By Christopher Sharrett. The woman’s melodrama has fallen on hard times, as is the case with any genre that takes its material seriously in the age of the Hollywood blockbuster. The continuing plight of women under the oppression of patriarchy simply isn’t much of a topic of interest in the […]
Silent House (2011)
By Steven Harrison Gibbs. For nearly a decade, the horror genre seems to have been stuck in an immense black hole, from which has seeped a rank plague of remakes – be they of American classics or foreign sensations. On rare occasion, there might be a faint whiff of creativity […]
Indie Game: The Movie (2011): A SXSW Review
By Jacob Mertens. For those of us passionately invested in the burgeoning art form of video games, the parallels between both game and film industries remain undeniable. Games and film have a similar visual/auditory construction, they both rely on intense collaboration, and they exhibit near identical patterns in marketing and […]
The Day He Arrives (2011): 55th San Francisco International Film Festival Review
By Janine Gericke. Korean writer and director Hong Sangsoo’s new film The Day He Arrives follows a former filmmaker and now professor, Seongjun, who seems to be stuck in every sense of the word. It’s a stark film that shows how tedious and repetitive life can sometimes feel. Seongjun arrives in Seoul for a brief […]
Contemporary Neorealist Principles in Abbas Kiarostami’s Filmmaking (1997 – 2005)
By Luke Buckle. ABSTRACT Iranian film has in recent decades comprised an increasingly important and influential cinema. The Iranian Islamic Revolution of 1979 paved the way for freedom of artistic and literary expression, communicating a new generation of unheard voices in Iranian society. More specifically Iranian cinema has progressed in […]
All is Forgiven, Cohen: Not a review of The Dictator
By Daniel Lindvall. What’s the difference between a comedian who joked about goat-fucking, dirty-bearded Muslims in 1975 and one who does the same in 2012? The first one was racist, the latter only ironic. That’s why we can now laugh ourselves silly at the same amusing stereotype, since we are […]
The Avengers (2012): The Mega-Blockbuster Hit of the Year!
By William Frasca. It’s no surprise that Marvel’s Avengers would be a success, but after its opening weekend in the US taking in over $200 million, and shattering the top box office record of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2, the new question is what can these superhero […]
SXSW Film Festival 2012
By Jacob Mertens. Nestled in the heart of the Austin Convention Center, I stand in a line that stretches around the perimeter, coiling in on itself like a writhing boa constrictor. Herein lies the hub of SXSW, hosting event registration, the Vimeo Theater, and several floors of conference rooms and […]
Film International 56: Coming soon!
May 9, 2012
Cinema’s Civil War Sesquicentennial: Top twelve histories filmed with lightning Why so many cinematic/TV works about the War Between the States? Why has this genre attracted vast audiences and enjoyed enduring popularity? From plantations to Harpers Ferry to Fort Sumter to Gettysburg to Appomattox Courthouse to Lincoln’s assassination, Civil War […]
1980-something
By Guilhem Caillard. A look at two striking films presented at this year’s 35th Göteborg International Film Festival (Sweden). Known for its emphasis on Nordic cinema, the Göteborg International Film Festival, which celebrated its 35th anniversary this year, has once again lived up to its reputation. Among the eight feature-length […]