I didn’t much like The Wolf of Wall Street, finding it a story of unbridled excess with no redemption. It might be based on truth, it might even be completely accurate in its portrayal of Jordan Belfort and his exploits, but I felt like I’d watched something rather pornographic rather than a film exploring the excesses of 90’s Wall Street. A better film exploring the same topic, also starring Leonardo DiCaprio, was 2013’s underrated The Great…Read More
Review: The Great Gatsby
In a sea of bland lookalike films, the brash, electric new production of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s landmark book The Great Gatsby is an art deco dream of the 1920s, fueled by too much gin and too many sequins. It is an astonishing film, as much a reminder of the magic of cinema as it is an ultimately tragic love story. The film follows young writer Nick Carraway (Tobey Maguire) during the passion and heat-fueled summer…Read More
Best and Worst Films of 2010
According to Movieweb, there were 651 films released in 2010 and no, I didn’t see them all. In fact, there are some movies still on my to-watch list that I know will affect this article (including The Fighter and The Kids are All Right), but I hope to see them soon and add some additional commentary at that point. For now, however, I figure I saw maybe 100-150 new films this year, both clunkers and superb…Read More
Critic vs. Critic: Inception
When I wrote in my review of Inception that I thought it was the best film of the summer and possibly of 2010, I didn’t realize it’d strike a nerve with my friend and fellow critic Christian Toto. It did, and we started debating the merits of the film, the end result being this back and forth that I hope you’ll find interesting and entertaining. No spoilers, don’t worry! Christian Toto: I wanted to love…Read More
Review: Inception
Inception is one of the most complicated stories I have ever seen on the big screen, but if you can figure out what’s going on, it’s an amazing movie filled with mind-boggling visuals and an intriguing exploration of how our minds work and the subconscious. It might also be the best movie of the summer, if not 2010. The story takes place in a near future where companies send agents to steal secrets from within…Read More
Review: Shutter Island
The film version of Dennis Lehane’s creepy psychological thriller Shutter Island has taken a while to get on the big screen, but it was worth the wait. With Leonardo DiCaprio in the starring role as US Marshall Teddy Daniels, it’s one of the best psychological thrillers in quite a while. With its leisurely pace, moody ensemble and positively sinister exteriors, it’s also a nice reminder that intense movies don’t need to involve massive explosions, zombies,…Read More