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| EFC STATS |
| Movies Listed: |
25537 |
| Total Ratings: |
244517 |
| Total Reviews: |
26194 |
![[121763520 Hits]](/cgi-bin/gd.cgi?121763520)
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| INSIDE LLEWYN DAVIS |
"Another deadpan Coen triumph."
Rob Gonsalves says... "“Talented” is death, a waffle-word to describe the never-was, the artist distinguished enough to get on stage and not stink up the joint, but not exceptional enough to soar and to take the audience with him. Llewyn Davis (Oscar Isaac), the folk singer at the center of the Coen brothers’ "Inside Llewyn Davis," is talented." (more)
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| NEBRASKA |
"Payne & Gain"
Daniel Kelly says... "It’s nothing new to cite an upcoming Alexander Payne picture as worth anticipating, but “Nebraska” isn’t quite the pure experience cinephiles have come to cherish. Payne is behind the lens for this excursion into a rural and forgotten pasture of modern American history, but the screenplay is credited to Bob Nelson, a notable detour given Payne’s usual authorial presence. “Election, “Sideways” and “The Descendants” all succeeded on the back of their creator’s controlled, touching and natural grasp of everyday drama; rendering “Nebraska” a strange anomaly. After viewing this restrained and masterful feature it’s easy to understand why Payne agreed to helm; Nelson’s story a near perfect fit for the director’s sensibility. It also allows Payne another chance to exhibit his talents for casting and sustaining creative dynamism with actors, drawing wonderful turns from a bevy of thespians, most notably a feisty yet vulnerable Bruce Dern." (more)
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| OUT OF THE FURNACE |
"He Who Smelt It Dealt It"
Peter Sobczynski says... "It is one of the amusing paradoxes of the moviegoing universe that at just the precise time of year where the real world shifts into a theoretically festive and joyous mood, the multiplexes are suddenly crammed with increasingly grim fare from a creative community desperate to lay bare the horrors of the human condition for all to see and, if possible, score a few Oscar nominations in the process. There may be peace on Earth and goodwill to man in the streets but the multiplexes have decked their halls with boughs of holocaust, familial dysfunction and other unhappy screen subjects. When these films are done properly by people with a sincere point of view, of course, they can result in powerful cinematic documents but when they don't work, they come across as awkward messes that have been cynically conceived by people working under the impression that a bleak perspective is a surefire ticket to a little gold statue." (more)
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| FROZEN (2013) |
"The Mouse goes feminist."
Rob Gonsalves says... "In Disney’s latest feature "Frozen," the true love that saves the day turns out not to be between the prince and the princess but between sisters. This deserves some applause." (more)
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| BLACK NATIVITY |
"An unusual musical, though not a transcendent one."
Jay Seaver says... "It's not exactly uncommon for people to make musicals as relatively small as "Black Nativity", although they generally don't have the likes of Fox releasing them wide or a cast full of familiar faces. The big studios tend to go big when they do something like this, but its the small independent nature of this movie that makes it interesting, even when it does seem to have a split personality." (more)
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| CARRIE (2013) |
"A bloody waste"
Daniel Kelly says... "Let’s play a game. It’s called guess the film. Ready? Okay? Here we go. It’s a remake of a beloved genre picture with Julianne Moore. It’s pointless and style deficient with a director ill-suited to the challenges of building tension. The lead actor is ostensibly meant to be playing a troubled and deeply scarred introvert with serious mommy issues, but proves too polished and naturally communicative for the task. Got it yet? No? Well, the answer is Gus Van Sant’s maligned 1998 “Psycho” redux. Want To play again? No? Fair enough. I guess I’ll review Kimberley Peirce’s “Carrie” remake instead." (more)
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| HOMEFRONT |
"Sometimes an action movie needs to be more than just a little odd."
Jay Seaver says... "Here's a question: If a by-the-numbers genre movie that otherwise has direct-to-video (or, these days, video-on-demand) written all over it somehow puts together a group of interesting actors who actually play their parts fairly well, does it really matter if this doesn't make for better action? Maybe, maybe not. There winds up not being much to "Homefront", but it's a lot less laughable between fights than many other movies of its ilk." (more)
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| COLD TURKEY (2013) |
"The title is sadly accurate."
Jay Seaver says... "Folks from other continents much watch movies taking place on Thanksgiving and wonder why Americans have given themselves and extra week end of annoying travel to share a relatively bland meal and unresolved issues with family - even if many do end with the family members realizing how much they need each other. It's actually a lot more pleasant than that most of the time, but you certainly wouldn't know that from watching the likes of "Cold Turkey"." (more)
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DVD/BLU-RAY REVIEWS FOR 12/8: "CHRISTMAS HAS ALWAYS SMELLED LIKE ORANGES TO ME"
by Peter Sobczynski |
| "For the most part, this round-up of new DVD/Blu-ray titles is a fairly weak lot that includes several of the year's least inspiring movies. However, if you can make it through all the dreck, you will find one of the past summer's more controversial items and nothing less than a spectacular new release of one of the greatest American films ever made." (more) |
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THE OSCAR® EYE (2013 AWARDS TALLY) (UPDATED 12/8)
by Erik Childress |
| "The Oscar® Eye is brings you the latest award tallies for each of the film. Who is winning? Who is being nominated? Who isn’t getting any love? Will it all lead to Oscar gold or will some great films be the perpetual bridesmaid to the soft-lovin’ Academy? (NOTE: "Other Awards" are those signified by organizations that limit their awards to a very specific subsection of the year's qualifiers - or - awards that are not presented at the Oscars. Or the Gothams who miss about two months worth of movies. Or the Golden Satellites who voted for The Wolf of Wall Street despite not seeing the movie.)" (more) |
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WHISTLER FILM FESTIVAL 2013 INTERVIEW – NO CLUE DIRECTOR CARL BESSAI
by Jason Whyte |
| "“When Kyra walks into Leo's office to hire his services as a private investigator, he doesn't think to tell her that he's not a detective, but a speciality advertising guy who's too smitten to say no to a beautiful woman in distress.” Director Carl Bessai on NO CLUE which screens at this year's Whistler Film Festival." (more) |
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WHISTLER FILM FESTIVAL 2013 INTERVIEW – BEST MAN DOWN DIRECTOR TED KOLAND
by Jason Whyte |
| "“BEST MAN DOWN follows bride and groom Kristin (played by Jess Weixler) and Scott (played by Justin Long), who are forced to cancel their honeymoon and fly home to the snowy Midwest to arrange for the funeral of their obnoxious and over-served best man, Lumpy (played by Tyler Labine), after he unexpectedly dies at their destination wedding in Phoenix. But getting Lumpy’s body back to Minneapolis is just the start of their adventure, as the well-intended sacrifice surprises at every turn. And when the newlyweds’ path leads them to a fifteen year-old girl (played by Addison Timlin) in a small, northern Minnesota town, all bets are off on who Lumpy really was.” Director Ted Koland on BEST MAN DOWN which had its premiere at this year's Whistler Film Festival." (more) |
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BACK UP THE HILL: TAKING A LOOK AT THE 2013 WHISTLER FILM FESTIVAL
by Jason Whyte |
| "Now in its 13th year, the Whistler Film Festival continues to get stronger and stronger. This is the seventh year I have trekked up the hill from my little house in Victoria, BC to take part in the annual festivities. From the snow, the great films, the fun events and the hot dog/poutine joint nestled right near the ski gondolas, this is an annual tradition and this looks to be one of the best yet. First attending in 2007 gave me a fresh perspective on traveling to and attending film festivals, and I look forward to seeing what happens." (more) |
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'IT MUST BE NICE TO ALWAYS BELIEVE YOU KNOW BETTER, TO ALWAYS THINK YOU'RE THE SMARTEST PERSON IN THE ROOM.'
- Paul Moore, Broadcast News
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