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by The Happiest Medium on December 6, 2011
The Happiest Medium Review by guest contributor Anjali Koppal .
I’ll admit it — knowing nothing about horses and not being an animal lover, the only reason I initially jumped at the prospect of watching ‘War Horse’ was the fact that it is directed by Steven Spielberg. Not ‘Executive Produced’, not ‘Presented By’, but directed. A sensitive story of friendship set against the backdrop of war torn Western Europe sounded like the kind of familiar territory Spielberg has explored and indeed mastered in the past, so I was ready for the return of the magic. I’m happy to report that the sparkle still exists, though it doesn’t quite shine as brightly as vintage Spielberg.
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by Anne Jordanova on December 17, 2010
After leaving a screening of Black Swan, I, undoubtedly along with the rest of the audience, felt moved and disturbed by Darren Aronofsky’s new ballet thriller BLACK SWAN. A creative masterpiece yet again from the mastermind who brought us heart wrenching reality films like Requiem for a Dream and 2008′s The Wrestler. However, this is Aronofsky at his absolute best.
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by The Happiest Medium on October 6, 2010
The Happiest Medium welcomes our friends, fellow reviewers tinseltownspeople “Lazy weekend adventures in the land of make-believe… ”
Today they give us their take on Johnnie To’s 2007 film Mad Detective . . .
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Crazy, Awesome, and Crazy Awesome…
Few films delve into the human psyche with the incisive wit and stylistic panache on display in veteran Hong Kong crime auteur Johnny To’s ‘Mad Detective’. The film is a perfect example of that characteristic mix of dark humor and sublime beauty that Asian directors like To, and his other overseas counterparts like Chan Wook Park and Takeshi Miike, bring to the business of film-making.
To read the rest of their review, click on over to their site . . .
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by Anne Jordanova on September 20, 2010
I left a screening late last night of “I’m Still Here” disturbed, alarmed, and literally unable to sleep afterward. The ‘documentary film’ directed by Casey Affleck centers around the retirement of actor and brother in law Joaquin Phoenix, and his decision to descend into a downward spiral into the world of hip hop. After two years of speculation, the film ultimately was not real, and more along the lines of films like “Don’t Look Back” and “This is Spinal Tap”. However, I am not sure where that leaves us.
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by Anne Jordanova on September 16, 2010
“Picture Me- A Model’s Diary” is the new documentary following the rise of high fashion model Sara Ziff, over the course of several years, by her then filmmaker boyfriend Ole Schell.
It first premiered at the 2009 Gen Art Film Festival in New York, and it is shocking, honest, and disturbing.
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by Sarah V. Schweig on June 3, 2010
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“I’m scared.”
“Me too.”
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“I’m confused.”
“Me too.”
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“What just happened?”
“Liza Minnelli dance number.”
“Why?”
“….”
*
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by Anne Jordanova on April 2, 2010
It was great to see the crowd for this film at my local cinema last night. Yes, the reviews for this look like they are all over the map. But let it be said that without this fantastic casting (Julianne Moore, Liam Neeson and Amanda Seyfried-a powerful erotic, sexual trio), the glorious cinematography and the wildly gorgeous sound track, it might be all of what these uninspired critics are writing. The film stays true to the original plot: a doctor thinks her husband is cheating so she hires a young beautiful prostitute named Chloe (a surprisingly excellent Amanda Seyfried) to seduce him, with an outcome that will make your mind spin, in pure Hitchcock form.
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by Anne Jordanova on March 6, 2010
Once upon a time, in Nazi occupied France…
is the tag line of Quentin Tarantino’s latest masterpiece, which debuted last year at the 62nd Annual Cannes Film Festival. The film goes by the name “Inglourious Basterds” and its title addresses the many cast of characters in this film who are out for some good Jewish revenge – the main reoccuring theme of this film.
It is no secret that this film was, by far, my favorite film of 2009 and that I am rooting for it to sweep up every Academy Award it’s nominated for this year, including Best Picture, Best Supporting Actor, Best Cinematography, Directing, Film Editing, Sound Editing, Sound Mixing, and Best Original Screenplay.
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by Anne Jordanova on March 4, 2010
Brosnan and McGregor
“The Ghost Writer” is the latest film by Polish-French genius director Roman Polanski. It is a sleek, stylish, and smart political thriller that has channeled Hitchcock in ways that no one has done, since…well-Hitchcock himself. Like the master, Polanski sets his tone through ominous music, and bases this on a central character-an innocent who struggles to find truth, and gain control of a living nightmare.
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by Anne Jordanova on February 28, 2010
“I gave God a chance to kill me…”
The White Ribbon is the latest film by Austrian born director Michael Haneke. Those who are familiar with Haneke know that he is a fan of long, detailed shots (Cache), and violence (Funny Games) to express and communicate to his audience. But his latest film Das Weisse Band (The White Ribbon) which is nominated this year for Best Foreign Film at the Oscars steers us in a ultimately different direction: to that of a pre-World War 1 black and white Germany … stimulating a breeding ground for hate, fascism, and events to come later in this country.
But the true theme of The White Ribbon is simply evil. A brilliantly put together careful and cautious analysis of pure evil.
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