Hey there! The world of the creative takes center stage on the big screen this week, as singers, writers, and performance artists feature heavily in the weekend releases. From ‘80s rock bands to the New York art scene to ex-pat writers in the birthplace of literary circles, The City of Lights itself, a hefty dose of the artistic graces the cinemas and adds some interesting and nontraditional subject matter to the lineup. Though the obligatory summer fare – another adult male with Peter Pan syndrome, a grisly murder flick, and even more aliens – isn’t very far behind. Looks like a blast!
rdquo;). The typical Adam-Sandler-rom-com antics ensue as Donny takes up residence with the engaged couple, pretending to be Todd’s long-lost friend and shoves his debased lifestyle (strippers and drugs are just the tip of the iceberg) in the duo’s face. attributes the R-rating and Samberg’s straight-man role to lessening the standard manchildishness we’ve come to expect from Sandler, but admits, “in ‘That’s My Boy,’ our men are bound to be bad boys forever, because it’s the women that are destined to be objects of mockery, derision and even grotesque defilement.
who comes to Los Angeles to pursue dreams of fame and fortune. with similar aspirations, who gets her a job as a waitress. And, as we all know, the most surefire way to make it in LA is to get a job waiting tables at a club. are playing their farewell show there. co-star. says, “with its two-plus-hour running time, ‘Rock of Ages’ is a celebration of excess that only a passed-out, nearly deaf groupie would love. With Shankman in the director's chair, the tone is all over the place, with it never deciding whether it's a genuine effort or pure camp.
into the woods. cabin in the woods, where she deports him with the hope of helping him move past his brother’s untimely death. Though Hannah is seeking the same sort of solitude as Jack, the two find companionship helpful, and then complicated by an unexpected arrival from Iris. says the film “ultimately feels somewhat cobbled together and despite great performances by the trio of leads, never gains the emotional pull or depth it strives for. The texture brought by the performances certainly goes a long way, but without a structure to properly zero in on where the strongest story elements are, Shelton's film misses the mark.
arriving in Paris to reconnect with a wife and daughter who have abandoned him. They’re not particularly interested, however, so Tom sets up residence in a seedy motel and takes a back-alley job to pay for it, hoping to win over his family with more time. who compromises his good intentions and draws him into the sleazy underbelly of the city’s fifth arrondissement. directed film “flits from magic realism, to inner-city domestic drama, to Dostoyevsky-ish moral conundrums without any confidence or conviction. It’s not a reflection of narrative restlessness, but rather storytelling timidity.
is a sci-fi-rom-com-quirkfest-thriller. If that sounds awkward and confusing, imagine waking up from a one-night stand to find your actual lover walking in the door and an alien spacecraft hovering over your city. to create a real relationship and a question about whether it would survive without the death threat hanging (quite literally) over their heads. says “while we don't get to see any slimy space beasts (sadly), we do get relationship unease, some clever third act twists, and a deep sense of resigned melancholy, all things that most romantic comedies could use more of,” and commends the direction, saying “‘Extraterrestrial’ is a bold move, but one that clearly spells out Vigalondo's versatility – he can make you laugh just as easily as he can get you to scream.
rdquo; in this week’s serial killer horror genre flick. who is responsible. Expect lots of blood and tears, but not a lot of acting. Or, rather, Acting. directed film is of the “immoral, empty-headed garbage-y genre” and cites improbable characters and a predictable storyline as some of its major downfalls. Congratulations, audience! You are the winners for the most tortured.
provides an overview of Abramović's history and her body of work, delves into the process of compiling a retrospective of that oeuvre at New York’s Museum of Modern Art, and, finally, provides a deeper look into her 2010 performance exhibition that gives the film its name. The titular work involved Abramović sitting perfectly still and perfectly quiet for hours and hours on end, while visitors sat opposite and observed her silent and immobile body. Throughout the film, the artist comes across as a dedicated and inventive worker, but also kind and genuine, without any of the expected pretentions. says, “The film is ably put together, the career synopsis is extremely digestible and the MoMA section moves well, though at the expense of more insight into the development of the production. However, considering how unquestionably interesting Abramović is, the documentary suffers from its anonymous, by-the-books directing…it doesn’t feel right to have such a conventional documentary done on such an unconventional artist.
...| < Prev | Next > |
|---|