For such a thoughtful film, THE CREATOR is curiously underwritten. Building to several emotional crescendos during its two hours and thirteen minutes of running time, the intended resonance is, alas, subsumed by the spotty nature of a narrative that proceeds gamely from one set piece to another without giving us much in the way of… Read More »
THE TANGLE
Be advised. THE TANGLE is a hard-boiled techno-noir to which close attention must be paid. Fortunately, this intriguing bit of speculative fiction is also an enticing piece of filmmaking, making that requirement a pleasure. Rendered with a suitably moody chiaroscuro and a mid-century vibe, this murder mystery is plotted with fiendishly clever twists, while the… Read More »
LIFE
Stephen Hawking once opined that when we first make contact with alien life forms, it won’t go well for us. LIFE takes that premise and gives it a derivative ALIEN-esque story and a lackluster execution of same. Set in the near future, aboard the International Space Station, it presents a dark vision of our first… Read More »
THE MARTIAN
THE MARTIAN asks some tough metaphysical questions as it answers some thorny scientific problems with nifty solutions. What’s worth living for? What’s worth dying for? And why should giving up never be an option? The premise is daunting. Mark Watney (Matt Damon), ace botanist and member of the Ares 3 exploratory expedition to Mars in… Read More »
DUCK
DUCK is a bittersweet little film that charts an uneven course between comedy and drama. When it works, it is heartbreaking and heartwarming, when it doesn’t, it’s a shame. It doesn’t fit into any neat category, which might explain its limited theatrical release in 2007, but it’s that very thing that makes it a bright… Read More »