Movie Reviews

(This review was originally published on August 21, 2011 at The Rogers Revue) “Summer Pasture” is a keen, unimposing observation of Tibetan culture that finds an  emotional common ground with its audience, a curious comparison to our own  domestic lives and how we interact. Directed by Lynn True and Nelson Walker (with co-director Tsering Perlo), this 86 […]

(This review was originally published on August 19, 2011 at The Rogers Revue) If throwing caution to the wind and developing a few basic ideas for an inexpensive alien invasion comedy produces a film as entertaining as “Attack the Block” in the UK, it might be time for Hollywood to reach out to the Brits for […]

(This review was originally published on August 12, 2011 at The Rogers Revue) When a film franchise consistently attempts to deliver a greater spectacle than its previous installments, there is an inherent risk as the gap between a recycled premise and its ability to surprise the audience widens. The “Final Destination” series has had the potential […]

(This review was originally published on July 29, 2011 at The Rogers Revue) Mike Cahill’s ethereal tale of a young woman’s struggle for redemption, “Another Earth” is something of a visual poem, a minimalist rendering of a very large concept. The film’s ambition is laced with a quiet despair that feeds its ominous tone, effective in […]

(This review was originally published on July 29, 2011 at The Rogers Revue) A movie with a premise like “Cowboys & Aliens” might draw plenty of unwarranted criticism from biased moviegoers, but its content isn’t as black-and-white as its title might suggest. Jon Favreau’s $180 Million blockbuster-to-be is unquestionably an epic, but it unwittingly parlays its winning […]

(This review was originally published on July 22, 2011 at The Rogers Revue) When a film taps into a recurring theme like the fabled existence of complication-free ‘relations’, it stands to reason that aspects of its script would appear like faded remnants of rom-coms in the past. These days it’s hard  to talk about anything […]