BLOGS

The Slow Death Of Art In Cinema (20 Feb. 2012) The title of this blog post is a little misleading in that Hollywood has always been about making money. A film is only as good as how much profit it makes; it doesn’t matter whether the film is about nonsensical battling robots or finding meaning in the depths of a complicated relationship, if it makes money, Hollywood will produce it...

Whatever Happened To George Lucas? (12 Feb. 2012) February 2012 marks yet another return of George Lucas’ infamous Star Wars saga to multiplexes across the world. No, we’re not getting a new film in the franchise. Instead, we’re getting a re-run of the first prequel, The Phantom Menace, in glorious digital 3D. Is this a time for fans to rejoice and celebrate? Or is it a timely reminder of how far the franchise in general has fallen in the hands of its creator? Both questions may be extreme, with the answer perhaps lying somewhere in the middle...

Spielberg and Tintin (4 Feb. 2012) Steven Spielberg is a legendary fixture on the Hollywood landscape, up there with the famous Hollywood sign and the Walk of Fame. All things being equal, his films are great to watch and represent a director who really knows how to manipulate the medium to entertain the audience. If Spielberg’s name is on a film as a director, I’ll be in line to watch it...

This Mission Is Possible (25 Jan. 2012) The “Mission: Impossible” television series was a sacred cow, along with other fine 80s trash like “The A-Team”, “Knight Rider”, “Airwolf” and more. The 80s version of the show was highly enjoyable, as I’m sure the 60s version was but I never saw those! So when 1996 came along and Brian De Palma and Tom Cruise promised to make a high definition version of this sacred cow on celluloid, I was quite excited to say the least...

Why Remake When You Can 3D Convert? (14 Jan. 2012) There are days when I wonder why I still follow the movies that come out of Hollywood. Is it the promise of experiencing something magical that no other art form can provide? Is it experiencing moments of cinematic genius where image, sound, performance and the written word come together in a bastion of thrilling excitement?

The Iron Lady Lacks Spine (12 Jan. 2012) Regardless of your political persuasion, it is impossible to deny that Margaret Thatcher was an extraordinary public figure. Her impact on the United Kingdom and the world was legendary, as was her formidable nature. With that as a context, watching “The Iron Lady” is something of a let down...

GENERAL ARTICLES

The X-Files: From Franchise Phenomenon To Self Parody - The franchise that was once touted as one of the most important science-fiction shows ever made has lost its appeal and everything about the new film “I Want To Believe” encapsulates this notion. The film itself is nothing special or cinematic, and only the hardcore fans turned up to watch it...

The Dark Knight's Joker: Heath Ledger's Formidable Final Performance - “Why so serious?” the Joker asks bemused as he pushes a knife in to a criminal’s mouth before performing horrific surgery on his face. This scene sends chills down your spine; an unexpected feeling given the more amusing history of this character on screen. From his first appearance in director Christopher Nolan’s “The Dark Knight”, it is evident that this Joker is different to all previous on-screen versions of the character...

Differences of Opinion: Filmmaking Vs. Film Criticism - Being a film critic, it’s very easy for me to buy my ticket, allow myself to dive in to a film for a few hours, come out at the end and deliver my two cents on what I thought of it. One thing that can get overlooked in doing that is the lack of respect shown to the filmmaker for the amount of effort he or she has put in to the film...

Star Trek's Final Nemesis - The thought of watching a new Star Trek film, at one time, was an exciting one. Seeing it degenerate was a disappointing experience to say the least because it is more than just a franchise, it is part of our culture...

The Star Wars Prequel Trilogy: A Retrospective - The original “Star Wars” trilogy was a cinematic landmark and a fond fixture in popular culture. So where does the new prequel trilogy stack up against the brilliantly done originals? I guess it depends...

Top 5 Ways To Become A Pretentious, Auteur Filmmaker - Ever wondered what it takes to become a truly pretentious, so-far-up-yourself-you-could-cry, auteur filmmaker? You’ve seen them; either in Hollywood or the independent sector - film directors who think they’re God...

Sex, Lies & Videotape: How To Make A Film by guest contributor Steve Courtfield - In 1989 writer director Steven Soderbergh released Sex Lies and Videotape. At the time, it was a watershed in film making, low budget, arthouse and featuring actors of the calibre of James Spader and Andie McDowell...

FLY: How To Make A Film by guest contributor Steve Courtfield - This is not a normal review, but then again, FLY is not a normal film. Its an 8 minute short that is produced right before your eyes. Its live theatre captured by camera, and streamed instantly onto the wall opposite where the performers work with energy and enthusiasm. And the audience can choose to watch either entertainment during the show.