Movie Review – Frankenstein (1931)
by HELEN GEIB
Universal Studio’s 1931 Frankenstein is and isn’t the first feature film adaptation of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein. It isn’t in the sense that it was based on an intermediary adaptation for the stage that fundamentally altered the story and characters. More faithful screen adaptations would follow, but the Frankenstein’s monster of the unfaithful first film remains the “Frankenstein” monster of popular renown. Read more 
Best of the Decade – 2005
by HELEN GEIB
Winner: BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN
Directed by: Ang Lee
Written by: Larry McMurtry, Diana Ossana
Starring: Heath Ledger, Jake Gyllenhaal, Michelle Williams, Anne Hathaway Read more
Thinking Outside the Multiplex in Indiana (October 29, 2010)
by MIKE MACCOLLUM
Well, it’s a quiet week in terms of limited theatrical releases in Indiana- only one truly “new” film opens this week (unless Stone actually materializes, as previously scheduled). Still, there’s a whole lot going on this week, what with (among other things) a number of horror movies, a series of Mexican films, and (combining both of the above) a movie or two involving one or more masked wrestlers. For all of the pulse-pounding details, read on below…. Read more
DVD of the Week – Back to the Future: 25th Anniversary Trilogy
by HELEN GEIB
Another fandom gets its ultimate DVD/Blu-ray release. The new Back to the Future trilogy 4-disc set offers the movies (on disc and as a digital copy) and enough extra features to satisfy even the most demanding fan. Read more
Rewind: Films of the 60s, 70s, 80s – Body Double (1984)
by RICHARD WINTERS
During the 70s and ’80s director Brian DePalma, a fan of Alfred Hitchcock, made a lot of stylized thrillers using many of Hitchcock’s trademark devices. He even storyboarded every shot just like Hitch. Unfortunately a lot of these films had rather flimsy plots and characters and were over-directed, drowning out what little story there was. DePalma tried so hard to imitate Hitch that he ended up showing no original vision himself and made the viewer crave a genuine Hitchcock film even more. Read more
Movie Review – Kill Bill: Vol. 2 (2004)
by NIR SHALEV
When we last left her, “The Bride” (Uma Thurman) was in Japan wreaking vengeful havoc on O-Ren Ishii (Lucy Liu) for beating her up and shooting her and leaving her for dead, along with other assassins and her boyfriend Bill (David Carradine). She’d also defeated Vernita Green (Vivica A. Fox), another assassin, prior to her trip to Japan and in Vol. 2 she’s back in the U.S. and looking to kill Bill’s brother Bud (Michael Madsen), Bill’s current girlfriend Elle Driver (Daryl Hannah), and then Bill himself. Read more
Thinking Outside the Multiplex in Indiana (October 22, 2010)
by MIKE MACCOLLUM
Hmm, so this week isn’t nearly as exciting as the last two weeks have been- at least not when it comes to the number of limited-release films opening in Indiana theaters. Still, we are getting some new movies this week, and a number of cool titles are holding over- so it still could be a busy week for those of us who need to play catch-up. For all of the details, keep reading below…. Read more
Movie Review – Red (2010)
by HELEN GEIB and NIR SHALEV
SYNOPSIS
Frank Moses (Bruce Willis) was a top CIA black-ops agent back in the day. Now he’s retired and living in Cleveland. The best thing about retirement is tearing up his pension checks so he’ll have an excuse to call his agent Sarah (Mary-Louise Parker). However, his newly uneventful routine is suddenly shattered when a hit squad comes to call. Forced to go on the run, Frank must band together with old friends, sometime allies, and onetime enemies- after picking up Sarah on the way- if he’s to have any chance of surviving long enough to get to the bottom of the conspiracy that branded him “RED:” Retired, Extremely Dangerous. Directed by Robert Schwentke from a script by Jon and Erich Hoeber, Red is based on the graphic novel by Warren Ellis and Cully Hamner. Helen Mirren, John Malkovich, Morgan Freeman, and Brian Cox co-star. Read more
Thinking Outside the Multiplex: National Edition (September 2-16, 2010)
by MIKE MACCOLLUM
Well, this feature went on another unplanned break, thanks to numerous factors. The main reason was that I had to abandon the idea of writing separate “fill-in” columns to cover the time period this feature was AWOL (June 9 through August 18)- so I decided instead to cover just those limited-release movies that came out during that period (or earlier) that were not (to my knowledge) covered in other online sources, or for which I had found earlier release dates than other online sources that I have seen. That proved to be too many movies to deal with in one column, so instead I’ll be mentioning these movies at the start of the next few columns, until I’ve gone through all of the ones that fit under either of the above headings. And since I’ve managed to get behind-the-times again, I will attempt to get several of these (normally bi-monthly) columns out once-a-week, until the column catches up with the calendar. So, all of the above is my long-winded way of explaining why the first ten movies mentioned in this column- which was originally intended to feature only limited-release films that came out September 2 through 16- were released before that period (in some cases, way before). Read more
DVD of the Week – Review of Agora (2010)
by NIR SHALEV
Originally, director Alejandro Amenábar’s intentions were to make a film about the cosmos and our known universe. What eventually developed is a film about 4th century Roman Egypt, the battle between pagans, Christians, and Jews in the city of Alexandria and the short life and times of philosopher, astrologer, and atheist Hypathia. Read more
