8 years ago
All posts by Dan Schindel
“The Rover” Just Another Rusty, Uninspired Dystopian Picture
I think we need to declare a moratorium on post-apocalyptic stories. Or at least, maybe artists should have to get special permission to make them, via a rigorous pitch process through which they demonstrate that they have something new to bring to the table. ...
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“Elena” Experiments With The Documentary Form To Encouraging Effect
Director Petra Costa has taken the documentary as personal investigation in a new direction with Elena, which is heavily infused with the influence of her acknowledged idol, Chris Marker. Oneiric and kaleidoscopic, the film shuffles symbolic imagery into its p...
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“Before You Know It” Is a Tender, Moving Look At Love in Old Age
At the beginning of Before You Know It, main character Dennis rhapsodizes on how the young never think about getting old. I must be an outlier, because I think about getting old all the time. I think about mortality in general an awful lot, really. And that mi...
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‘Words and Pictures’ (That We’ve Seen Many Times Before)
If any given scene from Words and Pictures was taken out and presented devoid of context, it would play perfectly as a joke scene that a show like The Simpsons might make up as a parody of cliched romantic comedies. It's not so much that the film has a stock p...
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“For No Good Reason” Mediocrely Sheds Light on the Face of Gonzo Journalism, Ralph Steadman
Fans of documentary cinema often bemoan the lack of stylistic ambition that seems to be the norm for the film. Point and shoot cinematography. Talking heads. Informational graphics. Stock music cues. While For No Good Reason is plagued with issues, formal bana...
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“Belle” Offers A Unique and Involving Romance
If you're in the mood to discover how deeply skewed your picture of history is, check out the blog Medieval POC. Popular thought keeps our mental image of the people of various nations rigidly segregated by race (except for trade and war, I guess) up until the...
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“The Protector 2” is a Martial Arts Mess (with Elephants!)
"You lost your elephant again? You're sure it's an elephant and not a kitten? How do you keep losing him?"
That's all there is to say about The Protector 2, honestly. When a film's plot revolves around the kidnapping of an elephant, what possible new direct...
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Revisiting “Godzilla”: The Japanese Original
Godzilla is something of a pop culture punchline, a quick reference to make in reference to Japan, kaiju, or mass destruction. The King of Monsters has battled other monsters, aliens, and various human armies in nearly 30 films over the course of 60 years. The...
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“Bears” Is As Cute As It Is Unnecessary
The last time I visited Katmai National Park via documentary film, it was through Grizzly Man. This Alaskan nature preserve is where bear enthusiast Timothy Treadwell met his end at the teeth and claws of one of his beloved animals. This is a very dark thought...
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“Nymphomaniac” and “Grey Rape” in Entertainment
There is no rape in Nymphomaniac: Volume I. Except there is. Or at least, one could read that into it. While I don't completely subscribe to the "Death of the Author" theory, I do believe that it's possible to read an interpretation into a piece of work beside...
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