Steven Soderbergh‘s Haywire is–perhaps literally–a kick-ass little guilty pleasure. It is so because through its snappy 94 minutes, there is plenty of ass-kicking carried out by its redoubtable heroine Mallory Kane (Gina Carano, the formidable mixed martial arts fighter turned movie actress). Indeed, the movie could have been rather profitably–and more accurately–named Don’t Mess With Mallory Kane.Continue reading “Mallory Kane Goes ‘Haywire’”
Category Archives: Movies
Skyler White, The Anti-Muse?
Yesterday I wrote a short response to Anna Gunn‘s New York Times Op-Ed about the negative reaction to the Skyler White character on Breaking Bad. I want to add a couple of points to that today. Some of the adverse reaction to Skyler finds its grounding in her instantiation of an archetype that I alluded toContinue reading “Skyler White, The Anti-Muse?”
Skyler the Shrew?
Anna Gunn has an interesting Op-Ed in The New York Times today, detailing her response to the almost universally negative, vitriolic, misogynistic response that her character on Breaking Bad—Skyler, the wife of Walter White–has evoked. In it, she writes: My character, to judge from the popularity of Web sites and Facebook pages devoted to hatingContinue reading “Skyler the Shrew?”
Miranda July’s Little Gem
Miranda July‘s Me and You and Everyone We Know–she wrote, directed and acted in it– is a little gem of a movie. (I have no idea how I missed it for so long; it was released in 2005; thanks Netflix!) It’s the kind of film you could describe as a ‘quirky indie’–for it wears that genre’s aestheticContinue reading “Miranda July’s Little Gem”
Ridley Scott’s Promethean Stinker
I often disagreed with Roger Ebert‘s rating of movies. Sometimes, our disagreement would be a simple matter of Ebert being a little too kind, a little too forgiving. The latest instance of this discord may be found in our differing assessments of Ridley Scott‘s Prometheus. Ebert gives it four stars. I don’t. I found Prometheus toContinue reading “Ridley Scott’s Promethean Stinker”
56-Up: Checking In With ‘Old Friends’
Roger Ebert once referred to Michael Apted‘s Up series as the ‘noblest project in cinema history.’ In writing his review of 56-Up–the latest installment in the story of the Fab Fourteen–Ebert disowned those words as ‘hyperbole’ but its easy to see why he might have thought so. It is as straightforward–and as complicated–a film project as could be:Continue reading “56-Up: Checking In With ‘Old Friends’”
Winning Chaplin’s Autobiography
The record for the longest tenure as a book on my shelves belongs to Charles Chaplin: My Autobiography. But that’s not the only distinction for the little tramp’s tale. It also represents the only academic award I have ever received in my life: its jacket bears a stickered certificate stating that I have been awarded the ‘ProgressContinue reading “Winning Chaplin’s Autobiography”
The Artist: An Eloquent Homage to the Silent
Michel Hazanavicius’ The Artist, a five-time Oscar winner for Best Picture (only the second ever silent movie to do so), Best Director, Best Score, Best Costume and Best Actor is a tasty little homage to silent movies, 1920s Hollywood, Douglas Fairbank-style swashbuckle, faithful chauffeurs and dogs, romantic comedies and plenty else. Its success at the AcademyContinue reading “The Artist: An Eloquent Homage to the Silent”
RIP Roger Ebert
I don’t read movie reviews before I see a movie; I read them afterwards. I don’t like running into spoilers and I dislike the idea of not making up my own mind about a movie. Once I’ve seen the movie, I’ve formed an opinion, which remains relatively impervious to the critiques of others. But still,Continue reading “RIP Roger Ebert”
American Horror Story’s Asylum: Site of Nightmares
American Horror Story‘s second season always promised to be creepier and more effective than the disappointing first season, which began well, but had devolved into a terrible mess by the time its end rolled around. The second season’s ending had its share of disappointments, but it had many fine moments that came before, the episodicContinue reading “American Horror Story’s Asylum: Site of Nightmares”
Samir Chopra 