A Minor Disappointment

Director Bennett Miller has done extraordinary things. He made 2011’s excellent Moneyball. He directed the Oscar nominated Capote (a film that should have won Best Picture, but we won’t get into that). Even his 1998 documentary The Cruise about a New York City tour guide was released to rave reviews. He’s a technical marvel, a director adept at wrangling great performances from A List actors.

His latest film, Foxcatcher, is no exception. Pulling outstanding work from the…

Natural and Personal Splendor

Everyone has their lowest moment. Points in our history where we’ve lied, stole or cheated. Made a mess of things. Regardless of magnitude, we all carry a little bit of shame. We also deal with them in a thousand different ways. The latest film from Oscar nominated director Jean-Marc Vallee (Dallas Buyer’s Club) examines the true story of one woman’s quest to atone via trek through the California wilderness. With deft direction and an award worthy…

A Quietly Intense Portrait of Italian Organized Crime

For as long as cinema has been a recognized form of entertainment, gangster films have been one of the most popular genres. From D.W. Griffith’s The Musketeers of Pig Alley (1915) to modern classics like The Godfather and Goodfellas, audiences have been astounded by the exploits of organized crime. There’s something escapist about everyday fellas making good at the expense of established society. Brought to America by the modern day king of…

VR Meets V-Day

Can you love what’s artificial?

On the surface, that’s an easy one. People throw around the “L Word” haphazardly. We love our cars, iPhones and clothing accessories. Movies are beloved, music speaks to the heart and a goofy YouTube video of a purring cat makes us feel good. But do we really love them? Last I checked, nobody has written a power ballad for their toaster. Your friends won’t try to fix you up with their Prius.…