Competitions are generally fun to watch, and Stacey Tenenbaum (writer/director/producer) of Pipe Dreams has created a finely constructed and balanced production of the 2017 Canadian International Oregon Competition in Montreal, Canada, where the first place prize is $100,000. Featured competitors comprise a diverse group, one from China, one from New Zealand, one from Germany, and two from the U.S. Tenenbaum […]
The comparisons between “The Disaster Artist“ and “Dolemite is My Name,” begin and end with two guys outside of the studio system wanting to make a movie on their own. While “The Disaster Artist” is also based on a true story, ‘Dolemite’ is a more fully realized film. Murphy’s first film in a couple of
Two Time Oscar-winning director Ang Lee (“Hulk,” “Life of Pie”) seems drawn to technological advancements that aid in telling stories that otherwise couldn’t be told. When Lee focuses more on the story and less on trying to wow the audience (“Brokeback Mountain,” “Sense & Sensibility”), his films are typically better. “Gemini Man” has been rattling
A good documentary places events in context, and demonstrates how they are relevant today. Director Matt Tyrnaur has done just that in Where’s My Roy Cohn? as he did in a previous documentary, Citizen Jane: Battle for the City. In both productions, he effectively uses interviews and film clips to give the viewer an inside look at his subject and his/her
Director Noah Hawley’s new film “Lucy in the Sky,” based on the astronaut who’s nervous breakdown made headlines a decade ago, is more complicated than it needs to be. The most disappointing element of the film which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival was that there was no diaper scene. Most reading this will
You would never look at Todd Phillips filmography of “The Hangover” trilogy and “War Dogs,” and think to yourself, this guy could make one of the most controversial comic book adaptations of the year. There are many elements to “Joker” that work in unison to create a unique experience. The idea of creating an entirely
Evidence of the growing popularity in international films can be seen this year as two of the films vying for the Academy Award’s five slots feature Hollywood actors. Monos is the official submission from Colombia and stars Moises Arias (Ender’s Game) and Julianne Nicholson (August Osage County) in two of the more prominent roles. The
“We’ve got some real perverts on the loose,” Sheriff Spenser (Cochrane) quips at the onset of the film. “The Death of Dick Long” showcases the abundance of films being released, allowing for a growing segment of these “bizarre just for the sake of being bizarre” films to permeate. Bestiality is more common than most people
Academy Award winner Renee Zellweger (“Cold Mountain,” “Chicago”) drops a house on the acting competition this year, portraying one of our most beloved film icons. “A blip” is what Bridget Jones would have called Zellweger’s soft return in the third installment of the Jones character, but “Judy” isn’t simply a comeback, it redefines the Texan’s
Steven Soderbergh makes any subject or genre interesting. More so than most he can find unusual hooks into stories that most filmmakers wouldn’t be able to transform into compelling cinema. His latest is derived from a novel based on the Panama Papers scandal. Taking cues from “The Big Short,” Soderberg uses actors from his previous