Movie Review – The Sting (1973)
by NIR SHALEV
Winner of seven Academy Awards, The Sting reunites Robert Redford and Paul Newman in George Roy Hill’s masterful caper. The film opens with shots depicting the Great Depression and we immediately realize that in these tough times conning others will be tougher than usual. Read more 
Thinking Outside the Multiplex
by MIKE MACCOLLUM
So the Eagle Highlands will be showing its first (I think) Bollywood film this week, while the Georgetown 14 shows a second-run art film (and a Bollywood film of its own), and the Keystone Arts starts a run of It Might Get Loud, and Mira Nair’s Amelia goes into wider release (and beyond the scope of this column). That sounds like a pretty decent week for Indiana filmgoers to me. (If you disagree, please add a comment below!) For more on the limited release films being shown around the state – along with benefit screenings and other one- (or two-) shot screenings – read on below. Read more
Silent Reflections – Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1920): Revisited
by HELEN GEIB
I saw Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde the first time as part of a John Barrymore film series. You can read my review in this post, but the gist is that the best thing about the film is the way it’s photographed, followed by the transformation scenes. Read more
Movie Review – Where the Wild Things Are (2009)
by HELEN GEIB
Where the Wild Things Are is director Spike Jonze’s adaptation of the widely revered children’s picture book by Maurice Sendak. The screenplay by Jonze and Dave Eggers of necessity expands on the 10-line book to fit the storytelling needs and running time of a feature film, amplifying the boy’s adventure among the wild things, delving deeper into its psychological subtext, and contextualizing the fantasy with an extended real-world prelude and epilogue. Read more
DVD of the Week – Review of Anvil: The Story of Anvil (2009)
by TOM NIXON
If heavy metal’s outsider philosophy primarily involves confronting and romanticizing reality no matter how harsh it may be, then Anvil may not just be among the foremost legends of the Canadian underground scene but, with their unquenchable enthusiasm and never-say-die attitude in the face of constant disappointment, also embody an entire genre and the sub-culture worshiping at its altar. Read more
Anime Feature Film Review – The Cat Returns (2002)
by HELEN GEIB
High-schooler Haru is having a very bad day the day it all begins. First she oversleeps and misses out on a yummy breakfast, then she loses a shoe as she’s running to beat the bell, and then her teacher busts her as she’s trying to sneak in late to class and everyone laughs at her, even the boy she likes. Adding insult to injury, she’s beaned by a ball during PE. On the way home, she courageously runs across the street in the teeth of oncoming traffic to save a cat from being hit by a truck, giving herself another knock on the head when she lands hard on the sidewalk.
However, what seemed at first glance like just another stroke of bad luck proves to be the start of a fantastical (mis)adventure. Read more
Thinking Outside the Multiplex
by MIKE MACCOLLUM
It’s another busy week at the movies in central Indiana and throughout the state, what with Bright Star and A Serious Man opening at the Landmark, Blue (and other Indian films) playing at the Georgetown 14, and both Amelia and Good Hair starting at several theaters across the state – not to mention the finale of the Heartland Film Festival in Indianapolis, and the last weekend of the year for several Indiana drive-ins. For all of that and more, including this week’s listing of limited release films opening around the country, read on below. (Just remember, though, that the Michael Jackson film This Is It starts at a number of theaters on Wednesday, so at least some of the films mentioned below just might have abbreviated runs ending Tuesday night.) Read more
DVD of the Week – “The Paul Newman Collection” Box Set
by HELEN GEIB
This month is unofficially Paul Newman month on Commentary Track, courtesy of Nir and his ongoing series of reviews of some of the star’s classic titles. In that connection, I decided to check into how well Newman’s career is represented on DVD. As one might expect (and would certainly hope), the famous films are readily available, some in multiple DVD editions or with plentiful extras. Read more
Movie Review – Hud (1963)
by NIR SHALEV
Paul Newman gives a powerhouse performance as Hud Bannon, the quintessential alienated youth that is made up of his own ego and testosterone. With this film we get to see a bleak and realistic look at what it’s like being disturbingly handsome and also the biggest jerk in town. Read more
Movie Review – The Invention of Lying (2009)
by TOM NIXON
Struggling screenwriter Mark Bellison (Ricky Gervais) lives in a world where lies don’t exist. That’s not to say that people want to tell lies but are incapable (such as Jim Carrey in Liar Liar, an obvious reference point), mind, but that people are unable to conceive of the very concept of lying, or indeed tact. In this world, if you’re a little plump around the mid-section, everyone is gonna let you know about it. Fascinatingly, what’s left is a brave new world completely lacking in emotion except for vague dis/satisfaction, where art doesn’t exist outside of the audio documentaries known as ‘films’ read out by the screenwriter onscreen, and partners are chosen via perceived genetic compatability. It’s a world which could potentially throb with thorny implications and house some absolutely blazing satire, but that potential is never realized in what must be Gervais’ laziest project to date. Read more
