CinemaSpeak

by Warren Curry
12/15/2011

Just before sitting down to write this review, I decided to go online and watch the trailer for “Carnage,” the new film from 78-year-old Roman Polanski. It’s an exceptional trailer — one that promises snappy dialogue, great chemistry among a stellar cast and cruelly quirky characters. To a certain degree, the film delivers the aforementioned qualities — but in a much lower dosage than the trailer would lead you to believe.
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by Warren Curry
10/19/2011

The towering Ukranian brothers, Vitali and Wladimir Klitschko, have the distinction of being the only siblings to simultaneously be boxing world heavyweight champions. Right now, the brothers enjoy such dominance that what’s historically been the sport’s most popular division has become something of an afterthought (at least in the U.S.). Director Sebastian Dehnhardt’s documentary traces the brothers’ lives from their humble beginnings to their current standing as boxing superstars (especially in their adopted home country, Germany).
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by Warren Curry
10/8/2011

The Los Angeles punk, funk, ska, rock, etc. band Fishbone emerged as something of a cult group in the ’80s, then saw their popularity break into the mainstream in the early ’90s, before slowly drifting into obscurity later in the decade. Those who were fans of the band in their heyday might even be surprised to learn Fishbone is still an active recording, touring unit, though only two original members remain. Lev Anderson’s and Chris Metzler’s highly entertaining yet fairly sloppy documentary tells the story of the band, sometimes in minute detail and other times in very broad strokes. It’s a fun ride albeit one that’s structurally aloof.
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by Warren Curry
9/29/2011

I’m not the kind of moviegoer who’s so enamored of an actor that I’ll see every film he/she stars in — but any movie featuring the talents of Michael Shannon, I must admit, is at least one I’ll strongly consider. It’s definitely fair to observe that at this point in his career Shannon’s risking being typecast as the proverbial loose canon, but any formula that works this well is one I’m reticent to change. “Take Shelter” continues Shannon’s winning streak.
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by Warren Curry
9/15/2011

“Happy, Happy” won the World Cinema Grand Jury prize at the most recent Sundance Film Festival and is also Norway’s official Oscar entry, an impressive feat for a first time feature film director. In her debut, Anne Sewitsky displays a knack for pacing and smooth, streamlined storytelling, qualities that make “Happy, Happy” an engaging experience. In lesser hands, the script’s contrivances could easily become grating, but Sewitsky’s graceful touch makes even the most implausible moments surprisingly easy to swallow.
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