Sandra Bullock
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The Definitive Movies of 1995
The 1990’s introduced the world to Quentin Tarantino, saw the creation of the NC-17 rating, and began the slow call toward fully computer animated films. It began the slow (still slow) movement toward a more diverse industry, with the first African-American director earning an Oscar nomination (John Singleton for “Boyz in the Hood”). And the […] More
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‘Despicable Me’ spin-off ‘Minions’ gets a teaser
When discussing the Minions of the Despicable Me franchise, I’m reminded of how Pinhead described the Cenobites in Clive Barker’s Hellraiser: “Demons to some, angels to others.” While Steve Carell’s Gru was the initial selling point of the series, his Rabbids-like henchmen quickly became the stars, despite the polarising effect of annoying the hell out of […] More
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Six Female Lead Choices Who Would’ve Made ‘Gravity’ a Better Film
As Alfonso Cuaron’s mega-hit Gravity continues to rack up praise and big box office dollars, it’s a good time to take a critical look at the weakest aspect of the film, which is the lead acting performance of Sandra Bullock. It’s widely known that Cuaron’s first choice, Angelina Jolie, fell through and there were reported […] More
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‘Gravity’ a visual stunner that lacks character complexity
By now, Alfonso Cuarón has pretty much earned the crown of being one of the best, if not the best, technicians in modern cinema. His last three films—Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Children of Men, and now Gravity—all demonstrate a playful and intelligent command of space, his camera always roving in, around, and out of locations whenever possible. Gravity raises the bar for technical prowess in mainstream filmmaking, and Cuarón doesn’t shy away from the challenge of a film set entirely in space. This is nothing short of a flawless technical exercise, a frequently intense and relentless theme-park ride of a movie. The real downside is that Cuarón could’ve made more than just a ride. More
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TIFF 2013: ‘Gravity’ is a thrilling, jaw-dropping special-effects showcase
In 1902, the French screen pioneer Georges Melies made Le Voyage Dans La Lune, an interstellar breakthrough in special effects and fantastical imagination that beguiled and bewildered audiences. Since that film, the science-fiction genre has passed through evolutionary wormholes every decade or so, due to the pioneering cognition of the likes of Fritz Lang, Stanley Kubrick, Andrei Tarkovsky, and, from a purely technological standpoint, James Cameron, where the very mechanics of cinematic representation and realization are docked with technical advances in optics, film stocks and lenses, or the crushing and retexturing of digital blizzards of zeroes and ones and post-production manipulation as the medium moves from physical celluloid to analog abduction. More
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TIFF 2013: Alfonso Cuaron’s ‘Gravity’ gets a new poster focusing on Clooney
One of the more highly anticipated films of 2013 is filmmaker Alfonso Cuaron’s Gravity. The first feature from Cuaron since the critically acclaimed Children of Men, the film marks Cuaron’s return to theatres following a seven-year absence. Cuaron takes on both directing and co-writing duties, sharing the latter with son Jonas Cuaron. A new poster […] More
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Solid and funny ‘The Heat’ has a good balance between Bullock and McCarthy
The Heat Directed by Paul Feig Written by Katie Dippold USA, 2013 Melissa McCarthy is at a precipice in her career, at a point where audiences can embrace or reject her for her fierce, intimidating comic presence. Earlier this year, as one of the stars of Identity Thief, a grotesque and toxic Planes, Trains, and […] More
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Is The Chick with a Gun becoming Chic?
“All you need for a movie is a girl and a gun.” Jean-Luc Godard – Just how did packing a gun and dishing out feminist tirades become marketable? Reading academic books on the subject leaves more questions than answers. Dubbing the genre “Chick with a Gun” might seem condescending, except many of these films themselves have […] More
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‘Speed’ – Keanu Reeves at his unlikely best in one of the 90’s best rollercoaster rides
Speed Directed by Jan de Bont Written by Graham Yost & Joss Whedon (Uncredited) US, 1994 Despite his tortured artist demeanor and frustratingly enigmatic career form which is more akin to Vincent Gallo than Bruce Willis, Keanu Reeves is an actor who’s strangely potent potential can be compared to the unpredictable success of what you’d […] More
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Paul Feig takes on buddy cop genre in the first trailer for ‘The Heat’
Paul Feig was already a well-known figure amongst comedy fans for his work on the short-lived cult favourite tv show Freaks and Geeks when he took on the directorial reins of the 2011 comedy Bridesmaids. Despite facing overwhelming pressure, the movie went on to become a major hit in the summer, bolstered heavily by a […] More
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TIFF Bell Lightbox Presents The Rise of Beefcake Cinema: ‘Demolition Man’ destroys Aldous Huxley’s magnum opus
Demolition Man Directed by Marco Brambilla Written by Daniel Waters, Robert Reneau and Peter M. Lenkov USA, 1993 When Aldous Huxley wrote Brave New World in 1931, he wanted to warn the present of an impending dystopia. Filled with ignorance, ostentation, and a blatant disregard for humanity, Huxley foresaw the future as being grim, and […] More