Birdman

[BIRDMAN opens in Cleveland on Friday October 31st exclusively at the Cedar Lee Theatre.]

Review by Pamela Zoslov  

The spirit of Robert Altman hovers over  BIRDMAN (or The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance), the much talked-about new film by the Mexican director Alejandro González Iñárratu. A dark showbiz satire, the film echoes Altman's The Player, and its central event, a play based on Raymond Carver short stories, evokes Altman's Short Cuts. Although González Iñárratu doesn't have Altman's flair for ensemble drama, it's an ambitious film with rhythmic style and technical flair.

Repost: Moonrise Kingdom (March 13th at the Capitol Theatre)

[MOONRISE KINGDOM screens Thursday March 13th at 7:30 pm at the Capitol Theatre.]

Review by Bob Ignizio

With MOONRISE KINGDOM, director Wes Anderson perfectly captures that beautiful, fantastic, and all too brief moment when childhood innocence gives way to the beginnings of sexual maturity. Anderson's twelve-year old star crossed lovers Sam (Jared Gilman) and Suzy (Kara Hayward) are just beginning to toy with the idea of physical intimacy, but are still childlike enough to find running away from home (or in Sam's case, going AWOL from his Khaki Scout troupe) to embark on a wilderness adventure just as exciting, if not moreso, than getting to second base.

Sam is an orphan and extremely precocious, which is at least part of why his fellow scouts dislike him. Suzy is mature for her age as well, and apparently viewed by her lawyer parents Walt (Bill Murray) and Laura (Frances McDormand) as a “problem child”, or so Suzy infers from the title of a book she finds in the house. When the two adolescents met a year ago, they immediately sensed they were kindred spirits and set about planning their future escape together, said plans having just been put into motion as the film begins. MOONRISE KINGDOM isn't quite a children's movie, but it definitely understands the way 12 year olds see the world.

Repost: Moonrise Kingdom (May 10th and 12th at the Cleveland Cinematheque)

[MOONRISE KINGDOM screens Friday May 10th at 9:20 pm and Sunday May 12th at 6:30 pm at the Cleveland Cinematheque.]

Review by Bob Ignizio

With MOONRISE KINGDOM, director Wes Anderson perfectly captures that beautiful, fantastic, and all too brief moment when childhood innocence gives way to the beginnings of sexual maturity. Anderson's twelve-year old star crossed lovers Sam (Jared Gilman) and Suzy (Kara Hayward) are just beginning to toy with the idea of physical intimacy, but are still childlike enough to find running away from home (or in Sam's case, going AWOL from his Khaki Scout troupe) to embark on a wilderness adventure just as exciting, if not moreso, than getting to second base.

Sam is an orphan and extremely precocious, which is at least part of why his fellow scouts dislike him. Suzy is mature for her age as well, and apparently viewed by her lawyer parents Walt (Bill Murray) and Laura (Frances McDormand) as a “problem child”, or so Suzy infers from the title of a book she finds in the house. When the two adolescents met a year ago, they immediately sensed they were kindred spirits and set about planning their future escape together, said plans having just been put into motion as the film begins. MOONRISE KINGDOM isn't quite a children's movie, but it definitely understands the way 12 year olds see the world.

The Bourne Legacy

Review by Bob Ignizio

With series star Matt Damon taking a pass, in THE BOURNE LEGACY it's up to Jeremy Renner to pick up the torch as Aaron Cross/Kenneth Gibson, another super spy from the same program that created Damon's Jason Bourne. Cross winds up on the run from his CIA handlers when they decide to start cleaning house after the events of THE BOURNE ULTIMATUM, starting by killing all the agents in the program. Cross eventually teams up with Dr. Marta Shearling (Rachael Weisz), one of the scientists he routinely went to for monitoring who is herself targeted for elimination. Cross saves her from assassination, but in return asks for help in obtaining more of the drugs that keep him enhanced physically and mentally. From this set up, lots of ass kicking and high speed chases follow.

Moonrise Kingdom

Review by Bob Ignizio

With MOONRISE KINGDOM, director Wes Anderson perfectly captures that beautiful, fantastic, and all too brief moment when childhood innocence gives way to the beginnings of sexual maturity. Anderson's twelve-year old star crossed lovers Sam (Jared Gilman) and Suzy (Kara Hayward) are just beginning to toy with the idea of physical intimacy, but are still childlike enough to find running away from home (or in Sam's case, going AWOL from his Khaki Scout troupe) to embark on a wilderness adventure just as exciting, if not moreso, than getting to second base.

Sam is an orphan and extremely precocious, which is at least part of why his fellow scouts dislike him. Suzy is mature for her age as well, and apparently viewed by her lawyer parents Walt (Bill Murray) and Laura (Frances McDormand) as a “problem child”, or so Suzy infers from the title of a book she finds in the house. When the two adolescents met a year ago, they immediately sensed they were kindred spirits and set about planning their future escape together, said plans having just been put into motion as the film begins. MOONRISE KINGDOM isn't quite a children's movie, but it definitely understands the way 12 year olds see the world.