Capsule Reviews (12/05/10 - 12/19/10)
You can find my review of the very fine film BLACK SWAN at my website here: http://zoetropia.tumblr.com/ And here are the other movies!
SERIES 7: THE CONTENDERS (2001) ***1/2
Not a complete success, but it's clever and dark, funny when it needs to be, and frightening when it needs to be. Not so much a commentary on how far reality programming might go, but more of a exploration of the kind of drivel we'll watch and get excited about.
TRON LEGACY (2010) ***
The story is monumentally stupid and forgettable, and made worse by the fact they spend way too much time explaining it in tedious dialogue, but the visuals are incredibly well done, from the set design on up to the CGI and 3D work. But half a movie a movie does not make, and every time the pretty colors stopped whooshing, and Daft Punk's phenomenal score stopped pumping, there was nothing to hold on to. It's a shame, I bet there are so many interesting stories that could be told in that world.
RARE EXPORTS: A CHRISTMAS TALE (2010) ***1/2
A little slow, and it takes a bit too long to get where it's going (even at its lean running time), but once the film (and characters) embrace the storyline, it's a whole lot of fun. And it's kind of odd for a feature length movie to have a punchline, but I don't mind when it's delivered this well.
SERIES 7: THE CONTENDERS (2001) ***1/2
Not a complete success, but it's clever and dark, funny when it needs to be, and frightening when it needs to be. Not so much a commentary on how far reality programming might go, but more of a exploration of the kind of drivel we'll watch and get excited about.
TRON LEGACY (2010) ***
The story is monumentally stupid and forgettable, and made worse by the fact they spend way too much time explaining it in tedious dialogue, but the visuals are incredibly well done, from the set design on up to the CGI and 3D work. But half a movie a movie does not make, and every time the pretty colors stopped whooshing, and Daft Punk's phenomenal score stopped pumping, there was nothing to hold on to. It's a shame, I bet there are so many interesting stories that could be told in that world.
RARE EXPORTS: A CHRISTMAS TALE (2010) ***1/2
A little slow, and it takes a bit too long to get where it's going (even at its lean running time), but once the film (and characters) embrace the storyline, it's a whole lot of fun. And it's kind of odd for a feature length movie to have a punchline, but I don't mind when it's delivered this well.