Night on EarthDirected by: Jim JarmuschCriterionThe most unfairly neglected of Jim Jarmusch’s films, it hasn’t the indie cache of his early stuff (Stranger than Paradise, Down by Law) or the aging-hipster appeal of later works (Ghost Dog, Broken Flowers). This series of taxi encounters around the planet ranges from haunted (Paris) to zany (Rome) to […]
Mark Palermo
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Dune: Extended Edition
Dune: Extended EditionDirected by: David Lynch(Universal)David Lynch turned down Return of the Jedi for this adaptation of Frank Herbert’s sci-fi classic. Herbert’s novel proved too dense for two-and-a-half hours, and critics in 1984 were as offended by idiosyncratic commercial films as they are now (note Dune’s film school faux pas of multiple narrators). But the […]
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Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle
Published December 08, 2005. Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle Directed by: Danny Leiner (New Line) The college sex comedy meets the buddy road movie, handled with a mounting insanity that’s a step away from being a horror film. Danny Leiner’s one-night adventure of Chinese and East Indian best buds on a trek for […]
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Point Break: Pure Adrenaline Edition
Point Break: Pure Adrenaline EditionDirected by: Kathryn Bigelow(Fox)So many titles have now hit DVD that 2006 has been more notable as a year for rereleases with new features. It also gives you a second chance to pick up Point Break. Kathryn Bigelow, one of the best action directors of the ’80s and ’90s, gives this […]
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Blade Runner
Blade RunnerDirected by: Ridley ScottWarnerFans have been anticipating a special edition DVD of Blade Runner since the format’s introduction. Now that it will be available December 18, the goods are almost overwhelming. You can choose between four discs with four versions of the film, five discs with five versions (packaged in a briefcase with a […]
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Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead
Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead is a sourpuss version of a Coen Brothers movie. Sidney Lumet uses the Coens’ most frequent story template: A crime is committed, leaving characters to contend with unforeseen consequences. But Lumet doesn’t replicate the way the Coens’ idiosyncrasies and moral inquiry keep viewers concerned. Before the Devil Knows You’re […]
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The Mist
Horror fans are among the most passionate film-goers because, even when a movie doesn’t really work, they look out for the moments that do. The Mist, an adaptation of the Stephen King novella from The Shawshank Redemption writer/director Frank Darabont, has its share of impressive pieces. But the movie runs too long to make those […]
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Beowulf
Movie buffs can be like sports fans supporting their favourite teams through losing streaks. They get very protective of the filmmakers they like. This makes some sense. If you love David Cronenberg, you’re aligned to his sensibility and probably have more insight into what works in Eastern Promises than a casual moviegoer does. But it’s […]
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No Country for Old Men
If you’ve seen Lions for Lambs or Fred Claus, you may wonder when it became acceptable for movies to lack visual conception. Blame it on cheaper viewing habits: Neither film would lose much downloaded to your cell phone. This doesn’t ensure a place for the Coen Brothers, but No Country For Old Men continues their […]
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Fred Claus
Give Fred Claus this much credit: It doesn’t completely equate Christmas spirit with one’s light displays. That puts it above Deck the Halls, The Grinch and Christmas With the Kranks. But it doesn’t attain the uplift it aspires to, either, and hasn’t the sincerity to admit that it’s a wounded film rather than a happy […]
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American Gangster
American Gangster begins in 1968 and would have greater impact were it released then. Ridley Scott fills in the usual crime kingpin showpieces with tight direction and one notable standout: It’s the first major film since New Jack City about the rise of a black gangster. This distinction gives the typical anti-hero narrative a social […]
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Dan in Real Life
There’s a deliberate simplicity to Dan in Real Life. In telling the story of an everyday father, director and co-writer Peter Hedges (Pieces of April) constructs an everyday movie. It’s a character-driven, family-centric comedy that’s post-theatre shelf life will be owed to viewers who just want to watch something “nice.” A place for movies like […]
