Movies, City Newspaper

"Star Trek Into Darkness"

George Grella — Wed, 22 May 2013 04:00:00 -0400

Back to the past via the future by George Grella Decades after the famous TV show and its several sequels, after numerous feature-length adaptations, after wearing out generations of crew members, including the most famous captains, Kirk and Picard, the "Star Trek" franchise continues to boldly go where it has gone many times before. For the latest addition to the franchise, "Star Trek Into Darkness," the director, J.J. Abrams, chooses the easiest route to other galactic destinations by simply repeating a good deal of the original show and some elements from previous entries in the series, a very bad decision indeed.…

"At Any Price"

Adam Lubitow — Wed, 22 May 2013 04:00:00 -0400

Sowing discontent by Adam Lubitow When we first meet Henry Whipple, the farmer and seed salesman played by Dennis Quaid in Ramin Bahrani's "At Any Price," he's crashing a funeral with his reluctant son, Dean (Zac Efron), in tow, hoping to take some land off the hands of the dead man's poor, bereaved family. It's not the sort of introduction that inspires much sympathy from the audience and, for the most part, the film never attempts to turn Henry into anything resembling a likeable human being.…

"The Great Gatsby"

George Grella — Wed, 15 May 2013 04:00:00 -0400

Baz Luhrmann meets F. Scott Fitzgerald by George Grella The hype preceding the long-awaited release of "The Great Gatsby" rivals the hoopla surrounding summer blockbusters — Cartier features Gatsby jewelry and Brooks Brothers (naturally) offers a Gatsby line of clothing; there's a video game, and who knows, maybe the toy stores will sell Gatsby action figures. As someone who has taught F. Scott Fitzgerald's novel for many years, therefore, I approached Baz Luhrmann's production with considerable trepidation.…

"To the Wonder"

Adam Lubitow — Wed, 15 May 2013 04:00:00 -0400

Care package by Adam Lubitow Terrence Malick is a polarizing filmmaker. Some people respond to his works, in all their enigmatic glory — dreamy, abstract narratives told though hushed, half-conversations, weighty ideas contrasted against a fascination with the natural world and, always, endlessly expansive shots of sunsets.…

"Renoir"

George Grella — Wed, 08 May 2013 04:00:00 -0400

A portrait of the artists and their muse by George Grella Whatever the complications and challenges in making any motion picture, films about great artists, especially in the graphic and plastic arts, should really make themselves. Beyond the inherent interest in the life of a particular famous person, the sheer process of creation holds its own fascination, and above all, the images themselves provide a rich possibility for the cinematographer — art, as it must, inspires art.…

"Iron Man 3"

Adam Lubitow — Wed, 08 May 2013 04:00:00 -0400

Third time's the charm by Adam Lubitow Summer movie season has officially arrived with the release of "Iron Man 3," the third (and-a-half, including last summer's "The Avengers") chapter in the story of billionaire industrialist and inventor, Tony Stark. The film continues Marvel Studios' winning formula of picking interesting filmmakers for their mega-budget superhero blockbusters over more commercially viable (i.e. boring) options.…

"Mud"

Adam Lubitow — Wed, 01 May 2013 04:00:00 -0400

Down by the water by Adam Lubitow After spending years slumming it in one dimwitted romantic comedy (more often than not co-starring Kate Hudson) after another, Matthew McConaughey appears to have grown tired of coasting and decided to remind audiences that he's still capable of, you know, acting. Starting with 2011's "The Lincoln Lawyer," he has made a number of good choices, taking interesting roles in several smaller indie films, from "Magic Mike" to "Killer Joe."…

"The Company You Keep"

George Grella — Wed, 01 May 2013 04:00:00 -0400

A journey to the politics of the past by George Grella Despite the passage of time and age, the fading of memory, no matter how many horrors blight the last several decades, the Vietnam War still haunts the American soul. It remains one of those exclusively American tragedies, a wound that may never heal, still a source of anger, guilt, and blame.…

"Oblivion"

George Grella — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 04:00:00 -0400

Apocalypse somehow by George Grella Whatever their merits, the devotion of their many fans, and the panegyrics of a whole gaggle of critics, those phenomenally successful semi-literary works known as graphic novels (in my day they were pretty much just comic books) often generate a certain pretension. The writers and illustrators introduce learned allusions, copy established literary patterns, interweave complicated plots and narratives, make unsubtle hints about ancient myths, provide some psychological depth and emotional complexity to their characters, and often underline their themes with a good deal of heavy melodrama.…

2013 Rochester International Film Festival

Adam Lubitow — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 04:00:00 -0400

Short and sweet by Adam Lubitow I've always loved the short-film format. I'm impressed and awed by a filmmaker's ability to tell a complete, self-contained, and satisfying story in a condensed period of time.…

"Room 237"

Adam Lubitow — Wed, 17 Apr 2013 04:00:00 -0400

Never-ending stories by Adam Lubitow Rodney Ascher's documentary, "Room 237," playing at the Dryden this week, presents some very unusual interpretations of Stanley Kubrick's classic adaptation of "The Shining." Through voiceover, we hear from a number of people offering their explanations for what the director was really saying with his horror masterpiece.…

The 2013 High Falls Film Festival

Adam Lubitow — Wed, 17 Apr 2013 04:00:00 -0400

Established in 2001, the High Falls Film Festival was originally conceived with the intent of highlighting the contributions of women in all aspects of the film industry. by Adam Lubitow Updated 4/18/13 to correct the dates of Pat Brown's term in office. Established in 2001, the High Falls Film Festival was originally conceived with the intent of highlighting the contributions of women in all aspects of the film industry.…

"42"

George Grella — Wed, 17 Apr 2013 04:00:00 -0400

Breaking the color barrier on and off the field by George Grella No doubt consciously timed for the opening of the baseball season, the new movie "42" provides a valuable lesson in contemporary American history, showing viewers the culture of baseball and of the nation not all that long ago. As everyone must know, the picture deals with some of Jackie Robinson's struggles as the first black man to play in the Major Leagues.…

"The Place Beyond the Pines"

Adam Lubitow — Wed, 17 Apr 2013 04:00:00 -0400

Never-ending stories by Adam Lubitow As the showing I attended of "The Place Beyond the Pines" — director Derek Cianfrance's moody, ambitious, new crime-drama — came to an end, I couldn't help overhearing the conversation happening amongst the college-age group sitting behind me. One was explaining to his friends that while the film wasn't what he expecting, he thought it was "really good." He went on to say that he was still processing the film, trying to piece together what exactly it was trying to say.…

"On the Road"

George Grella — Wed, 10 Apr 2013 04:00:00 -0400

The Bible of the Beat Generation by George Grella For reasons no critic quite comprehends, Neal Cassady commanded the attention and indeed the love of most of the major members of the Beat Generation, dominating their literature and their lives. The Beat saint, the holy goof, a car thief, street hustler, speed freak, and prodigious womanizer, he even accomplished the odd transition from one literary generation to another, joining Ken Kesey's Merry Pranksters, immortalized in Tom Wolfe's "The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test."…

"Evil Dead"

Adam Lubitow — Wed, 10 Apr 2013 04:00:00 -0400

Scare tactics by Adam Lubitow With 2012's "Cabin in the Woods" still so fresh in the minds of moviegoers, Fede Alvarez's new remake of Sam Raimi's horror classic, "The Evil Dead," has its work cut out for it. It has to find a way to make fresh the tropes of the now well-known story that "Cabin" so cleverly sent up, as well as distinguish itself from the glut of poorly received horror remakes churned out over the past several years.…

"No"

Adam Lubitow — Wed, 10 Apr 2013 04:00:00 -0400

Scare tactics by Adam Lubitow In 1988, the Chilean government was forced to enact a referendum wherein the population would vote whether to keep then president/dictator Augusto Pinochet in power. A "yes" vote meant he stayed, "no" meant that democracy would win out and an election would be held to elect a new leader.…

"The Host"

George Grella — Wed, 03 Apr 2013 04:00:00 -0400

On beyond "Twilight" by George Grella The millions of fans of Stephenie Meyer's "Twilight" novels and the execrable film series based on them should take great pleasure in the release of "The Host," the new movie adapted from another of her works. Like the jazz musician who said that after hearing Lawrence Welk he'd have to rethink Guy Lombardo, this picture should make any viewer reflect on the vampire saga.…

"G.I. Joe: Retaliation"

Adam Lubitow — Wed, 03 Apr 2013 04:00:00 -0400

Broken action figures by Adam Lubitow Continuing the recent trend of major studios handing over the reins of their established action franchises to Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson (see: the most recent "Fast and the Furious" films and its upcoming sequels),"G.I. Joe: Retaliation," the follow-up to 2009's "G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra," allows the former professional wrestler to take over as lead after Channing Tatum's character from the first film, Duke, is unceremoniously killed off. Unfortunately, the addition of Johnson doesn't make this film any less forgettable than its predecessor.…

"Yoyo"

Adam Lubitow — Wed, 03 Apr 2013 04:00:00 -0400

Broken action figures by Adam Lubitow One of the most exciting programs at the Dryden Theatre this month is the currently ongoing series focusing on the comedic films of French director, Pierre taix. Having directed only five films and a small number of shorts, the director has remained one of the lesser-known filmmakers of the French New Wave.…

"Stoker"

Adam Lubitow — Wed, 27 Mar 2013 04:00:00 -0400

Awkward family portraits by Adam Lubitow The less you know going into "Stoker," South Korean director Park Chan-wook's stylishly macabre horror-tale-cum-family-drama, the more fun there is to be derived from sitting back and letting its mysteries unfold. The film marks the English-language debut of the notoriously bloodthirsty filmmaker behind "The Vengeance Trilogy" (which includes the cult-classic "Oldboy") and the vampire thriller "Thirst."…

Olympus Has Fallen

George Grella — Wed, 27 Mar 2013 04:00:00 -0400

The "Axis of Evil" chops again by George Grella Some viewers may recall "Independence Day," the 1996 movie about a massive attack on the Capitol, the White House, and the most famous monuments of Washington, D.C. That picture inspired a curious delight among the usual right-wing haters, because they regarded it as an appropriate fulfillment of their endless litany of violent anti-government hysteria, and therefore cheered the destruction of the Congress and the presidency of Bill Clinton. What they will make of "Olympus Has Fallen," which depicts a similar strike, not by extraterrestrials but by North Koreans, may drive them into a tizzy of total ambivalence — on the one hand, a Democrat once again occupies the White House, but on the other, George W. Bush named North Korea as one of the three members of his infamous Axis of Evil.…

"The Call"

George Grella — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 04:00:00 -0400

Tension and technology by George Grella Her appearance in "The Call" suggests that Halle Berry, who's been very busy lately, occupies a position in Hollywood as a kind of female counterpart to those male stars who specialize in action movies. Aside from playing Catwoman, she also serves as one of the charter members of the X-Men in that blockbuster franchise.…

"The Gatekeepers"

Adam Lubitow — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 04:00:00 -0400

More than 50 shades of gray by Adam Lubitow In the Oscar-nominated documentary "The Gatekeepers," a gripping recounting of the history of the long-standing Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Israeli filmmaker Dror Moreh has achieved a remarkable feat. Not only in creating a powerful, passionate, and clear-eyed examination of an exceedingly complex subject, but in miraculously convincing all six surviving former heads of Shin Bet, Israel's secret internal security agency, to be interviewed on camera, for the first time ever.…

"Planet of Snail"

Adam Lubitow — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 04:00:00 -0400

More than 50 shades of gray by Adam Lubitow "Planet of Snail" is the final presentation in the Dryden Theatre's "Cinema Guild" series, which has screened a wide-ranging selection of recent movies from the foreign and independent film distributor, and it's as sweet and life-affirming a film as you could ever wish to see. The South Korean documentary, from director Yi Seung-jin, offers a glimpse into the lives of husband and wife Young-chan and Soon-ho.…