REVIEW: The Book of Life [2014]

“Always play from the heart” I’ve held fascination for DĆ­a de Muertos ever since seventh grade Spanish class. There’s just something about its love for the dead and ability to turn something scary to so many into this beautiful cultural tradition that makes its juxtaposition of old bones and ornate artistry a uniquely special aesthetic. To say I was intrigued in Jorge R. Gutierrez‘s The Book of Life would therefore be an understatement. The colors, detail, subject matter, and music he infused seemed a perfect coalescence of style and substance…

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Posterized Propaganda November 2014: ā€˜Foxcatcher,ā€™ ā€˜Interstellar,ā€™ ā€˜The Imitation Game,ā€™ and More

ā€œDonā€™t Judge a Book by Its Coverā€ is a proverb whose simple existence proves the fact impressionable souls will do so without fail. This monthly column focuses on the film industryā€™s willingness to capitalize on this truth, releasing one-sheets to serve as not representations of what audiences are to expect, but as propaganda to fill seats. Oftentimes they fail miserably. I guess studios are gearing up for a huge December push because this month has a pretty sparse line-up. Thankfully, however, it appears quality has trumped quantity because most of…

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