AltWeeklies Wire
Old-fashioned Western 'Appaloosa' Moves Along in Fits and Startsnew
This film from Ed Harris is not nearly as good as either Open Range or Yuma, but despite the fact that it sometimes moves at a crawl, it's more or less a solidly entertaining throwback.
Montreal Mirror |
Malcolm Fraser |
10-06-2008 |
Reviews
Nothing's Sacred for Bill Maher and Larry Charlesnew
Maher and Charles discuss fundamentalism, the apocalypse, and their new faith-challenging
doc, Religulous.
Montreal Mirror |
Mark Slutsky |
09-26-2008 |
Profiles & Interviews
'Righteous Kill' is a Clichéd Crime Dramanew
It's hard for film buffs not to raise an eyebrow in cautious excitement upon hearing that Robert De Niro and Al Pacino will star in a New York City cop flick. But even these heavyweights can't prop up a pic by themselves.
Montreal Mirror |
Christopher Sykes |
09-12-2008 |
Reviews
'Burn After Reading' Misfiresnew
The Coens' latest is a disappointing follow-up to No Country for Old Men.
Montreal Mirror |
Mark Slutsky |
09-12-2008 |
Reviews
Tanaz Eshaghian's Doc Looks at Iranian Gays Pressured to Endure Sex-Change Operationsnew
Eshaghian says Be Like Others is a film about class as much as it is about gender or sexual orientation. "If you're poor, this is when the conformity is really expected of you."
Montreal Mirror |
Matthew Hays |
08-29-2008 |
Profiles & Interviews
Documentary 'Crazy Sexy Cancer' Confronts the Terrifying Diseasenew
For most of the film, Kris Carr presents an uplifting look at herself and several other cancer patients as they do their best to stare down the disease with dignity and courage. It makes for a documentary that's at once bitter and powerful.
Montreal Mirror |
Matthew Hays |
08-29-2008 |
Reviews
Tags: Crazy Sexy Cancer, Kris Carr
The YoungCuts Film Fest Pulls Together Consistantly Good Shortsnew
Chalk it up to the digital revolution or well-funded film schools or the willingness to take on credit card debt, but the festival films' production values are impressively high, all told.
Montreal Mirror |
Mark Slutsky |
08-18-2008 |
Movies
Scott Hicks Documents a Composer's Life in 'Glass: A Portrait of Philip in Twelve Parts'new
At 71, composer Philip Glass is a comfortable member of the highbrow mainstream, as well as a renowned film composer with several scores under his belt. It wasn't always thus; his highly repetitive style made him the scourge of the classical establishment in the '70s.
Montreal Mirror |
Malcolm Fraser |
08-05-2008 |
Reviews
The Otherwise Captivating 'La Graine et le Mulet' is Hampered By Slow Pacingnew
While it may be somewhat of a prolonged exercise in indulgence, Graine is an otherwise engaging and true to life drama about a Maghrebi emigre's attempt to support his nearest and dearest.
Montreal Mirror |
Hillary Brenhouse |
08-05-2008 |
Reviews
'Silent Light' is Long and Slow but Full of Moments of Beautynew
Reaching nearly two and a half hours at an unrelentingly glacial pace, this is most definitely not a film for the ADD set; comparatively, Jim Jarmusch's Broken Flowers feels like the latest Indiana Jones flick. But the peculiar setting keeps things interesting, the cast is compelling and the cinematography and editing are truly exceptional.
Montreal Mirror |
Malcolm Fraser |
06-27-2008 |
Reviews
Tags: Carlos Reygadas, Silent Light
'Young People Fucking' is Light and Sexynew
It may reek a little of desperation, but calling a movie Young People Fucking is a pretty smart way to get audiences to actually see a Canadian movie. Shameless, sure, but it'll probably generate more ticket sales than a handful of Genies ever could.
Montreal Mirror |
Mark Slutsky |
06-13-2008 |
Reviews
Tags: Martin Gero, Young People Fucking
'The Happening' is NOT Happeningnew
M. Night Shyamalan's latest fails to revive his flagging career.
Montreal Mirror |
Mark Slutsky |
06-13-2008 |
Reviews
Tags: M. Night Shyamalan, The Happening
Thai Director Apichatpong Weerasethakul on Film and Censorshipnew
Thailand's board of censors demanded that four scenes -- which apparently portrayed doctors and monks in a disrespectful light -- be cut from Syndromes and a Century, and Weerasethakul refused, which meant that the film could not legally be shown.
Montreal Mirror |
Mark Slutsky |
06-13-2008 |
Profiles & Interviews
Argentina's 'XXY' is Surprising and Originalnew
Argentinean director Lucia Puenzo makes her feature debut with a thoughtful yet startling film that's part family drama, part coming-of-age tale, and wholly original.
Montreal Mirror |
Malcolm Fraser |
05-30-2008 |
Reviews
Tags: Lucia Puenzo, XXY
'The Strangers' is Not Scary Enoughnew
While you can't fault Bryan Bertino for erring on the subtle side in a genre that lately is all about splashy, silly excess, The Strangers just needs a little more oomph to be truly scary.
Montreal Mirror |
Mark Slutsky |
05-30-2008 |
Reviews
Tags: The Strangers, Bryan Bertino
