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Review: Inglourious Basterds By Brian Paterson on 8.24.09

Inglourious Basterds, Quentin Tarantino's revisionist World War II epic, has been a long time coming. Penned over the span of a decade, it was intended to be said director's magnum opus; a lovingly crafted homage to the films and filmmakers of yesteryear with an added splash of pop-culture. Those expecting a tame, politically correct effort may end up feeling like they themselves have taken a Louisville Slugger to the cranium – it's horrific in nature and at times quite gruesome, but even through the buckets of blood never ceases to remain thought provoking. Every character, set piece, and line of dialogue is the bi-product of one man's freakish obsession with cinema, and its readily apparent from Basterds that he's not only transcended the styles and techniques of the old masters, but has proven himself the finest auteur of the past twenty years. (more)

Review: Up By Brian Paterson on 6.7.09

Up isn’t just the title of Pixar’s latest full-length offering, it’s also indicative of their meteoric rise to the summit of the animation world. Under the admiralty of Chief Creative Officer John Lasseter, Pixar has routinely distanced themselves from the “children first” mantra at Disney to instead aspire for something greater. Stories as simple as a childhood toy being replaced and a Clown Fish getting separated from his father have evolved to cautionary tales of an uninhabitable earth and one man’s coping with the death of his lifelong sweetheart. Pixar’s reinvigoration of genre over the past thirteen years has prompted a second Golden Age of Animation, and only they can dictate when exactly it will end. (more)

Review: Drag Me To Hell By Matthew Watkins on 6.1.09

Drag Me to Hell may as well be called, “Return of the King.” Raimi's return to the genre from whence he came is cause for joyous exclamations alone. The fact that he has produced such a sleek little horror-fest that bears down on you like a freight train of terror and doesn't let up until the credits roll is a reason quit school and form a religion. You'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll cringe, and you'll have a bloody good time. Raimi has repositioned himself as a modern master of horror, and Drag Me to Hell has all million reasons why. (more)

Review: Star Trek By Matthew Watkins on 5.29.09

All in all, it's not a bad way to kick of the summer. Despite the insistent grumblings of my associates and colleagues about the inadequacies of Mr. Abrams, I found myself whisked away by the momentary fervor that surrounded the early May release Star Trek. (I'm still not sure where the hate toward Abrams comes from, and maybe I've just taken a bad sample, but in my humble opinion, the man has done pretty damn well for himself.) Like it or hate him, J.J. Abrams can produce a film, and his certainly knows how to turn a buck. (more)

Week 2 Power Rankings By Brian Paterson on 5.20.09

Sorry for the late posting this week - graduated from good ol' Boston University this weekend with a BoS degree in Film and TV. A few surprises on our list this week. With Infamous and Punch Out Wii releasing in the past few weeks, two new titles have entered the fray. A new chart leader has emerged, and a few favorites drop down the charts. Check to see if your most anticipated title made the cut! (more)

Review: Body of Lies By Brian Paterson on 5.13.09

Apart from director/screenwriter Stephan Gaghan’s Syriana (2005), the vast majority of films regarding the Middle East post-9/11 have been about as popular with the viewing public as the wars that are fought there. Regardless of the amount of cash poured into advertising, hype, and star power, American moviegoers have decided to reserve images of this battlefield for the evening news and occasional Digg article. The same holds true for Ridley Scott’s spy thriller Body of Lies, the story of CIA duo Roger Ferris (Leonardo DiCaprio) and Ed Hoffman’s (Russell Crowe) exploits against a terrorist cell wreaking havoc throughout Europe.(more)