Storytelling in our culture is in a bit of a rut. We’ve become far too accustomed to narratives that start before a precipitous event, have something dramatic transpire, then have it all resolve such that the protagonist overcomes obstacles both external and internal. Elapsed time? 90-100 minutes total. Simple. Boring. That’s why when a film like Inception comes along, it generates so much discussion: It forces us to question the very nature of dreams and…Read More
Review: The Iron Lady
On the surface, former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher might not seem like a good subject for a biopic. She wasn’t flamboyant, there’s no romantic back story, and she was more known for her steel will than her diplomacy. In these politically charged times, however, The Iron Lady is surprisingly timely, with its profile of the greengrocer’s daughter who rose through — fought her way through — the British political ranks to become one of…Read More
Review: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
Six films into the Harry Potter series, it seems like Harry, Ron and Hermione are old friends and family members. Between the books and the films, it seems that they’ve been part of contemporary culture for decades, certainly in my household. Turning the books into films has been a tricky task, however, and each film has had its own distinctive personality. It’s no coincidence that a number of different directors have been involved too, from…Read More