I am just going to be upfront and honest, “Backcountry” is one of the most terrifying films I have ever seen. Maybe it’s because I am from the Appalachian Mountains of Western North Carolina, maybe it’s because actor turned writer/director Adam McDonald studied bears and their habits for years before filming. Either way “Backcountry” is […]
For the second weekend in a row, a female lead film topped the American box office. Insurgent, the sequel to the box office hit Divergent, picks up right where it left off. Adding a host of new characters including Oscar winner Octavia Spencer (Snowpiercer, The Help) and Oscar nominee Naomi Watts (Birdman, The Impossible), the
Writer/director Robert Duvall does something with his latest western / crime drama that you wouldn’t expect. Wild Horses ventures into new territory for Duvall as he tackles sexism, homophobia, and other prejudices. From the opening scenes of the film where Duvall’s character finds his youngest son with another boy, all bets are off where this
The first thought in my head is that writer/director David Gordon Green’s Manglehorn is better than his last SXSW film, Joe. Al Pacino also gives one of his best performances in a long while; I would have to go all the way back to Insomnia to find a time when I enjoyed him this much.
If the title isn’t enough to grab your attention, the fact the film is based on the book by food critic and Food Channel sensation Anthony Bourdain, should seal the deal. “Food noir thriller”, is how a producer introducing the film described it at SXSW. Indeed Bone in the Throat is just that, filled with
The Irish film ’71 likely owes its large platform release to Angelina Jolie, whose Unbroken made Jack O’Connell an almost instant household name. With a significantly smaller budget and a first time feature film director, ’71 packs a more powerful punch than you might expect. Connell, however, is once again fighting for his life,
There is apparently no limit to Liam Neeson’s interest in violence and action flicks. Like a broken record, the 62-year-old once again cocks the gun and saves the day. As the films opens, Neeson’s character lays on the ground talking about regrets flashing through his mind. The biggest regret is watching a talented actor discard
Danish director Kristian Levring is without a doubt a fan of the western genre. I don’t have any evidence of that, but I can see it in the way he orchestrates his latest film The Salvation. It’s a rare example of a genre film that doesn’t necessarily offer anything we haven’t seen before, but it’s
Director John Madden (Shakespeare in Love) and the cast who survived the first film return to India to once again check into the Marigold Hotel. “Why die here when you can die there,” says hotel co-owner Muriel Donnelly played by Oscar winner Maggie Smith (Downton Abby, Harry Potter). It’s Smith’s charm and wit that keeps
His second bust in a row, South African filmmaker Neill Blomkamp exploded onto the scene in 2009 with District 9. Nominated for best picture that year, Blomkamp became the guy to watch. His second feature Elysium took him away from the small budget workings and put him in summer movie territory, where he delivered a