Review

The Happiest Medium Review by guest contributor Anjali Koppal . I’ll admit it — knowing nothing about horses and not being an animal lover, the only reason I initially jumped at the prospect of watching ‘War Horse’ was the fact that it is directed by Steven Spielberg. Not ‘Executive Produced’, not ‘Presented By’, but directed. [...]

Share

{ 0 comments }

After leaving a screening of Black Swan, I, undoubtedly along with the rest of the audience, felt moved and disturbed by Darren Aronofsky’s new ballet thriller BLACK SWAN. A creative masterpiece yet again from the mastermind who brought us heart wrenching reality films like Requiem for a Dream and 2008′s The Wrestler.  However, this is [...]

Share

{ 0 comments }

The Happiest Medium welcomes our friends, fellow reviewers tinseltownspeople “Lazy weekend adventures in the land of make-believe… ” Today they give us their take on Johnnie To’s  2007 film Mad Detective . . . _________ Crazy, Awesome, and Crazy Awesome… Few films delve into the human psyche with the incisive wit and stylistic panache on [...]

Share

{ 0 comments }

Casey Affleck’s “I’m Still Here” Starring Joaquin Phoenix-A Brilliant Experiment On Fame

by Anne Jordanova September 20, 2010 Film

I left a screening late last night of “I’m Still Here” disturbed, alarmed, and literally unable to sleep afterward.  The ‘documentary film’ directed by Casey Affleck centers around the retirement of actor and brother in law Joaquin Phoenix, and his decision to descend into a downward spiral into the world of hip hop. After two [...]

Share
Read the full article →

An Intriguing And Disturbing New Documentary Shedding Light On The Ugly Side Of Modeling – Opens Friday

by Anne Jordanova September 16, 2010 Event

“Picture Me- A Model’s Diary” is the new documentary following the rise of high fashion model Sara Ziff, over the course of several years, by her then filmmaker boyfriend Ole Schell. It first premiered  at the 2009 Gen Art Film Festival in New York, and it is shocking, honest, and disturbing. Related Posts:No Related Posts

Share
Read the full article →

SATC II: A Review In Whispers

by Sarah V. Schweig June 3, 2010 Film

* * * * “I’m scared.” “Me too.” * “I’m confused.” “Me too.” * “What just happened?” “Liza Minnelli dance number.” “Why?” “….” * Related Posts:No Related Posts

Share
Read the full article →

Review of ‘Chloe’

by Anne Jordanova April 2, 2010 Film

It was great to see the crowd for this film at my local cinema last night. Yes, the reviews for this look like they are all over the map. But let it be said that without this fantastic casting (Julianne Moore, Liam Neeson and Amanda Seyfried-a powerful erotic, sexual trio), the glorious cinematography and the [...]

Share
Read the full article →

‘Inglourious Basterds’ A Tarantino Masterpiece

by Anne Jordanova March 6, 2010 Film

Once upon a time, in Nazi occupied France… is the tag line of Quentin Tarantino’s latest masterpiece, which debuted last year at the 62nd Annual Cannes Film Festival. The film goes by the name “Inglourious Basterds” and its title addresses the many cast of characters in this film who are out for some good Jewish [...]

Share
Read the full article →

“The Ghost Writer” Is A Sleek Homage To Hitchcock

by Anne Jordanova March 4, 2010 Film

“The Ghost Writer” is the latest film by Polish-French genius director Roman Polanski. It is a sleek, stylish, and smart political thriller that has channeled Hitchcock in ways that no one has done, since…well-Hitchcock himself. Like the master, Polanski sets his tone through ominous music, and bases this on a central character-an innocent who struggles [...]

Share
Read the full article →

‘Das Weisse Band’- A Film You Won’t Soon Forget (Best Foreign Film Nominee 2010)

by Anne Jordanova February 28, 2010 Film

“I gave God a chance to kill me…” The White Ribbon is the latest film by Austrian born director Michael Haneke. Those who are familiar with Haneke know that he is a fan of long, detailed shots (Cache), and violence (Funny Games) to express and communicate to his audience. But his latest film Das Weisse [...]

Share
Read the full article →

“Tell No One” Gets An American Makeover

by Anne Jordanova February 24, 2010 Film

So, it was announced as of April 2009, that Guillaume Canet’s incredible French thriller “Ne le dis à Personne” (or, Tell No One, en anglais) will receive the ultimate Hollywood retouch … an English language remake.  Not much was heard after that announcement, but now according to Variety magazine  Miramax and Focus Features will be [...]

Share
Read the full article →

Broadway’s “Nine” Plus Fellini’s “8 1/2″ Equals Rob Marshall’s “NINE”

by David Stallings December 27, 2009 Film

A Film Review by Guest Blogger David Stallings The question is not is Nine worthy, but can a modern audience sit through 8 ½? Buzz surrounding Rob Marshall’s film adaptation of a stage musical adaptation of a 1963 film classic,  8 ½ , has been flitting around the industry for many months.  From the drama [...]

Share
Read the full article →

The Fantastic Mr. Fox Has A Plan

by K. B. Abele November 19, 2009 Film

It doesn’t surprise me that when Wes Anderson decided to take on a Roald Dahl story, he skipped right over some of the darker tales that inspired Alfred Hitchcock for his television series “Alfred Hitchcock Presents.” Instead, he went for a softer, more joyous tale of a fox trying to find his place in the [...]

Share
Read the full article →

Michael Jackson’s “This Is It”

by K. B. Abele November 1, 2009 Film

Walking into a packed theatre at 4:00 in the afternoon on a Wednesday is a bit like an out-of-body experience. Arriving half an hour early, and still vying for a decent seat, is not something that happens often at a Brooklyn theatre. But that is exactly what happened to me this afternoon. Michael Jackson’s This [...]

Share
Read the full article →

Film Review: Lät Den Rätte Komma In (Let The Right One In)

by Antonio Miniño October 27, 2009 Film

Isn’t horror sexy? The chill down your spine, sweaty palms, a prickle in your… No people! Horror is disturbing, scary, exhilarating yes, in an insomnia inducing kind of way. I’m a big horror flick aficionado, not the campy kind, although I do love Sam Rami’s The Evil Dead and have to confess I’ve only seen [...]

Share
Read the full article →

Science Fiction, Double Feature

by Karen Tortora-Lee August 3, 2008 Film

New York City in the summer can be brutal … hotter than hot and crammed full of people. While a lot of people spend their time doing the “Yay! Summer” chant, I spend June through September finding ways to avoid the whole thing. These last few weeks have been in the high 80s, the low [...]

Share
Read the full article →

Swing Your Razor Wide, Sweeney

by Karen Tortora-Lee December 22, 2007 Film

I was half-convinced I’d waken. Satisfied enough to dream you, happily I was mistaken …. – “Johanna” / Sweeney Todd My obsession with Sweeney Todd has been going on for close to 25 years now … trumped only by my obsession with the wondrous Stephen Sondheim himself which started when I was barely 13. I [...]

Share
Read the full article →