In the world of independent horror films the big score comes with making to a sequel, then a trilogy and finally to a franchise. One this is achieved you are almost certain have having a legion of faithful fans that will anxiously await the next installment. At this point a lot of the demand for the movie is something that has been known to advertising men for ages; name recognition. On occasion the studios will try to cash in on this by using a title for a film that has really nothing really to do with the original flick. Most... continue

Sense Memories

The world viewed through Zen’s (Jija Yanin Vismitananda) eyes is warped. This would be literally, as indicated by some subjective camerawork, and metaphorically, as indicated by the girl’s reactions to occasional upsets—say, flies that buzz too near or thugs who try to break her arm. Zen’s view has blurry edges and shifting focus, especially when she’s looking up from the floor, where she’s been unceremoniously deposited during a Muay... continue

Flauntingly Violent

Jack the Ripper, asserts Detective Chandler Manning (Alfred Molina), is “the personification of evil. No motive, flauntingly violent, never caught. He’s Iago with a knife, a fucking shadow lurking in the darkest corner of the human mind. He’s the reason the police exist.” Manning knows: he’s a Ripper expert, according to his new partner, Street Wilkenson (Shane... continue

The Cinema Society Hosts a Screening of 'Blindness' - Arrivals

The first hour of "Blindness" is a well-crafted movie about a mysterious plague that is rendering people sightless, and how those infected are being locked away in an attempt to halt the contagion.

The movie, of course, is an allegory, a fable about human behavior. We watch as the growing number of those in isolation begin... continue

“Frozen River” is one of those films that would be laughed out of the independent film scene if there wasn’t a mesmerizing lead performance to hold it together. The actress is Melissa Leo (“21 Grams,” “Homicide: Life on the Streets”), and her work here is stirring, haunting, and singlehandedly maintains a pitch-perfect tone of weathered anxiety the rest of “River” is all too quick to fumble.... continue

Disney, being Disney, has marketed “Miracle at St. Anna” as something heroic, historically challenging, and action-packed; presenting Spike Lee’s latest film as the African-American counterpart to features such as “Saving Private Ryan” and “Flags of Our Fathers.” I’ve seen many cases of... continue

'Nights in Rodanthe' New York Premiere - Inside Arrivals

My beloved readers, this is why they call it “star power.” A shameless, sentimental, sudsy soap opera, “Nights in Rodanthe” is kept animated by the superior work of the cast, who take the surface mentality of the source material and make it a deeply felt, agreeably tragic romantic experience. “Rodanthe” is obvious, but it’s very effective.... continue

While not his last feature film, the late Bernie Mac is served well by the comedy “Soul Men,” putting in a feral performance that brings out the old Mac we all fell in love with long ago. It’s a shame the movie can’t live up to his spirit, trading comedic momentum for a story nobody is going to care about. Still, the laughs are plentiful for 45 minutes, and that’s all this movie needs to please.

As 1970’s R&B sensation The Real Deal, Louis (Samuel L.... continue

UK PREMIERE OF 'W.'

NEW YORK PREMIERE OF 'W.'

W. is the movie that tells us the story of President George W. Bush, beginning with his days as a hard-drinking freshman at Yale University, continuing with his hard-drinking days as an unemployed Texan, through his days as the hard-drinking Governor of Texas and wrapping up with the years when he found God, seemed to become a bit... continue