It has been just 20 years since Paul Thomas Anderson made his silver screen debut with “Hard Eight” and by 1999, he had established himself as one of the greatest American directors in history. Known for complex work that is both accessible by the masses and complexly layered, Anderson merges a surprisingly powerful melodramatic style […]
Day: October 2, 2016
Under the Shadow – VIFF 2016 Review
Set amidst the Iran-Iraq war of the 1980s (“This war seems to be never ending,” quips one character early on in the film) and with a sinking feeling of dread everlasting, Babak Anvari’s (Two & Two) latest cinematic offering is a forcible ghost story with a stirring feminist slant. Narges Rashidi is stunning as Shideh; […]
Operation Avalanche – VIFF 2016 Review
“Yeah but this is one of the good lies, like Santa or the Easter Bunny,” interjects CIA Agent Matt Johnson in the comic thriller Operation Avalanche, as he hatches a put-up job to fake the moon landing back in 1967 so that the USA will appear to beat the Ruskies in the space race. And […]
The Architect – VIFF 2016 Review
“He’s odd,” remarks Colin (Eric McCormack), who’s not yet won over by modernist architect Miles Moss (James Frain) before we cut to Colin head-to-toe in gaudy blue spandex, with a matching helmet and matching road bike, oblivious to his Smurf-like visage. It’s one of only a few genuine chortles in Jonathan Parker’s (Bartleby) latest and […]
Two Trains Runnin’ – VIFF 2016 Review
The ever evolving dynamics of race relations and the emotive pioneering generation of the Delta blues is at the crux of this alternately engaging, enraging and inspiring documentary by Samuel D. Pollard (Mr. SOUL!). Narrated by hip hop artist Common, Pollard takes pains to plant the viewer in the heady days of 1964 in Mississippi, […]
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Star of Sweden: The 15 Best Films of Max von Sydow
Carl Adolf von Sydow was born on April 10, 1929, in the southern Swedish town of Lund. Young Carl was infected with the acting bug when, at age 15, he attended a performance of William Shakespeare’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” at the then newly opened Malmö City Theatre. Inspired by this experience, he started an […]