In the New York Times, Dave Kehr reviews Abel Gance's 1922 film La Roue, which "still fascinates as a grab bag of experimental techniques, which do not all belong in the same movie, but which clearly dazzled audiences of the time with the formal possibilities of this still relatively new medium."

» continue reading "DVD Spotlight: 5/6."

By Erin Donovan

» continue reading "Best (and Worst) Movie Moms"

Some very intriguing indie films of some renown, a "musical" unlike any you've ever seen and a cool batch of anime are just some of the many highlights of this week's new releases. (And a few of the lowlights we just skipped right over. Hope you agree with us.)

» continue reading "New and Coming Releases: May 6, 2008"

By Sean Axmaker

"When it was over, I couldn't move," writes David Gates in Newsweek. "Despite a couple of slow stretches - and Dylan has them, too - I'm Not There turns out to be worthy of its subject. This isn't faint praise. It's a full-on rave."

And raves are just what Todd Haynes's new film has been reaping ever since it premiered in Venice before wowing 'em at festivals in Toronto and New York. Though there have been exceptions to prove the rule, of course. Hardly a surprise when it comes to a film running over two hours and featuring six actors portraying various aspects and personas of one of the most lauded yet mysterious artists of our time.

Sean Axmaker talks with Haynes about a cinematic highlight of the year, I'm Not There, which is now out on DVD.

» continue reading "Todd Haynes and a Whole Slew of Dylans"

By James Van Maanen

Writing in Premiere, Aaron Hillis calls Charly, the second feature written and directed by the young French actress Isild Le Besco, "enigmatic, homegrown and actually minimal... My only advice here is to keep your opinions to yourself until you've sat with this humble treat a couple days; it's a grower."

James Van Maanen talks with Le Besco about Charly's characters as aspects of herself and about the film she'll be shooting in September. Back in November 06, Jonathan Marlow spoke with Le Besco about the film she may be best known for in the States, Backstage.

» continue reading "Isild Le Besco: "Communication Is Not Easy""

New DVDs, and old, from around the globe, are reported on in this week's installment of DVD Spotlight. Including this bit:

"Ozu made a lot of films in the 30s, many of which are silent, some of which are lost, and these early films are seldom screened, so the new Eclipse series release, Silent Ozu: Three Family Comedies, is valuable in that it lets us see the genesis of his refined late style," writes Dan Callahan at the House Next Door.

Read more, much more, by clicking below: 

» continue reading "DVD Spotlight: 4/29."

» continue reading "New and Coming Releases: April 29, 2008"

By Sean Axmaker

Fresh off its premiere at Tribeca, David Mamet's Redbelt sees a limited opening this weekend before screening at the San Francisco International Film Festival and opening wider on May 9.

Sean Axmaker introduces his interview with the lead, Chiwetel Ejiofor: "His body language and his carriage are essential to the way he inhabits his characters, whether they are calm and controlled men of strength and determination (Children of Men and Serenity) or casual and easygoing in volatile situations (Inside Man and American Gangster). His presence and his physical interactions with other characters define his character, Mike Terry, even more than Mamet's marvelous dialogue."

» continue reading "Chiwetel Ejiofor: "I'll Always Continue to Experiment""

By James Van Maanen

"Imagine the Grand Canyon turned into a lake," writes Stephen Holden in the New York Times. "That image is summoned by Yung Chang, the Chinese-Canadian director and occasional narrator of Up the Yangtze, an astonishing documentary of culture clash and the erasure of history amid China's economic miracle."

"With delicacy devoid of preachy grandstanding, Chang documents a landscape mutating not only literally but socially and economically as well, as flooding of countless cities and towns along the Yangtze's banks leads to displacement and, in turn, to an encounter between old and new worlders," writes Nick Schager in Slant.

James Van Maanen talks with the young director about the surprise hit in Canada that now opens in the US.

» continue reading "Yung Chang Goes "Up the Yangtze""

By Craig Phillips

In honor of the release of Harold and Kumar Escape Guantanamo Bay, a sequel that may only be marginally superior to the first one in concept and laughs (and some critics are already divided on that point) what the heck, I bring you a sampling of follow-up films that very clearly improved on the originals.

In some cases, the originals have plenty of merit on their own, but for various reasons their makers felt all the more inspired for the subsequent go-round.

» continue reading "10 Sequels That Are Better Than the Original"