Posted by Jared Mobarak on September 19, 2019 · Leave a Comment
“The desert devours everything” Colonialism, Manifest Destiny, and any other act by a foreign nation to claim the land of an indigenous people as its own are performed with a desire for power and prosperity. It’s about ego and entitlement—the search to create a mythology that glosses over genocide for the “heroism” of a brute […]
Category drama, fantasy, film reviews, foreign, western · Tags Adrián Fondari, Diego Roman, Fabian Casas, Ghita Nørby, Jauja, Lisandro Alonso, Spanish, Viggo Mortensen, Viilbjørk Malling Agger
Posted by Jared Mobarak on February 20, 2019 · Leave a Comment
The 90th Annual Academy Awards hits airwaves Sunday, February 24th, 2019 at 8:00pm on ABC. For those handicapping at home, here are the guesses of Buffalo film fanatics Christopher Schobert, William Altreuter, and myself. Jared Mobarak: It’s the type of year where hashtags rhetoric simply won’t work. There’s just not one all encapsulating buzzword to […]
Category essays, oscars, z.slideshow · Tags A Star Is Born, Academy Awards, Adam Driver, Adam McKay, Alfonso Cuarón, Amy Adams, At Eternity's Gate, Barry Jenkins, Black Panther, BlacKkKlansman, Bohemian Rhapsody, Bradley Cooper, Brian Currie, Can You Ever Forgive Me?, Charlie Wachtel, Christian Bale, Christopher Schobert, Cold War, David Rabinowitz, Deborah Davi, Emma Stone, Eric Roth, Ethan Coen, First Reformed, Glenn Close, Green Book, If Beale Street Could Talk, Jeff Whitty, Joel Coen, Kevin Willmott, Lady Gaga, Mahershala Ali, Marina de Tavira, Melissa McCarthy, Nick Vallelonga, Nicole Holofcener, Olivia Colman, Oscars, Paul Schrader, Pawel Pawlikowski, Peter Farrelly, Rachel Weisz, Rami Malek, Regina King, Richard E. Grant, Roma, Sam Elliott, Sam Rockwell, Spike Lee, The Ballad of Buster Scruggs, The Favourite, The Wife, Tony McNamara, Vice, Viggo Mortensen, Will Fetters, Willem Dafoe, William Altreuter, Yalitza Aparicio, Yorgos Lanthimos
Posted by Jared Mobarak on November 23, 2018 · 6 Comments
“Does Betty like butter … er?” First things first: racism isn’t funny. It’s surprising that something so important can be forgotten so often, but here we are with another cinematic example of the opposite. What’s worse is that the story director/co-writer Peter Farrelly is bringing to the big screen with intentional beats rendering a wisecracking […]
Posted by Jared Mobarak on May 14, 2017 · Leave a Comment
“Some things are certain” It’s crazy how perception can be shifted over the years if your mind focuses on one specific attribute of something. I thought The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King was the weakest of the trilogy after seeing it in theaters (and still do), but not by a lot. […]
Category action/adventure, drama, fantasy, film reviews · Tags Andy Serkis, Bernard Hill, Billy Boyd, Christopher Lee, David Wenham, Dominic Monaghan, Elijah Wood, Fran Walsh, Ian Holm, Ian McKellen, J.R.R. Tolkien, John Rhys-Davies, Liv Tyler, Miranda Otto, Orlando Bloom, Peter Jackson, Philippa Boyens, Sean Astin, The Fellowship of the Ring, The Lord of the Rings, The Return of the King, The Two Towers, Viggo Mortensen
Posted by Jared Mobarak on May 13, 2017 · Leave a Comment
“Not idly do the leaves of Lorien fall” The second part of a trilogy is oftentimes the worst. It exists in a no man’s land without beginning or end, a bridge we must wait for and wait further to continue that cannot survive on its own. So it’s therefore a rarity when this chapter possesses […]
Category action/adventure, drama, fantasy, film reviews · Tags Andy Serkis, Bernard Hill, Billy Boyd, Brad Dourif, Christopher Lee, David Wenham, Dominic Monaghan, Elijah Wood, Fran Walsh, Ian McKellen, J.R.R. Tolkien, John Noble, John Rhys-Davies, Karl Urban, Miranda Otto, Orlando Bloom, Peter Jackson, Philippa Boyens, Sean Astin, Sean Bean, Stephen Sinclair, The Fellowship of the Ring, The Lord of the Rings, The Two Towers, Viggo Mortensen
Posted by Jared Mobarak on May 12, 2017 · Leave a Comment
“Keep your nose out of trouble and no trouble will come to you” Published in 1955, The Lord of the Rings would soon prove to be J.R.R. Tolkien‘s masterwork. It took him twelve years to complete, a project that began as a sequel to The Hobbit before morphing into its own adventure steeped in dark […]
Category action/adventure, drama, fantasy, film reviews · Tags Billy Boyd, Cate Blanchett, Christopher Lee, Dominic Monaghan, Elijah Wood, Fran Walsh, Howard Shore, Hugo Weaving, Ian Holm, Ian McKellen, J.R.R. Tolkien, John Rhys-Davies, Liv Tyler, Marton Csokas, Orlando Bloom, Peter Jackson, Philippa Boyens, Sean Astin, Sean Bean, The Fellowship of the Ring, The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, Viggo Mortensen
Posted by Jared Mobarak on February 17, 2017 · Leave a Comment
The 89th Annual Academy Awards hits airwaves Sunday, February 26th, 2017 at 8:30pm on ABC. Buffalonians can watch it from the comfort of their home or take a trip down to these local destinations: • The Screening Room, The Boulevard Mall Free (doors open at 7:00pm) • Buffalo State College, Campbell Student Union Free with […]
Category essays, oscars · Tags Allison Schroeder, Andrew Garfield, Arrival, August Wilson, Barry Jenkins, Casey Affleck, Christopher Schobert, Damien Chazelle, Denis Villeneuve, Denzel Washington, Dev Patel, Efthimis Flippou, Emma Stone, Eric Heisserer, Fences, Hacksaw Ridge, Hell or High Water, Hidden Figures, Isabelle Huppert, Jeff Bridges, Kenneth Lonergan, La La Land, Lion, Lucas Hedges, Luke Davies, Mahershala Ali, Manchester by the Sea, Mel Gibson, Meryl Streep, Michael Shannon, Michelle Williams, Mike Mills, Moonlight, Naomie Harris, Natalie Portman, Nicole Kidman, Octavia Spencer, Ruth Negga, Ryan Gosling, Tarell Alvin McCraney, Taylor Sheridan, Theodore Melfi, Viggo Mortensen, Viola Davis, William Altreuter, Yorgos Lanthimos
Posted by Jared Mobarak on December 31, 2016 · Leave a Comment
Below is my December 31st ballot for the 20th annual Online Film Critics Society Awards honoring movies released domestically in the United States during the 2016 calendar year. Group winners are highlighted in red. Best Picture #1Moonlight. #2Manchesterby the Sea #3Arrival. #4Jackie. #5The Witch. #6Hell orHigh Water #7La La Land. #8O.J.: Madein America #9The Handmaiden. […]
Category essays, top 10 films, z.slideshow · Tags 13th, Adam Driver, Amy Adams, Arrival, Barry Jenkins, Bradford Young, Cameraperson, Captain Fantastic, Casey Affleck, Certain Women, Damien Chazelle, David Birke, Denis Villeneuve, Denzel Washington, Efthymis Filippou, Elle, Emma Stone, Eric Heisserer, Fences, Finding Dory, Hell or High Water, Hidden Figures, I Am Not Your Negro, Isabelle Huppert, Jackie, James Laxton, Jeff Bridges, Joe Walker, Joi McMillon, Kenneth Lonergan, Kubo and the Two Strings, La La Land, Lily Gladstone, Linus Sandgren, Love & Friendship, Loving, Lucas Hedges, Mahershala Ali, Manchester by the Sea, Michael Shannon, Michelle Williams, Moana, Moonlight, Naomie Harris, Nat Sanders, Natalie Portman, Nels Bangerter, Neruda, Noah Oppenheim, Nocturnal Animals, O.J.: Made in America, Octavia Spencer, OFCS, Online Film Critics Society, Pablo Larraín, Paterson, Philippe Djian, Ruth Negga, Ryan Gosling, Sebastián Sepúlveda, Stéphane Fontaine, Tarell Alvin McCraney, Taylor Sheridan, Ted Chiang, The Handmaiden, The Lobster, The Neon Demon, The Red Turtle, The Salesman, The Witch, Tom Bennett, Tom Cross, Tom Ford, Toni Erdmann, Viggo Mortensen, Viola Davis, Weiner, Whit Stillman, Yorgos Lanthimos, Zootopia
Posted by Jared Mobarak on August 25, 2016 · Leave a Comment
“Your mother is dead” When you look at the poster for Captain Fantastic—especially the bright red suit worn by Cash family patriarch Ben (Viggo Mortensen)—you can’t help conjure twee thoughts of Wes Anderson quirk and yet Matt Ross‘ sophomore feature is anything but. This film is instead rooted in a very strong sense of reality. […]
Category comedy, drama, film reviews, romance · Tags Ann Dowd, Annalise Basso, Captain Fantastic, Charlie Shotwell, Erin Moriarty, Frank Langella, George MacKay, Kathryn Hahn, Matt Ross, Nicholas Hamilton, Samantha Isler, Shree Crooks, Steve Zahn, Trin Miller, Viggo Mortensen
Posted by Jared Mobarak on September 17, 2014 · Leave a Comment
Friends and family think me crazy for driving up the QEW so I can sit in darkened theaters for around thirty of a total eighty-hours in Toronto, but I wouldn’t spend my early September days any other way. This is what the Toronto International Film Festival does—it makes you look sanity in the face, say no […]
Category entertainment, essays, film features, film festival, toronto international film festival · Tags Aaron Moorhead, Adam Sandler, Adult Beginners, Ansel Elgort, Bang Bang Baby, Before Sunrise, Chiara D'Anna, Clouds of Sils Maria, Coming Home, Corbo, Dan Gilroy, Ed Wood, Far From Men, Foxcatcher, Intouchables, Jake Gyllenhaal, Jane Fonda, Jane Levy, Jason Bateman, Jason Reitman, Justin Benson, Kaitlyn Dever, Kevin Smith, Kill Me Three Times, Kristen Wiig, Kriv Stenders, Lone Scherfig, Lou Taylor Pucci, Max Irons, Men Women & Children, Method Man, Nadia Hilker, Nick Kroll, Nightcrawler, Olivier Assayas, Peter Strickland, Pride, Sam Claflin, Samba, Shira Piven, Simon Pegg, Spring, St. Vincent, The Cobbler, The Duke of Burgundy, The Equalizer, The Imitation Game, The Judge, The Riot Club, The Wanted 18, This is Where I Leave You, Thomas McCarthy, TIFF, Tina Fey, Toronto International Film Festival, Tusk, Viggo Mortensen, Welcome to Me, Whiplash, Yimou Zhang
Posted by Jared Mobarak on September 13, 2014 · Leave a Comment
“I’m not taking you anywhere. Tomorrow you’re leaving.” Writer/director David Oelhoffen has a special film on his hands because its powerful tale begs audience members to learn more about the subject. I’m not talking about the fictional character of Daru (Viggo Mortensen) secluding himself in the mountains to teach young Arab children how to read […]
Category drama, film features, film festival, film reviews, foreign, toronto international film festival · Tags David Oelhoffen, Far From Men, French, Loin des hommes, Reda Kateb, TIFF, Toronto International Film Festival, Viggo Mortensen
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