Atonement
Atonement
Film review by: Witney Seibold
There are two amazing scenes in Joe Wright’s new film “Atonement,” based on the novel by Ian McEwan:
There Will Be Blood
There Will Be Blood
Film review by: Witney Seibold
I hesitate to call Daniel Plainview corrupt. Read more »
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
Film review by: Witney Seibold
Director Julian Schnabel has brought us a film version of the memoir of Jean-Dominique “Jean-Do” Bauby, the famed editor of “Elle” magazine who suffered a horrible stroke, and was diagnosed with Locked-In Syndrome; Read more »
The Orphanage
The Orphanage
Film review by: Witney Seibold
The “creepy child” cliché has been used so often in horror films that even classics like “The Bad Seed,” “Village of the Damned,” and even “The Omen” have started to lose their power upon repeat viewings. The new Spanish thriller “The Orphanage,” from director Juan Antonio Bayona, has its share of tiresome giggly faceless children darting through the shadows, and focuses on a wheezing tyke with a creepy burlap sack over his head, but is mercifully skilled enough to keep its atmosphere thick, and its story lively.
The Best Films of 2007
The Best Films of 2007
Film essay by: Witney Seibold
More than any other year, I have had trouble narrowing this list down. 2007, it has been said by countless critics, was a banner year for American filmmaking. To add to my chellenge, for the first time, I’ve tried ranking the films. Don’t be thrown by the order too much, though; each of the films mentioned is a great film in its own right.
The Best Films of 2006
The Best Films of 2006
An article by: Witney Seibold
I know it’s already February, this list usually due out at the beginning of January sometime, but thanks to a particularly backended year, it’s been tough to see all of the potential great films. I’m actually lucky that I did, as there were some real gems right up at the end there.
The Best Films of 2005
The Best Films of 2005
Film article by: Witney Seibold
Once again, it’s time for the best part of my job as a film critic: the year-end list. My chance to scour the vast pool of films I saw (I think I saw nearly 200 this year; yipes), and let people know which ones made my life worth living and kept me coming back to the movies. It did take a number of these to offset the terror that was “Son of the Mask:”
Gone, Baby, Gone
Gone, Baby, Gone
Film review by: Witney Seibold
Ben Affleck returns to his native Boston to direct his new feature “Gone Baby Gone.” Only it’s not the romantic, snow-blanketed, or sunsoaked halcyon Boston of childhood daydreams. This is a Boston of filthy stucco-encrusted slums, hopeless alcoholic squalor, and blemished, fat, exceedingly unattractive people. Read more »
Away from Her
Away from Her
Film review by: Witney Seibold
Grant and Fiona Anderson live an idyllic marriage in the mountains. They cross-country ski together, laugh together, cook one another’s meals, and trade stories from the books they read. Read more »
Persepolis
Persepolis
Film review by: Witney Seibold
“Persepolis” is probably the most lively and funny film you’re going to see about the Islamic Revolution in Iran. It’s also probably one of the only animated films you’ll see on the subject. It’s also one of the better films of 2007. Read more »
About the author.
When Witney Seibold was about 10 years old, he got in trouble for spitting on a new car. Witney wants his teachers and classmates to know that he was not a mean-spirited or unhappy child, and only did this to make his fellow classmates laugh. His classmates were, you see all merely pretending to spit on the line of new cars they were walking by, and Witney thought he could do them one better by actually doing it.
When thinking back on it, he realizes that some poor schmo working at the new car lot would have had to clean his spit off of the car. He apologizes to his classmates (who probably were more shocked than amused), his teacher (who was certainly not at all amused), and especially the unseen car lot attendant, armed with the Windex and paper towels, who was probably cursing his job as he had to lean over and touch a stranger’s saliva. I’m very sorry.
