Lock, Stock, and Two Film Geeks

Though it lacks some hard-hitting, Bronson-approved violence, it is oddly thought provoking. 3 out of 4

Charles Bronson and director Michael Winner are most famous for their work on the Death Wish series, which set the tone for shoot ‘em up revenge movies for years to come.  The Mechanic, in which Bronson plays a hit man for a criminal organization, may carry similar bang-bang expectations, but many will be surprised that the film is a bit slower and more clever than anything the two did in Death Wish.

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Dark, infectious, and one hell of a ride. One of the year's best. Deal with it. 4/4

Darren Aronofsky’s Black Swan is something of a hallucinogenic fairy tale about madness, transformation, and the ballet.  Being an Aronofsky film, however, the film is less sweet and fluffy, and more akin to the Brothers Grimm style: dark, creepy, and grotesque.

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Well, it is a new year, and with it a new slew of highly-anticipated Hollywood blockbusters, not to mention more regular content from the site.  No doubt many of you have kept up with the rumor mill of Hollywood; oodles and boodles of remakes, reboots and superhero sagas are being planned for the big screen.

Which ones are you eagerly awaiting?  Which ones are you eagerly awaiting to hate on?  Following the jump are some of the films we’re most excited for, and some that we’re complaining about already.

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Ambitious, but unfocused. 2.5 out of 4 stars.

How does one even begin to describe the living conundrum that was William S. Burroughs?   Writer, artist, cat lover, homosexual, junkie, gun enthusiast, godfather of punk rock, yet he never really fit into those molds either.  William S. Buroughs: A Man Within attempts to answer these questions, and although it offers an insight into who Burroughs was, it focuses too much time on the legend and less on the man himself.

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One of the most natural and engaging documentaries I've seen. 3.5 out of 4

It is interesting that Catfish be released soon after The Social Network, as both films present some insightful portrayals of the Facebook generation.  While Social Network traced Facebook’s less-than humble beginnings, Catfish captures a real piece of the culture that followed soon after.

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It was announced, not too long ago, that a prequel to John Carpenter’s The Thing was in the works.  Soon after, Ridley Scott announced that he was working on a prequel to Alien.

I don’t even know where to begin.

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Understated, tender and resonate. 3 1/2 out of 4 Stars

Never Let Me Go is not the first film about cloning and organ harvesting, yet it’s the first film to do so seriously, and in the subtlest of forms.  In fact, the film is less about cloning and more about the human condition, which makes it truly original and effective.

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This year has been a bad year for movies.  Yes there have been highlights; Inception and Scott Pilgrim vs. the World were great, and there’s about five others that were really good watchable movies, but beyond that the competition drops off really quickly.  Luckily, as we’ve exited one of the worst summers for film I can remember, we’ve begun to get back to the season where studios have deemed it is acceptable to release “good” movies.  While not quite Oscar season, we still have been treated to what some say will be an Oscar contender in The Social Network, the new David Fincher film written by Aaron Sorkin and based on the story of the creation of the ubiquitous facebook.

Let’s get this straight.  This is not really “the facebook movie.”  When I say that, what I mean is that despite its name, it’s not really about facebook at all.  To its great benefit, this film is about people, specifically a small number of characters, their friendship, and the way it was affected by greed, pride, and betrayal.  It takes the backdrop of an important event in recent history and uses it to feature universal human truths and emotions  in a way that every audience member should be able to relate to, not just the people of the “facebook generation” for which I unfortunately must count myself a part of.  facebook’s effect on the world and the way we communicate is only dealt with tangentially, as in moments when characters declare that “facebook me” became a common phrase across the Harvard campus. Continue reading

As sharp and perfectly executed as they come. 4/4.

Tom DiCillo’s Living in Oblivion is a labor love about a labor love.  Making a film, especially an independent film, isn’t easy.  With all the various problems that collide with one another on set, it’s a miracle anything ever gets finished.  It’s no wonder that everyone in the film industry is borderline, if not certifiably insane.

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We enter another week of “Taking Stock,” our weekly column in which the entire staff tells you what they think of the movies coming out this week based on very little knowledge and first impressions.

Inception

James: I’ve seen this already.  It’s the best film of the year so far and already amongst my favorite films ever.  What do I have to do to get you to go see it?  You’re not going yet?  Go.  Now.  No seriously, now.

Benn:  Best movie of the summer by far, and probably amongst the best of the year.

Dylan: My only concern is that I don’t have high enough expectations. Everytime I see the trailer, I get a little chubby in my pantaloons. Seeing it A.S.A.P.

Fil: I’m very obviously excited about this.  Hopefully some people (JAMES) don’t hype it too much.  Definitely going to see this tonight, go see it and form your own opinions people. Continue reading