Up until now, Russell Brand has been famous for being a personality more than a movie star. He’s had moderate success with two films, “Forgetting Sarah Marshall” and “Get Him To The Greek”, in which he played the same rock star character. There is no doubt that “Arthur” (also produced by Brand) is the movie [...]

After watching “Small Town Murder Songs,” one wishes the technical failures that delayed the screening for close to a half-hour would have been permanent.  I’m sure “The Presence,” playing next door and offered as part of the kindly DIFF staff’s make-up attempt, would have been far more enjoyable. Called a “gothic” tale, “Songs” is nothing [...]

I’m not exactly a horse guy, so I wondered if the subject matter of Wild Horse, Wild Ride would be of exculsive interest to those who are emotionally invested in the subject matter. It turns out, once again, that in the documentary film genre, good storytelling rules the day. Directors Alex Dawson and Greg Gricus [...]

Last night, while sitting in on the live DallasFest After Dark, DIFF Artistic Director James Faust let slip a little knowledge that had been a closely-guarded secret: the Closing Night Film for the 2011 DALLAS International Film Festival, John Landis’ “Burke and Hare.” The twisted comedy stars Andy Serkis and Simon Pegg as a pair [...]

From a cultural, political or religious point of view, there is no way I can adequately speak to the situations that are the backdrop to Julian Schnabel’s new film, “Miral” (based on Rula Jebreal’s novel).  It shames me to acknowledge that my ignorance of the Israeli/Palestine situation is so woefully vast.  To those who watch [...]

“Goodbye Cruel World” manages to meander its way into a low-key place early on, and nestles in with no intention of becoming anything grander.  Only mild success is possible given the expectation created by the film’s intentions, which appear to be an old-fashioned, nothing-goes-right comedy where the hero is put upon in every scene, and [...]

“Robot” may just be the strangest entry in DIFF’s 2011 schedule, and perhaps the one that requires the most effort on the part of the audience.  Starting off as a science-fiction melodrama rounded off with moments of slapstick, it turns into a cyber-tinged romantic comedy and then a drama about the human condition with insane [...]

If “Norman Mailer: The American” seems like a coarse film, then it at least suitably matches its subject.  An author, filmmaker, activist and overall blowhard, Mailer is called “narcissistic,” “confident,” “arrogant,” “a literary rock star,” “mad as a hatter” and a “devoted family man.”  What he is never called is shy or forgiving.  For the [...]

As a hot button issue, childhood vaccination has cooled off, thanks to widely-publicized scientific studies and the testimony of experts in the field. “The Greater Good,” which had its world premiere at the Dallas International Film Festival yesterday, seeks to heat things up — but not to the boiling point. Governor Rick Perry came under [...]

It begins with a leaf, the rolling sea, and what appears to be melancholy.  But “Parked” is filled with lovely, endearing stuff; it’s the kind of film that takes a down and out character and immediately offers him all the best possibilities: friendship, a purpose, and maybe even love.  And it does so without resorting [...]