REVIEW: Silence [2016]
Posted by Jared Mobarak on January 17, 2017 · Leave a Comment
“An army of two” A labor of love twenty-five years in the making, Silence is tailor-made for Martin Scorsese‘s sensibilities as a person and director. Not only does it comment on faith and therefore his personal struggles being someone who contemplated going down the road towards priesthood, it also provides similar subject matter and plot […]
REVIEW: 旺角卡門 [Wong gok ka moon] [As Tears Go By] [1988]
Posted by Jared Mobarak on February 4, 2016 · 1 Comment
“I found that glass” Writer/Director Kar Wai Wong hit the scene in 1988 with gangster drama 旺角卡門 [Wong gok ka moon] [As Tears Go By] in a way that many compare to Martin Scorsese‘s debut splash Mean Streets. It’s a gritty look at the streets of Hong Kong populated by men who are nothing without […]
Category action/adventure, drama, film reviews, foreign · Tags Alex Man, Andy Lau, Ang Wong, Cantonese, Jacky Cheung, Kar Wai Wong, Maggie Cheung, Martin Scorsese, Mean Streets, Ronald Wong, Wong gok ka moon
REVIEW: The Gambler [2014]
Posted by Jared Mobarak on December 22, 2014 · Leave a Comment
“I think you’re the kind of guy who likes to lose” I was very surprised to see James Toback‘s name as Executive Producer on The Gambler remake after reading a 2011 editorial explaining how he found out about the project secondhand after it was already announced that William Monahan was adapting his original script for […]
Category drama, film reviews, suspense/thriller · Tags Alvin Ing, Anthony Kelley, Brie Larson, David Mamet, Emory Cohen, Fingers, Jacques Audiard, James Toback, Jessica Lange, John Goodman, Karel Reisz, Leonardo DiCaprio, Mark Wahlberg, Martin Scorsese, Michael Kenneth Williams, Rupert Wyatt, The Beat That My Heart Skipped, The Departed, The Gambler, The Happening, William Monahan
INTERVIEW: Richard Ayoade, cowriter/director of The Double
Posted by Jared Mobarak on May 2, 2014 · Leave a Comment
I didn’t know who Richard Ayoade was until 2010 and boy was it the perfect time to find out. My introduction was courtesy of the brilliant British television show “The IT Crowd” and his fantastically drawn Maurice Moss. I had tried watching the show a couple years previously only to forget about it after the […]
Category film features, interviews, z.slideshow · Tags Aki Kaurismäki, Avi Korine, Brazil, Bridesmaids, Chris O'Dowd, City Girl, Crocodile Dundee, Edgar Allen Poe, F.W. Murnau, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, Franz Kafka, Fyodor Dostoevsky, Graham Linehan, In the Mood for Love, Jean-Pierre Jeunet, Jesse Eisenberg, Joe Dunthorne, Kar Wai Wong, King Vidor, Late Night with Seth Myers, Magnolia, Man to Man with Dean Lerner, Martin Scorsese, Modern Times, Noah Taylor, Paddy Considine, Paul Thomas Anderson, Quentin Tarantino, Richard Ayoade, Robert Altman, Sally Hawkins, Submarine, Terry Gilliam, The Apartment, The Crowd, The Double, The IT Crowd, The Watch, Trash Humpers, Wes Anderson, William Wilson
Top 25 Films of 2013
Posted by Jared Mobarak on March 10, 2014 · Leave a Comment
(short and sweet and to the point; culled from watching 220+ releases. constantly updated as i catch up to those i missed. click poster for review if applicable) #25: Mud directed by Jeff Nichols #24: Pacific Rim directed by Guillermo del Toro #23: The Conjuring directed by James Wan #22: Satellite of Love directed by […]
Category top 10 films by year, top 10 lists · Tags 12 Years a Slave, Abdellatif Kechiche, Ain't Them Bodies Saints, Al-Midan, American Hustle, Asghar Farhadi, Baz Luhrmann, Before Midnight, Blue Is the Warmest Color, Blue Jasmine, Dallas Buyers Club, David Lowery, David O. Russell, Destin Daniel Cretton, Frances Ha, Fruitvale Station, Guillermo del Toro, Harmony Korine, Her, Jagten, James Ponsoldt, James Wan, Jason Reitman, Jean-Marc Vallée, Jeff Nichols, Jehane Noujaim, La vie d'Adèle, Labor Day, Le passé, Lucy Mulloy, Martin Scorsese, Mud, Noah Baumbach, One Night, Pacific Rim, Richard Linklater, Ryan Coogler, Satellite of Love, Shane Carruth, Short Term 12, Spike Jonze, Spring Breakers, Steve McQueen, The Conjuring, The Great Gatsby, The Hunt, The Past, The Spectacular Now, The Square, The Wolf of Wall Street, Thomas Vinterberg, Una noche, Upstream Color, Will James Moore, Woody Allen
The 86th Oscars recap through tweets …
Posted by Jared Mobarak on March 3, 2014 · Leave a Comment
Welcome to the 86th Annual Academy Awards everyone! If you didn’t watch the festivities that occurred Sunday night at the Dolby Theatre you are probably a lot better off than most of us because it was a very lackluster affair. We all hoped Ellen DeGeneres would bring a fun, smart, witty return to her success […]
Category essays, oscars, z.slideshow · Tags 12 Years a Slave, 20 Feet From Stardom, 30 Rock, A.O. Scott, Academy Awards, Adele Dazim, Adruitha Lee, Alain Resnais, Alfonso Cuarón, American Hustle, Amy Adams, Amy Poehler, Angelina Jolie, Baz Luhrmann, Beverley Dunn, Bill Murray, Billy Crystal, Blue Is the Warmest Color, Blue Jasmine, Brad Pitt, Bruce Dern, Cate Blanchett, Catherine Martin, Channing Tatum, Chris Lawrence, Chris Munro, Christian Bale, Christopher Benstead, Cutie and the Boxer, Dallas Buyers Club, Daniel Day Lewis, David Shirk, Dennis Farina, Despicable Me 2, Elizabeth, Ellen DeGeneres, Emmanuel Lubezki, Ezra Koenig, Facing Fear, Fitz and the Tantrums, Frozen, Gravity, Harold Ramis, Harrison Ford, Harvey Weinstein, Helium, HitRECord on TV, Idina Menzel, Jack the Giant Slayer, Jackass Presents: Bad Grampa, James Earl Jones, James Gandolfini, Jared Leto, Jason Sudeikis, Jennifer Lawrence, Jim Carrey, John Ridley, John Travolta, Johnny Knoxville, Jonah Hill, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Judy Garland, June Squibb, Karama Has No Walls, Karen O, Kate Hudson, Kim Novak, Kristen Anderson-Lopez, Lee Daniel's The Butler, Leonardo DiCaprio, Liza Minnelli, Lupita Nyong’o, Mark Sanger, Martin Scorsese, Matthew McConaughey, Meryl Streep, Mr. Hublot, Nail Corbould, Nicholas Hoult, Niv Adiri, Oprah Winfrey, Oscars, Pharrell, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Pink, Ricky Gervais, Robert Lopez, Robin Mathews, Sarah Jones, Skip Lievsay, Spike Jonze, Steve Martin, Steve McQueen, Steven Price, The Act of Killing, The Great Beauty, The Great Gatsby, The Lady In Number 6, The Lone Ranger, The Past, The Square, The Wind Rises, Timothy Weber, Tina Fey, U2, Warm Bodies, Will Smith, Winter's Tale, Woody Allen
Top Ten Films of 2013: A year in cinema to write home about
Posted by Jared Mobarak on March 1, 2014 · Leave a Comment
2013 has been a banner year for cinema with a slew of quality pictures that makes you wonder how only nine got enough first place votes to earn an Oscar nomination for Best Picture. Most of my favorites could have filled that elusive tenth spot for some added acclaim—whether having a chance to win or […]
Category essays, top 10 films, z.slideshow · Tags 12 Years a Slave, 20 Feet From Stardom, A Band Called Death, A Separation, A Touch of Sin, Adèle Exarchopoulos, After Tiller, Ain't Them Bodies Saints, Al-Midan, Alfonso Cuarón, American Hustle, Amy Adams, Asghar Farhadi, Barkhad Abdi, Bastards, Before Midnight, Before Sunset, Blackfish, Blood Brother, Blue Is the Warmest Color, Blue Jasmine, Brie Larson, Call Me Kuchu, Captain Phillips, Casey Affleck, Cate Blanchett, Charlie Kaufman, Child's Pose, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Cutie and the Boxer, Dallas Buyers Club, David Lowery, David O. Russell, Dead Man Down, Despicable Me 2, Destin Daniel Cretton, Downloaded, Emma Thompson, Epic, Ethan Hawke, Europa Report, Frozen, Fruitvale Station, Gravity, Greta Gerwig, Harmony Korine, Her, I'm So Excited!, iNumber Number, Jagten, James Franco, Jared Leto, Jehane Noujaim, Jeremy Renner, Joaquin Phoenix, John Dies at the End, Jonah Hill, Julie Delpy, June Squibb, Kaze Tachinu, L'image manquante, La grande bellezza, La Vénus à la fourrure, La vie d'Adèle, Le passé, Léa Seydoux, Lee Daniel's The Butler, Leonardo DiCaprio, Les salauds, Leviathan, Like Father Like Son, Lupita Nyong’o, Mads Mikkelsen, Margot Robbie, Martin Scorsese, Matthew McConaughey, Melonie Diaz, Michael B. Jordan, Michael Fassbender, Monsters University, Mud, Museum Hours, Narco Cultura, Nebraska, Noah Baumbach, Octavia Spencer, Oldboy, Omar, One Night, Only Lovers Left Alive, Oprah Winfrey, Poziţia copilului, Primer, Quartet, Richard Linklater, Rooney Mara, Ryan Coogler, Sally Hawkins, Saving Mr. Banks, Scarlet Johansson, Shane Carruth, Short Term 12, Simon Killer, Skrillex, Spike Jonze, Spring Breakers, Steve McQueen, The Croods, The East, The Great Beauty, The Hunt, The Lords of Salem, The Missing Picture, The Past, The Square, The Wind Rises, The Wolf of Wall Street, Una noche, Upstream Color, Venus in Fur
Picking Winners at the 86th Annual Academy Awards
Posted by Jared Mobarak on February 27, 2014 · 1 Comment
The Oscars are generally quite boring, since we often know well in advance what is going to win Best Picture, Director, etc. But this year? Not so much. Sure, there are heavy favorites — see below. But it is entirely possible there will be some real surprises. Of course, I could be completely wrong. But […]
Category essays, oscars · Tags 12 Years a Slave, Adèle Exarchopoulos, Albert Berger, Alexander Payne, Alfonso Cuarón, American Hustle, Amy Adams, Anne Hathaway, Anthony Katagas, August: Osage County, Avatar, Barkhad Abdi, Before Midnight, Ben Affleck, Billy Ray, Blue Jasmine, Bob Nelson, Brad Pitt, Bradley Cooper, Brie Larson, Bruce Dern, Captain Phillips, Cate Blanchett, Charles Roven, Charlie Kaufman, Children of Men, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Christian Bale, Craig Borten, Dallas Buyers Club, Dana Brunetti, David Heyman, David O. Russell, Dazed and Confused, Dede Gardner, Dirty Pretty Things, Doubt, Emma Thompson, Emma Tillinger Koskoff, Eric Warren Singer, Ethan Hawke, Fruitvale Station, Gabrielle Tana, George Clooney, Gladiator, Gravity, Her, Inside Llewyn Davis, Jack Nicholson, James Franco, Jared Leto, Jeff Pope, Jennifer Lawrence, Jeremy Kleiner, Joaquin Phoenix, Joey McFarland, John Goodman, John Ridley, Jonah Hill, Jonathan Gordon, Judi Dench, Julia Roberts, Julie Delpy, June Squibb, Kim Krizan, Lee Daniel's The Butler, Leonardo DiCaprio, Lupita Nyong’o, Magic Mike, Martin Scorsese, Matthew McConaughey, Megan Ellison, Melisa Wallack, Meryl Streep, Mia Farrow, Michael B. Jordan, Michael De Luca, Michael Fassbender, Nebraska, Octavia Spencer, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, Oprah Winfrey, Philomena, Rachel Winter, Richard Farnsworth, Richard Linklater, Richard Suckle, Robbie Brenner, Ron Yerxa, Rosemary's Baby, Sally Hawkins, Sandra Bullock, Scott Rudin, Shame, Silver Linings Playbook, Spike Jonze, Spring Breakers, Steve Coogan, Steve McQueen, Steven Soderbergh, Susan Lucci, Terence Winter, The Fighter, The Hunger Games, The Lincoln Lawyer, The Master, The Paperboy, The Wolf of Wall Street, Tracey Seaward, Traffic, Tropic Thunder, True Detective, Vincent Landay, Winter’s Bone, Woody Allen
REVIEW: The Wolf of Wall Street [2013]
Posted by Jared Mobarak on December 27, 2013 · 1 Comment
“Into the donuts, my boy?” This is the story of an American antihero: a guy born in the Bronx to working class parents who set off for Wall Street to make a name for himself as a stockbroker and rule the world. Jordan Belfort got a good five years or so of the limelight as […]
Category biography, comedy, drama, film reviews, z.slideshow · Tags Boiler Room, Brad Pitt, Brian Sacca, Casino, Cristin Milioti, Don Jon, Gangs of New York, Goodfellas, Henry Zebrowski, Hugo, Jean Dujardin, Jon Bernthal, Jonah Hill, Jordan Belfort, Kenneth Choi, Kyle Chandler, Leonardo DiCaprio, Margot Robbie, Martin Scorsese, Matthew McConaughey, P.J. Byrne, Rob Reiner, Scarlett Johansson, Taxi Driver, Terence Winter, The Departed, The Wolf of Wall Street, Tommy Chong
Posterized Propaganda December 2013: ‘The Wolf of Wall Street,’ ‘Her,’ ‘American Hustle’ & More
Posted by Jared Mobarak on December 2, 2013 · Leave a Comment
“Don’t Judge a Book by Its Cover” is a proverb whose simple existence proves the fact impressionable souls will do so without fail. This monthly column focuses on the film industry’s willingness to capitalize on this truth, releasing one-sheets to serve as not representations of what audiences are to expect, but as propaganda to fill […]
Category film features, posterized propaganda · Tags 28 Days Later, 47 Ronin, Adam McKay, Alice Eve, American Hustle, Amy Adams, Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues, Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy, ARSONAL, Art Machine A Trailer Park Company, aSquared Design Group, August: Osage County, AV Squad, Ben Stiller, Blood & Chocolate, BLT Communications LLC, BOND, Boogie Nights, BULLDOG, Cold Open, David Koechner, Grudge Match, Her, Ignition Print, Inside Llewyn Davis, Jennifer Lawrence, Joaquin Phoenix, Jon Bernthal, Jordan Belfort, Josh Brolin, Kanye West, Kate Winslet, Kevin Hart, Killer Joe, Labor Day, Last Days on Mars, Leonardo DiCaprio, Martin Freeman, Martin Scorsese, Midnight Oil Creative, Mission to Mars, Oscar Isaac, Outer Arc, Peter Jackson, Red Planet, Robert De Niro, Some Velvet Morning, Spike Jonze, SportsCenter, Stanley Tucci, Statement Advertising, Sylvester Stallone, Terry Gilliam, The Desolation of Smaug, The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, The Wolf of Wall Street, Tracy Letts, Walking with Dinosaurs, Will Ferrell
REVIEW: Tony Manero [2008]
Posted by Jared Mobarak on September 3, 2012 · Leave a Comment
“That glass floor is the only thing that turns you on” The first of Pablo Larraín‘s cinematic trilogy set during Augusto Pinochet’s reign in Chile, Tony Manero seems happy to keep the political turmoil of the dictator’s regime in the background. Rather than overtly describe the period and the oppression against government detractors, the writer/director […]
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