2016: Jeff Nichols’ ‘Midnight Special’ – A Refreshingly Familiar Sci-Fi Adventure
“Midnight Special has an emotional core compelling enough to draw in massive crowds of cinemagoers, a sci-fi grandeur showy enough to pull in the Marvel/DC crowd (is there a still a DC crowd?), and a visual acuity worthy of the interest of even the most hardened cinephiles.”
Berlinale 2016: ‘Hail, Caesar!’ – A Serious Investigation of Film
“Like the films it contains, Hail, Caesar! mystifies its audience via otherworldly charm and magnificent grandeur — it is not a love letter to anything, it is a hymnal to the divine spirit of film.”
A Serious Investigation: The Coen Brothers’ ‘Blood Simple’ (1984)
Leading up to the release of Hail, Caesar!, Vague Visages explores the work of Joel and Ethan Coen.
Review: Doron and Yoav Paz’s ‘JeruZalem’
“Like something completely lost in translation, JeruZalem is more Troll 2 than Cloverfield and contains all the ironic hallmarks of a future cult phenomenon.”
Review: Jafar Panahi’s ‘Taxi’
“A cry against governmental indifference and a cruel restriction from a chosen means of expression, Taxi is a unique work of art that defies boundaries and convention.”
Review: Tobias Lindholm’s ‘A War’
“More than a simple condemnation of war, of which there are plenty, A War seeks to deliver a thorough examination of human behavior.”
Review: Paolo Sorrentino’s ‘Youth’
“Akin to a melody that resonates in your mind in a continual loop of madness and pleasure, Youth is a not-so-easily eradicable experience.”
Jordan Brooks’ Top 10 Feature Films and Top 5 Documentaries of 2015
Jordan Brooks (@viewtoaqueue) is an increasingly-snobby cinefile based out of London, England. As a contributor to several online publications, including his own blog, he has succeeded in fulfilling his life long dream of imposing strong opinions on others.
Eye on Iñárritu: ‘Biutiful’ – The Existential Dissonance of a Life in Turmoil
“While Iñárritu’s tactics can become tiresome over multiple views, he is perhaps one of the greatest, single-experience filmmakers working today.”
Review: Jason Moore’s ‘Sisters’
“Sisters is a house party film told by and from the perspective of women, and that is precisely why it succeeds.”
Review: Terence Davies’ ‘Sunset Song’
“Featuring a standout performance from Agyness Dean and some of the best landscape photography since Mr. Turner, Sunset Song strikes a balance between toil and ecstasy that is at once overwhelming and completely uplifting.”
Review: Tom Browne’s ‘Radiator’
“Radiator never actually “deals” with any of the lofty existentialisms it digs up, firmly positing that they should remain the unknowable, unthinkable aspects of life.”
Short but Sweet: The UK Film Festival
“With its diverse range of attendees and entries, as well as the festival’s strong showing at the 64th and 65th Berlinale, The UK Film Festival seems to have a very strong future in the heart of London.”
Review: Francis Lawrence’s ‘The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2’
“A triumphant end for a series often mocked by critics for its narrative simplicity and “Young Adult” classification, Mockingjay – Part 2 is the finale that fans deserve. “
Review: Rick Alverson’s ‘Entertainment’
“Not merely a story about the loneliness of a career on the road, Entertainment is the struggle of a man singularly steadfast in his pursuit of his chosen art.”
Review: John Crowley’s ‘Brooklyn’
“A turn to the past in order to rationalize the present, Brooklyn is a standout example of the forceful, empathetic tempest that cinema is capable of delivering to an audience.”
Review: Davis Guggenheim’s ‘He Named Me Malala’
“Despite Guggenheim’s asymmetrical approach, Malala’s unquestionable bravery and youthful idealism shine through.”