Magic Flute – review
Director Kenneth Branagh has always been a traditionalist. Back when Baz Luhrmann was updating Romeo and Juliet for the MTV generation, keeping the language and adding frenetic visuals and a killer soundtrack, Branagh directed a four-hour version of Hamlet, the most faithful version ever put to film. Luhrmann’s movie sparked a sensation, proving Shakespeare’s star-crossed … Continue reading
Disney’s documentary legacy
On April 22, Disneynature (a wing of Disney devoted to nature docs) will release Earth, a companion piece to the BBC’s widely acclaimed Planet Earth TV series. What better time to examine the legacy of Disney’s previous foray into nature documentaries? Namely, one of the most persistent urban legends of the last half-century, and one … Continue reading
Rourke wrestles again
In what’s either a brilliant bit of marketing for an art house film or just another chapter in an increasingly bizarre Hollywood story (or maybe both), actor Mickey Rourke appeared at Wrestlemania last weekend, sparring briefly with pro wrestler Chris Jericho. Rourke’s appearance had been rumoured as early as January, although it was fervently denied … Continue reading
Where the Wild Things Are
For a certain breed of monster-obsessed kid, there is no better children’s book than Maurice Sendak’s 1963 classic, Where the Wild Things Are. The story of an angry kid named Max who travels to a world full of beasts, Sendak’s simple tale and wonderfully distinctive illustrations stick with anyone who sees them. It’s also the … Continue reading
SXSW 2009
Every March, tens of thousands of music fans, industry workers and hangers-on descend upon Austin, Texas for South by Southwest (SXSW), an orgy of sheer aural mayhem. With nearly 2,000 musical acts performing in every available space the city’s downtown has to offer, it’s the kind of event that’s difficult to sum up in a … Continue reading
Blue Gold – Water Wars
Fresh water is our most precious resource. The opening minutes of Blue Gold: World Water Wars make this case strongly and succinctly, with narrator Malcolm McDowell describing the symptoms of extreme thirst over footage of a parched landscape. The question isn’t whether we need water — that much is obvious. It’s whether we’re handling our … Continue reading
Words gone wild — Pontypool
“Horror has always worked on the idea that what is most familiar can be most frightening,” says director Bruce McDonald. “Like The Birds. It’s like, we all love birds, but what happens when they turn evil? You know what I mean? What happens when words turn evil? Well, then things get weird.” Weird is an … Continue reading
Tuya’s Marriage
Tuya’s Marriage isn’t the sort of film that cares about winning over its audience. The story of a woman who divorces her crippled husband to find a man who can support the both of them (and their children), it would be harsh even without its unforgiving Inner Mongolian setting. Add in a harsh climate, a … Continue reading
The Burning Hell — Baby (Weewerk)
Matthias Korn, mastermind of The Burning Hell, has always been clever, and his music perfectly capable of catchiness, too. Even so, Baby is a surprise. Korn’s previous album, Happy Birthday, drowned its potential in one too many mournful ballads — fans of the ukulele maestro’s live show were confused to discover how little of his … Continue reading
Solomon Nagler interview
The phrase “low-budget experimental film” is enough to send shivers down even the most dedicated cinephile’s spine. It conjures visions of baffling Dadaism and interpretive dance — an incomprehensible language accessible only to those who spend a lifetime studying its subtleties. The fact is, though, there are no prerequisites — understanding experimental film is child’s … Continue reading
The Consumption 