By: Shannon Page Hunting Elephants certainly won’t be everyone’s cup of tea. There are a few laughs sprinkled throughout, but don’t go into this film expecting a passive movie going experience. The film boasts an impressive international cast that includes Iraqi-born actor Sasson Gabai (who audiences may recognize, or not, from his role in 1988’s Rambo III), Moni Moshonov of Israel, as well as the incomparable Patrick Stewart as a struggling English actor looking for…
By: Addison Wylie I truly believe that everyone starring in The Forger knows they’re capable of more. John Travolta, Tye Sheridan, Christopher Plummer, everyone. There are moments in Philip Martin’s crime thriller where you can catch an actor glimpse at a chance to open up their performance, but these fleeting breaths are revoked by Martin’s generic filmmaking and Richard D’Ovidio’s routine screenplay. First of all, Travolta doesn’t fit the build of art theif Ray Cutter….
By: Addison Wylie While I watched The Resurrection of a Bastard, I often wondered where Guido van Driel’s movie was headed. It’s so aimless and without a thought in its busy little head until the existential epiphany its despicable lead character has. However, as soon as I questioned the film, I followed up with another query: Do I even care where this story ends up? Unless the movie is a slapstick send-up, the crime genre…
By: Addison Wylie Tell me if you’ve heard this before. A group of hotheaded blokes are in search for quick cash. In order to collect, they kidnap a wealthy figure. Some of the kidnappers have a personal connection to the victim, and one of the ragtag crooks has “a lot on the line” after having found out his wife is expecting another child. He’s also a thief who has private chats with the hostage. Kidnapping…
By: Addison Wylie If I was an actor starring in Revenge of the Green Dragons and I was watching the final cut of the film, I would be feeling cheesed by the filmmakers. Well, maybe if I wasn’t Harry Shum Jr., the dancing charmer from Glee who takes his acting to a more dramatic level with this crime film. If I was him, I would be feeling proud that I had pulled off a such…
By: Addison Wylie White Bird in a Blizzard hits you with a wallop pivotal enough to make you concussed. You walk away having appreciated Gregg Araki’s latest film, but it doesn’t entirely settle well, and its difficult to come up with reasonings as to why. Now thinking of it though, the Araki films I’ve caught (Mysterious Skin and Smiley Face) have had the same effect. Mysterious Skin is a distraught story of a troubled teenage…
By: Addison Wylie In an attempt to be complementary, but at the same time seem unintentionally inconsiderate, I enjoyed Life of Crime because it lacked a notable visionary’s presence. It didn’t feel the need to impress the audience with any sort of pizazz. It has a solid story, an array of interesting people ranging from low-lifes to the pompous rich, and a good time period to reference through lavish art direction and a sensational score….
By: Addison Wylie Jonathan Daniel Brown hopes to jump forward with his acting career as the drug dealing lead in John Stockwell’s Kid Cannabis. It’s a big move for the actor who was predominately seen last as the plump sidekick in the repugnant Project X. As much as I would like to respond to Brown’s flick with utter positivity, Kid Cannabis’ shortcomings have me feeling disappointed. Brown plays Nate Norman, a blameless pothead who was…
Crime often features some prime subjects for documentarians. The stories sometimes serve up a ruthless criminal, unbelievable twisty pasts, and layers upon layers of aggressive activity with hopes that justice will prevail. The docs are even more riveting because none of this is fiction. This year’s festival isn’t without a few crime docs. Let’s take a look at a couple of them. Whitey: United States of America v. James J. Bulger (DIR. Joe Berlinger) By: Addison Wylie…
By: Addison Wylie Recently, I reviewed the humdrum action flick In The Blood. It was escapist entertainment that didn’t work because the filmmaker in charge couldn’t wrangle an action film. He understood the music, but didn’t necessarily know how to play the song. After having watched Brick Mansions, I feel the need to follow-up with my analogy. Brick Mansions is that musician who knows the music, can perform the song, but has no desire to…