It is never really discussed in the documentary “Pina” how influential dance performer, choreographer, and instructor Pina Bausch died. Her death really isn’t even mentioned. Much like her choreography though, the emotion clearly expressed on the faces of the dancers as they have their moment in front of the camera, with their voiceover about their [...]

There is no clear protagonist in” A Separation”, everyone is doing what they think is the best for the situation; and that causes discord that ripples throughout two families. Set in present day Iran, writer/director AsgharFarhadi has created a film that features the prominence of Islam in every day culture, and yet is religiously and [...]

Inspired by actual events that occurred in the late 80’s, the awfully-titled “Big Miracle” follows the united efforts of many to rescue threetrapped whales in Alaska. The whales – two parents and their baby – didn’t begin their annual migration to the south in time to avoid the winter freeze and as a result, they [...]

“This is the beginning of your downfall…hubris.” “What’s hubris?” “Chronicle” answers one of contemporary cinema’s burning questions: Are “found footage” films hamstrung by the necessity of someone always being behind the camera? That answer is no, not if telekinesis is involved. A lesser-burning question: How do you do Big Action scenes in “found footage” films, [...]

Daniel Radcliffe of the “Harry Potter” franchise graces us with his presence again with the very frightening adaptation of the Susan Hill novel The Woman in Black. Arthur Kipps (Daniel Radcliffe), a young 19th century attorney, visits a very haunted residence in north England to settle the estate and obtain papers of its late occupant. He leaves [...]

“I’ve got some poetry about regret I’d like to share…” “Tim & Eric’s Billion Dollar Movie” begins with seat calibration and a parody of production company logos, and ends with several beheadings. In between there are numerous awkward freeze-frames, silly and/or unsettling montages, exaggerated and unpleasant character outlines (none are particularly fleshed out, though this [...]

Director Rodrigo Garcia has had a lengthy, and well respected, career in TV writing and directing. Shows like “Six Feet Under” and “In Treatment” flourished under his watch. They approached topics like family and love from a somber, yet relatable place, rewarding the most patient of viewers with a nugget of heart-wrenching goodness. He understands [...]

Nick Cassidy (Sam Worthington), an ex-cop who claims that he was wrongly convicted of stealing a 40 million dollar diamond from wealthy developer David Englander (a menacing Ed Harris), escapes from prison and makes his way to New York City. After arriving in The Big Apple, Cassidy checks into the Roosevelt Hotel, where he climbs [...]

Despite the fact that the “man versus wild” concept has been done over and over, “The Grey” successfully keeps audience’s attention by offering afrightening take on the familiar premise. Liam Neeson stars as Ottway, a man with a vague and sad past that works alongside dozens of roughneck oilmen at a remote refinery in Alaska. [...]

Director Steven Soderbergh is arguably one of the more well-respected yet disappointing directors working in Hollywood. He’s not quite at M. Night Shyamalan levels of career crushing hype, but he does have a tendency to start with some really great ideas only to wrap up his films so quickly that it’s not until hours later [...]