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 [...]

One thing prevents Janus Metz’s documentary “Armadillo” from being a bold, new look at the lives of soldiers in the midst of tense, uncertain conflict: “Restrepo.” Similarities between the films are unavoidable, and the year since the release of “Restrepo” feels unusually brief.  “Armadillo” is a powerful, bracing film, yet it never feels original. 2009:  [...]

Tune in April 1 – 8 as Red Carpet Crash broadcasts “DallasFest After Dark,” the nightly chat show live from the DALLAS International Film Festival Lounge at the Hotel Joule!

To paraphrase Shakespeare’s “Twelfth Night”: Some are born eccentric, some achieve eccentricity, and some have eccentricity thrust upon ‘em. The first and second descriptions apply to the real-life characters depicted in “Rainbows End.” Hailing from Nacogdoches, Texas, about 180 miles southeast of the Metroplex, the merry band of pranksters includes Willie Edwards, AKA “Country Willie,” [...]

Takashi Miike’s “13 Assassins” is the most grandly cinematic film the prolific director has yet created. Gone from the new film are some of the director’s standard gimmicks: gleeful sadism, cheap- looking CG effects, video work that feels rushed, and crude, perplexing narratives often centered around unlikable characters (all of which have gone into some [...]

It’s probably safe to say that everyone loves a Muppet. The creations of “Sesame Street,” brainchild and educational juggernaut of the Sesame Workshop (formerly the Children’s Television Workshop) speaks, through a variety of characters, to kids of all ages and the adults who raise them, all over the world. Most people will tell you they [...]

After hearing an NPR story on the film some time ago, I knew that it was something that I absolutely had to see. Documentaries are typically my favorite films, especially those as well-made and full of heart as this one. The film details the journey of Nim Chimpsky, a chimpanzee that was taken from his [...]

Edgy, dark comedy is a tough thing to pull off. You can’t be too light or it makes the heavy moments seem out of place and you can’t get too dark or the comedic moments stand out too much. Even though it really goes for it and tries to push that dark comedy envelope, “Lucky” [...]

If there is something Dallas does flawlessly, it’s throw a party. The city’s reputation extends outside the Metroplex borders as one of the premiere hospitality cities in the nation, and the events are always stunning. Last night’s Opening Night Gala for the 5th Annual DALLAS International Film Festival was a perfect example of the elegance [...]