Month: January 2009
White Lightnin’ – Review
Director: Dominic Murphy For those who are familiar with Jesco White, or have seen the documentary featuring the eccentric hillbilly – prepare to be surprised and shocked. Dominic Murphy’s White Lightnin’ takes Jesco’s story and ‘extrapolates’ the story to a level of psychopathology in both story and presentation. A stark, desaturated presentation gives the film
Paul Oakenfold at Downstairs
A late night party sponsored by LIVEstyle Entertainment featured legendary trance/house DJ and producer Paul Oakenfold, LIVEstyle is one of the largest event producers at North American film festivals, and usually brings out big names and sponsors for their live events – this year they presented the Bon Appetit supper club, the Film Lounge Media
The Road to Fallujah – Review
Dir: Mark Manning Director Manning dives deep into the maelstrom of controversy over one of the most famous of the Iraq War’s battles in his informative documentary, the Road to Fallujah. Manning, a former underwater construction worker on off shore oil rigs, states at the beginning of the doc that he couldn’t support the
Dare – Review
Dare Sundance Film Festival Director: Adam Salky Alexa (Emmy Rossum) is the typical over-achieving high school brown-noser who wants to be a Broadway star, but once she’s told she has no future in the business because she’s still a child, she transforms herself into the stereotypical “bad girl”. As she lusts after Johnny Drake (Zach
Why We Laugh: Black Comedians on Black Comedy – Review
Why We Laugh: Black Comedians on Black Comedy Sundance Film Festival Director: Robert Townsend What a perfect and appropriate film to witness as President Obama was sworn into office just hours before. Robert Townsend’s documentary, based on Darryl Littleton’s novel, recounts the harsh and tragic history of African Americans in the United States told through
Lymelife – Review
Lymelife Sundance Film Festival Director: Derick Martini Director Derick Martini grants the audience access to significant moments of his personal life in this coming-of-age drama about first loves, failed marriages, and Lyme disease. It’s the 1970s and Scott Bartlett (Rory Culkin) is the class punching bag, secretly in love with his neighbor Adrianna (Emma Roberts),
Common at Harry O’s
Common’s performance at Harry O’s was a refreshing and invigorating, the seasoned rapper played many of his familiar hits, bringing the crowd to a near frenzy of hip hop arm pumping and hip swiggling ecstasy. The club set up helped his presentation, the soundsystem had enough bass to nearly make me sick to my stomach,
Nollywood Babylon – Review
Nollywood Babylon Sundance Film Festival Directors: Ben Addelman and Samir Mallal With a population of 14 million, Lagos, Nigeria is the third largest film producing country in the world, trailing only the United States and India. Each year, approximately 2,500 films are produced with a budget under $15,000, but with only three movie theatres in
World’s Greatest Dad – Review
World’s Greatest Dad Sundance Film Festival Director: Bob Goldthwait It’s seems that it will become a tradition at Sundance that whenever you see Bob Goldthwait listed as director, you know you’re in for a darkly sinister treat of perverse delight. Returning to the Festival after his 2006 K-9 escapade, Stay (a.k.a. Sleeping Dogs Lie), Goldthwait
Five Minutes of Heaven – Review
Five Minutes of Heaven Sundance Film Festival Director: Oliver Hirschbiegel Unbeknownst to me, the comedic screening of Manure was switched to Oliver Hirschbiegel’s drama of murder, revenge, justice, and forgiveness in the Emerald Isle. That sounds just dandy to me. In civil war torn Ireland, violence and death was an everyday occurrence. In the 1970s,