REVIEW: Rescue Dawn [2007]

“Little Dieter needs to fly” Werner Herzog is a legend in the film world. Having made around 50 films, whether fiction or documentary, he is known for grueling shoots and a take no prisoners attitude. One of his early films actually had a group of people carry a ship up a mountain; the guy gets what he wants and as a result usually has some great stories or even a film about the making of his epics after their completion. Supposedly his new narrative tale, Rescue Dawn, is no exception.…

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REVIEW: The Devil Wears Prada [2006]

“I’m sure you have plenty more poly-blend where that came from” I guess this is the sign of what America likes to read, being that The Devil Wears Prada was based off of a best-seller. People must enjoy their books light and fluffy, convenient and contrived. Well, it doesn’t really surprise me, as most of America likes the escapism and ability to spend time with something that doesn’t take too much brainpower to follow. Now, I could be totally off base here, but if I am, it doesn’t excuse the…

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REVIEW: Sunshine [2007]

“When he chooses for us to die, it is not our place to challenge God” I love Danny Boyle’s work. Sure I haven’t seen The Beach or Shallow Grave, but I can’t see myself thinking they will be anything less than fantastic because he has never let me down. The man has spanned genres and never shied away from doing something different than before. Between his visual flair—aesthetically and kinetically—and his brilliant choices in screenwriters to collaborate with, Boyle astounds at every turn. His newest film Sunshine just enhances his…

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REVIEW: The Shining [1980]

“A momentary loss of muscular coordination” How can the pairing of Jack Nicholson and Stanley Kubrick, after a decade of their best work in the movie industry, fail? With The Shining we get one of the best thrillers to ever grace the silver screen. There is no need for special effects or gross-out gore like the so-called horror films currently being churned out. Instead we get an amazing lead performance from Nicholson that shows a descent into the hell of insanity and the visual genius that was Kubrick behind the…

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REVIEW: Ratatouille [2007]

“He calls it his Tiny Chef” Brad Bird is by far the best writer/director of animated films coming out of America in a long time. Besides Hayao Miyazaki, there is no one else with the track record that this guy has. From The Iron Giant to The Incredibles to now Ratatouille, Bird just gets better and better with each new move. This new Pixar installment is definitely the most intellectually stimulating yet, but really which of his films haven’t been intelligent first, kiddie-catering second? Ratatouille is by all means cinematic…

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REVIEW: An Unfinished Life [2005]

“You start to think you don’t deserve better” I always wondered why An Unfinished Life didn’t get the chance it should have upon its release. Between the reknowned director, in Lasse Hallström, to the top-heavy, star cast, nothing was really said about it. I remember seeing the trailer online and thinking it seemed intriguing enough, and then next I knew it was out on DVD. If it hit theatres here in Buffalo, I was not aware. Finally, though, I was able to catch up on the story and see if…

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REVIEW: Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix [2007]

“Naughty children deserve to be punished” **Spoilers Included** For starters: Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix was by far my least favorite book in the series. Not much happens until the end—which is actually pretty good. There is a lot of repetition through the beginning of the story and Harry’s adolescent anger and temper just get plain annoying. After enjoying how the fourth book was adapted into film, I was hoping we’d get more of the same here with a distilled version where main plot is paramount and…

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REVIEW: You Kill Me [2007]

“I may have to brake his toes” From the screenwriters of the Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe comes the R-rated black comedy You Kill Me. It’s an odd pairing, but at least you can say these guys have range. To helm this film, about a hitman whose drinking problem has caused sloppiness and perhaps the demise of his Polish gang in Buffalo, we have John Dahl. I am a huge fan of Rounders, so I was hoping for some of the same here, with a…

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REVIEW: The Wedding Singer [1998]

“Kiss my grits” No matter how big an Adam Sandler fan I am, I will admit that most of his films are crap. I don’t mean the three “serious” movies he’s done, as I have liked or loved all of them, I am talking about the comedies he helps produce. After hitting the ball out of the park first time out with Billy Madison, one of my favorite stupid comedies ever, he has been hit or miss, with a lot of misses. Luckily most often than not, he follows a…

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DESIGN: Elmwood Avenue Festival of the Arts Program 2007

2007 Elmwood Avenue Festival of the Arts Program 2007, published by Buffalo Spree Publishing, Inc. With a supplied poster for look, I reshaped it for the program cover and designed the layout of the book based on its motifs, color, and fonts. Information includes sponsors, supporters, artist photos and work, schedules, etc.

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REVIEW: Lola rennt [Run Lola Run] [1998]

“And then …” I am a big Tom Tykwer fan. Between his latest, Perfume, his short in Paris, je t’aime, and the wonderful directing of Heaven from the late Kieslowski’s script, I must say he is unafraid to use any technical ingenuity he can think of. This type of delving into mixed genres and cinematic senses needs to start somewhere though, and that start is Lola rennt [Run Lola Run]. This film is an adrenaline rush for the entire duration being driven by the pulsating techno/electronica beats behind all the…

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