REVIEW: Perfume: The Story of a Murderer [2006]

“The sweet smell of innocence” Director Tom Tykwer has created a visually lush, unique piece of cinema again. From the highly original Lola rennt, to the visualization of the late Krzysztof Kieslowski’s Heaven (the first part to a planned trilogy, the second of which has been made by another director), Tykwer’s talents continue to make beautiful films built around emotion and characters. Perfume: The Story of a Murderer is adapted from the novel of same name and, while I have not read the book, I can guess that the film…

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REVIEW: Swingers [1996]

“Mikey’s all grows’d up” The early to mid-90s brought the world an insurgence of little indie films that could. Sure Clerks is looked upon as the movie that gave everyone the opportunity to say to himself, “Yes, I can do it”, but it is really Swingers that showed what an indie film could do. Kevin Smith’s debut was one made very much on the cheap with friends and non-actors waxing pop-culture philosophical. These guys were hilarious yes, but talented no. It was the witty banter, scripted by Smith, which gave…

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REVIEW: Crank [2006]

“Who wants white meat?” Any movie these days starring Jason Statham is going to be an adrenaline rush of action, speed, and wit. With Crank, we literally get all of the qualities packed together in an 87-minute orgy of fast-paced violence and sex. Statham’s character has done his last hit as an assassin and those who held that job in ill will have decided to take him out. Knowing that killing this sadomasochist while he felt the pain would probably be the kind of death he wants, they resort to…

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REVIEW: Snakes on a Plane [2006]

“Snakes on crack” Ok, I know that the big deal with Snakes on a Plane is that it should be seen in the theatres with a lot of kindred souls as a midnight attraction. When everyone is packed inside for a good time, maybe high/drunk, they can all hoop and holler and have an uproarious time with each other. Well, you see, this experience has nothing to do with the film—it has to do with the experience that night. I believe, whether or not I had seen it in the…

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REVIEW: The Good Shepherd [2006]

“The rest of you are just visiting” The man who used to add credibility and substance to a film, Robert De Niro, has of late made some horrible career moves. For someone who has been in classic films and who created some of the most memorable characters in cinema, being a film god will not leave you unscathed from criticism. His recent string of disasters scream sellout and money whore, yet when I heard he was going behind the camera again I couldn’t help but be intrigued to see if…

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DESIGN: Buffalo Spree Bachelor Auction 2007

2007 The 2007 Buffalo Spree Bachelor Auction Tasked to design the logotype for Buffalo Spree‘s first Bachelor Auction event, raising money for the American Heart Association’s ‘Go Red for Women’, I played with the juxtaposition of serif and sans serif fonts, incorporating a heart into the typeface to signify the chance at finding love. Along with the logo, there was also the need for print ads to represent the event. Using stock images of men, I made sure to hide faces, making each image an anonymous suitor to then be…

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REVIEW: Children of Men [2006]

“Very odd, what happens in a world without children’s voices” Alfonso Cuarón has been a must-see director for me since his Spanish-language Y tu mamá también. Following that gem with the best Harry Potter film yet, I couldn’t wait until he delved into adult material again. I got my wish this year with the dystopic drama Children of Men. Although I have been waiting months to see the film based on its trailer, I couldn’t help but be disappointed by how much that tease gave away. I remember that no…

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