By Alex Del Negro

It is a very rare and often wondrous thing when a work of film manages to transcend the boundaries of the medium in which it is created. When it inexplicably moves beyond the mere faculties of light and sound to produce an experience altogether greater than the sum of its rather common and unremarkable parts. That interaction, between the elements onscreen, between the viewer and the visual work, between the creator and the greater audience, is arguably where the art of the cinema lies. And it is from that interplay of elements that one can trace such a powerful and unique reaction that one often feels towards the otherwise ordinary phenomenon occurring before them.

continue reading "The Apple (1980) Review"

By Matthew J Erickson

Blade bites, blood gushes.
Why say it when you can sing?
No more pie thank you.

Tim Burton’s latest project with muse, Johnny Depp, takes the idea of being a musical into another stratosphere. Hardly a phrase is uttered that is not sung.

continue reading "Movie Review Haiku for Sweeny Todd"

By Chad Jarrah

I’ve always wanted to see this movie, although I’m not quite sure why. I heard it was about a pimp/crime fighter and I thought that was a funny idea; maybe that was why. Also, it’s called “Pootie Tang”; that had to have something to do with my fascination. Despite these tempting qualities I never saw it. I could always see myself saying with a laugh ‘Hey I just saw Pootie Tang! Can you believe it?’ but I never could imagine saying the words that were a necessary precursor: ‘Anybody in the mood to rent Pootie Tang?’

continue reading "Pootie Tang Review"

By Margaret Andrews

Who else but Tim Burton to direct the latest film incarnation of Sweeney Todd? In fact, this movie is laden with Who-Else’s from the casting of his children’s mother, Helena Bonham Carter as Mrs. Lovett, to Johnny Depp as the ghastly throat-slicing demon barber of Fleet Street. Also, with Professor Snape and the Sheriff of Nottingham on his resume, Alan Rickman was a given to play Judge Turpin. The casting director could have done this one in his sleep. The only Who-Else left out in the cold was Burton’s soundtrack man, Danny Elfman, but with Stephen Sondheim hogging the original musical composition, what would Elfman contribute?

continue reading "Sweeney Todd is a Beautiful Bloody Mess"