Review: Mélanie Laurent’s ‘Breathe’
“‘Breathe’ works on various levels thanks to Arnaud Potier’s cinematography, Laurent’s polished direction and the magnetic charisma of the leads.”
An Attractive Fraction: Tim Burton’s ‘Big Eyes’
“‘Big Eyes’ could have become an Oscar contender with more focus on Adams in the final act, rather than a shift towards the public bravado of Waltz’s Walter Keane.”
The Great Enunciation: Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg’s ‘The Interview’
“The frat house formula doesn’t quite work well enough for ‘The Interview’ to become a modern comedic classic.”
An Unfortunate Case of Severe Holiday Melodrama: Angelina Jolie’s ‘Unbroken’
“Jolie didn’t make a bad movie, and ‘Unbroken’ might have even won Best Picture 20 years ago, but you can’t throw the star under the bus — especially in a biopic — and let the antagonist destroy one of the most powerful scenes.”
A ‘Boyhood’ Alternative and Potential Oscar Outcast: Jean-Marc Vallée’s ‘Wild’
“Witherspoon delivers a powerhouse performance in ‘Wild.'”
Some Like It Hot (and Hilarious): Angus MacLachlan’s ‘Goodbye to All That’
“Angus MacLachlan’s ‘Goodbye to All That’ is a witty romance with real-life consequences for millennials to consider.”
The Surprise Gem of 2014: Mark Raso’s ‘Copenhagen’
“‘Copenhagen’ surprised me like no other film in 2014…”
Waiting for the Inevitable: Michael M. Bilandic’s ‘Hellaware’
“An additional 30 minutes would have benefitted ‘Hellaware,’ as Bilandic’s characters unfortunately lack substance, much like his weak portrayal of rural America.”
The Elegant Ingenuity of Sam Esmail’s ‘Comet’
“With ‘Comet,’ Sam Esmail offers a fresh take on romance and allows his stars to shine with ingenuous performances.”
Reality Unleashed in Samuel Kishi’s ‘We Are Mari Pepa’ (2013)
“The more outlandish the dialogue becomes, the more Kishi highlights his tight screenwriting with co-scribe Sofía Gómez-Córdova.”
A Most Violent Trade: Erik Matti’s ‘On the Job’
“Matti shows no fear by destroying genre cliches in ‘On the Job,’ and his wandering camera opens up the world of Metro Manila while expressing how utterly disposable humans can be under corrupt leadership.”
Review: Francis Lawrence’s ‘The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1’
“Lawrence is simply marvelous again and delivers a surprisingly beautiful vocal performance that demonstrates her well-rounded talent as a performer.”
Review: Josephine Decker’s ‘Thou Wast Mild and Lovely’
“With such a powerful concoction of unconventional narrative techniques, ‘Thou Wast Mild and Lovely’ dares the viewer to touch the flame; a 95 minute summer poem of suppressed emotions and blistering paranoia.”
Review: Celia Rico Clavellino’s ‘Luisa Is Not Home’
“Asunción Balaguer carries ‘Luisa Is Not Home’ with her gentle performance…”
Review: Marina Shron’s ‘Sea Child’
“The crystal-clear visuals of ‘Sea Child’ transcend into a an aquatic journey of surrealism…”
Review: Chasing Kristina Buožytė’s ‘Vanishing Waves’
“‘Vanishing Waves’ boasts a touch of Andrei Tarkovsky, but I found many similarities to the psychosexual thrillers of French director Alain Robbe-Grillet, most notably ‘Eden and After’ (1970) and ‘Successive Slidings of Pleasure’ (1974).”
Zachary Wigon’s ‘The Heart Machine’ Effectively Deconstructs Online Posturing
There’s no business like “know” business.
Review: Scared Hippies and Blood-Thirsty Soldiers Meet Up in ‘Punishment Park’ (1971)
Q.V. Hough reviews Peter Watkins’ 1971 film, “Punishment Park”
Review: Jean-Marc Vallée Creates Mystical Vibe in ‘Café de Flore’
Q.V. Hough reviews Jean-Marc Vallée’s ‘Café de Flore.’
Review: David Ayer’s ‘Fury’ Confronts All the Difficult Questions of Wartime Brotherhood
Q.V. Hough reviews David Ayer’s WWII drama, “Fury.”
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