Contagion
Film review by: Witney Seibold
Steven Soderbergh‘s “Contagion” is an unsentimental, unsensational, unstylized look at how a global epidemic could potentially effect human society. Soderbergh keeps our mind on the potential ease of transmission, starting with one person, and eventually killing off a measurable percentage of the human population. (more…)
Cowboys & Aliens
Film review by: Witney Seibold
Jon Favreau has now directed several big-budget summer blockbusters, and has proven that he can make a great-looking, well-acted, solid movie with the best of the them. (more…)
Captain America: The First Avenger
Film review by: Witney Seibold
After having sat through exposition-heavy superhero nonsense like “Green Lantern,” and being increasingly assaulted by films preoccupied with creating a cross-movie superhero “canon” like “Thor,” and “Iron Man 2,” Joe Johnston‘s “Captain America: The First Avenger” is something of a refreshing break. Here, finally, is a film that seems to be more about the clear-eyed adventure and blind heroism that used to come with action movies, and is in unfortunate short supply these days. It’s hero, while not necessarily a huge-hearted altruist, is at least an innocent in over his head, as opposed to a broody wimp or a sullen thug. (more…)
Christopher and His Kind
Film review by: Witney Seibold
In 1931, young author Christopher Isherwood slipped the surly binds of his oppressive blueblood mother, and traveled to Berlin. He claimed that it was a good place to get some writing done, and acquire the necessary inspiration to produce the Great European Novel, and was encouraged by his good friend, W.H. Auden. He actually wanted to go because he heard that Berlin was crawling with legions of sexy young German men, and endless night of rampant sexual hedonism. (more…)
Cars 2
Film review by: Witney Seibold
From what I understand, Pixar’s “Cars” (2006) earned the lowest box office numbers of any of their films. This is not to say that it was a failure, but it was a low point for the studio. Ask any critic, and they usually rate “Cars” as the worst of the Pixar canon, which, mind you, is still a compliment, as it has consistently put out quality product since day one. Why, then, did John Lasseter decide to direct a sequel to “Cars?” I hate to sound cynical, but I suspect it was for merchandising purposes. (more…)
Conan O’Brien Can’t Stop
Film review by: Witney Seibold
Here’s something fun: The director of the new documentary “Conan O’Brien Can’t Stop,” Rodman Flender, aside from his prolific television career, is known for his work on some campy horror flicks like “The Unborn,” “Leprechaun 2” and “Idle Hands.” I admire that. (more…)
Certified Copy
Film review by: Witney Seibold
It’s been said that the best films don’t just tell a story, but espouse a philosophy. Abbas Kiarostami‘s “Certified Copy” is more than a tale of a bourgeois French woman and a smug British author wandering through small-town Italy, discussing art and marriage, but explores the function of truth in our lives; it’s central question seems to be that if something is a fake, but we don’t know it’s a fake, and we still derive pleasure from it, does it matter if it’s not real? If the lie is convincing enough, and everyone believes it, is it still a lie? Truth, the film is saying, is mutable. (more…)
Cedar Rapids
Film review by: Witney Seibold
Many recent R-rated comedies – and Judd Apatow may be responsible for this – are about a certain breed of maturity-averse man-children, who must, through a horrible upending of their usual comforting lifestyle (the introduction of a pregnancy, upcoming nuptials, the grind of everyday marriage), must learn to grow up for realsies. (more…)
Chinese Kamasutra (1993)
Film review by: Witney Seibold
Imagine my delighted surprise when I learned that Joe D’Amato, the director of the softcore smut film “Chinese Kamasutra,” was also once known as David Hills, and was the man behind the Ator films of legend. (more…)
Catfish
Film review by: Witney Seibold
Nev Schulman is a handsome and naïve twentysomething living in the big city, working as a dance photographer, and sharing an office with his documentarian brother Rel Schulman, and Rel’s associate Henry Joost. When Nev received a painting in the mail of one of his photos, recently published in the New York Times, he begins to seek out a rapport with the artist, an 8-year-old girl named Abby living in Michigan. Abby and Nev talk a lot, and Nev becomes good friends with Abby and Abby’s mother Angela, communicating online and by phone. They become friend on Facebook, and Nev soon enters the social circle of Abby and Abby’s family. (more…)
