film criticism by maryann johanson | handcrafted since 1997
Impossibly, heartbreakingly poignant, rooted in tough emotion and hard realities. A deeply humane movie that makes an unspoken, effortless plea for compassion for refugees’ distress and desperation.
A hugely ambitious film reminiscent of The Matrix and the works of Terry Gilliam while also carving out its own apocalyptic sci-fi space.
Actual unretouched phrases that people plugged into search engines this week that led them to this site (with some commentary from me)…
Here’s what’s newly available on DVD this week on both sides of the Atlantic. Out March 30 in Region 2: green light (definitely check it out): • Waltz with Bashir: read my review/buy at Amazon U.K./preorder in Region 1 at Amazon U.S. • Body of Lies: read my review/buy at Amazon U.K./already available in Region … more…
More illustrated than animated, more *Maus* than Mouse…
I’m late with everything this week, but I can at least get in a quick look at last weekend’s box office before the next weekend starts: 1. Paul Blart: Mall Cop: $21.6 million (2nd week; drops 32%) 2. Underworld: Rise of the Lycans: $20.8 million (NEW) 3. Gran Torino: $16.2 million (3rd week in wide … more…
The Martin Luther King Jr. holiday weekend isn’t traditionally a big weekend for moviegoing, but wow, this four-dayer was a record breaker: 1. Paul Blart: Mall Cop: $39.2 million (NEW) 2. Gran Torino: $25.6 million (2nd week in wide release; drops 13%) 3. My Bloody Valentine 3-D: $24.1 million (NEW) 4. Notorious: $23.4 million (NEW) … more…
If it’s January, it must be time for the platforming awards bait to start making a splash in wide release: 1. Gran Torino: $29.5 million (NEW in wide release) 2. Bride Wars: $21.1 million (NEW) 3. The Unborn: $19.8 million (NEW) 4. Marley & Me: $11.4 million (3rd week; drops 53%) 5. The Curious Case … more…
Trying to figure out how to talk about the box office at the moment is a bit of a challenge, what with Christmas Day — always a big moviegoing day in North America — falling on a Thursday, and all the new wide releases opening that day. And then there’s this odd week, with no … more…
How’s this for a movie marathon? On December 12 in New York and Los Angeles, IFC Films will release the “full roadshow version” of Che, Steven Soderbergh’s epic biopic of Che Guevara, for which star Benicio Del Toro won the Best Actor award at Cannes this year. On Friday, I’m gonna sit through all five … more…
