by Justin MadoreAh, Christmas movies: they’re nostalgic, magical and, usually, disappointing. While we have classic holiday films such as It’s a Wonderful Life, A Christmas Story, Elf and Die Hard, it’s often a genre full of uninspired, heartless garbage. Looking to remedy the problem, Jonathan Levine and Seth Rogen have teamed up again to bring … Continue reading
by Erica Noboa Part of our coverage of the 2015 Ithaca International Fantastic Film FestivalEver since her brother was supposedly abducted by aliens, our heroine, Otsuki Haruko (Moeka Nozaki), has been on the search for a paranormal encounter of her own. She starts off as an awkward high school student who has an obsession with … Continue reading
by Francesca Hodge & Tyler Macri From the October 2015 IssueJoshua Oppenheimer’s documentary, The Look of Silence follows an Indonesian optician, Adi Rukun, as he confronts the men responsible for his brother’s murder. The audience quickly learns the facts surrounding the anti-communist genocide that swept across Indonesia nearly fifty years earlier and the failed military … Continue reading
by Byron Bixler Part of our coverage of the 2015 Ithaca International Fantastic Film FestivalAs with nearly all Sion Sono films, Love & Peace defies classification. It’s a deeply weird and tonally bonkers odyssey with a narrative that strays all over the place, but somehow it works, and the result is one of the most … Continue reading
by Susan Brancaccio From the October 2015 IssueCatherine (Elisabeth Moss), seeking emotional exile after experiencing an unpleasant breakup as well as the traumatic loss of her father, agrees to go on a one-week getaway at her friend Virginia’s (Katherine Waterston) lake house. What should be a relaxing break from reality instead only deepens Catherine’s feelings … Continue reading
by Justin MadorePosthumously, Steve Jobs seems to be mythologized more each day. His influence is everywhere—in the pockets and homes of people across the nation and the world. Yet none of us know what he really did, which is why when Steve Wozniak (Seth Rogen) asks him, “What do you do?” we struggle to produce … Continue reading
by Justin Madore From the October 2015 IssueBlack Mass is such a frustrating way to begin the fall movie slate. All the trappings of a great film are there. Interesting premise? Check. Great cast? Check. Great director? Check. While completely competent in its own right, it simultaneously struggles to be anything more than that. While … Continue reading
by Justin MadoreKate Macer (Emily Blunt), leads a team of FBI agents through a neighborhood into an Arizona house against the backdrop of a dry desert landscape. A tank blows in the wall, exposing two kidnappers armed to the teeth with weapons. They’re taken out, and Kate’s team moves into the next room to reveal … Continue reading
by Justin Madore“Beware of Crimson Peak,” says the ghost haunting young Edith Cushing (Mia Wasikowska). This mysterious warning recedes into her memory, but she never quite forgets. As an aspiring writer, she pens a novel featuring ghosts to submit to a journal. Her father — as well as several publishers — warns her against it. … Continue reading
by Justin MadoreProlific director, Ridley Scott, has returned to theaters this fall with his newest sci-fi film, The Martian. While his recent directorial efforts have certainly been lackluster, The Martian is a true return to form for the man who has given us other great sci-fi films such as Alien and Blade Runner. Drawing inspiration … Continue reading
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