Tea Time with Howard Shore
What do “The Fly,” “Big,” “The Silence of the Lambs,” “That Thing You Do!”, “High Fidelity,” “The Departed” and David Lowery’s upcoming “Pete’s Dragon” have in common? They were all […]
CIFF 2015 Preview: “Anomalisa,” “James White” and Six More
There comes a point when a film festival turns from a casual diversion and into an obsession. That happened to me last year during the Chicago International Film Festival, when […]
Colin Healey on “Homemakers”
One of the great pleasures of the moviegoing experience is encountering a character unlike any you have seen before onscreen. Irene (Rachel McKeon), the anti-heroine of Colin Healey’s superb directorial […]
The Walking Undead: Universal’s Classic “Dracula” Films
If Universal’s classic series of interlocking monster movies stands as the forbearer to Marvel’s current superhero franchise, then Dracula is surely the original Iron Man. His film was the one […]
Martin Stirling on “Most Shocking Second a Day Video”
With digital sound and fury continuously vying for our attention on a daily basis, flashy spectacle can no longer guarantee our engagement. Our hearts must be engaged as well in […]
Bel Powley Amazes in “The Diary of a Teenage Girl”
There are about a million or so ways Marielle Heller’s “The Diary of a Teenage Girl” could’ve flown clear off the rails. While leaving the screening room, I ran into […]
The Storm Clouds Broke
“No bags allowed,” said the theater attendant. Initially, I was shocked. I had carried my laptop bag with me to film screenings for the last several years, but today was […]
Mirror Images: “American Sniper” and “Selma”
The following essay was written by film critic John Marks, a contributor at Movie Mezzanine.com. Is Oscar-bait good for the movies? This was the question asked by Slate’s S.T. VanAirsdale […]
To Infinity and Beyond: Top Ten Pixar Movies
Perhaps only John Lasseter could’ve transformed an ordinary table lamp into the next Mickey Mouse. In his Oscar-nominated 1986 short, “Luxo Jr.”, Lasseter ingeniously brought a lamp to life by […]
Seen and Felt: The Magic of Roger Deakins
You know great cinematography is working its magic on you when it delivers a visceral jolt to the senses. You’re no longer a passive observer but an active participant within […]
