8 years ago
All posts by Dan Schindel
“Cesar Chavez” – No, No Puede
There are thousands - nay, tens of thousands - of true stories out there that are more than prime for being made into a feature film, but still haven't primarily because they are about people with more melanin than Hollywood is comfortable with. One such story...
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Two by Sion Sono: “Himizu” and “Guilty of Romance”
These two movies, both directed by Japanese provocateur Sion Sono, were originally released back in 2011. Now, they're finally getting simultaneous theatrical runs here in the states. Much of what could be said about Himizu could also be said about Guilty of R...
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“Maladies” is Harmlessly Worthless
Maladies furthers my conviction that filmmakers who go by one name are to be given little benefit of the doubt. I'll hazard a guess that "Carter," who wrote and directed this movie, is a friend of James Franco, given that his only previous IMDb credit is for a...
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“300: Rise of an Empire” Is Less A Movie; More a Video Game Cutscene
Starting somewhere around the time of the Star Wars prequels, critics began describing certain movies as "looking like video games." Since most of said critics weren't too familiar with the visual feel of video games at all, what they really meant was that the...
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“The Lunchbox”: A Perfectly Pleasant Date Movie
The romantic comedy as we knew it may be dead and gone, but if you know where to look, there are movies out there with both romance and humor in good measure, even if they don't fit the box of the traditional "rom-com." Films like Enough Said and The Lunchbox ...
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“The Wind Rises”: A Gorgeous Film That Doesn’t Take Off
The following review has been republished from our AFI Film Festival coverage. It reviews the original Japanese dub, and not the newly released English dub.
If The Wind Rises is truly Hayao Miyazaki's last film (and remember, this is the seventh time that h...
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SF Indiefest Reviews: “Hank,” “Doomsdays,” “There is Light” and “Congratulations!”
This year's edition of the San Francisco Independent Film Festival started on February 6th and continues to run through the 20th. Movie Mezzanine procured some screeners of films showing at the festival, and here are a few reviews of said films.
Hank: 5 Y...
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The Dark, Offbeat “Vic + Flo Saw a Bear” Is A Pleasant Surprise Worth Seeking Out
Two ex-con lovers attempt to make a go at a normal life together. They settle in a cottage nestled deep in the wilderness of Quebec. They play house with each other and play nice with a parole officer. But despite their best efforts, a life of tranquility isn'...
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The Oscar-Nominated Documentary Short Films
The various Academy Award categories for short films generally receive the least amount of attention. That is, unless you're an Oscar prognosticator or have money riding on the show, in which case these nominations are a source of frustration, since very few p...
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The Oscar-Nominated Live Action Short Films
The various Academy Award categories for short films generally receive the least amount of attention. That is, unless unless you're an Oscar prognosticator or have money riding on the show, in which case these nominations are a source of frustration, since ver...
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