Repost: Nymphomaniac Volume 2 (July 5th and 7th at the Cleveland Cinematheque)

[NYMPHOMANIAC VOLUME 2 screens Saturday July 5th at 9:00 pm and Monday July 7th at 7:30 pm at the Cleveland Cinematheque.]

Review by Milan Paurich

In his review of Lars von Trier’s NYMPHOMANIAC VOLUME 2, New York Times film critic A.O. Scott referred to VOLUME 1 as “the fun part.” Scott was making a joke (at least I think he was), but that snarky bon mot is probably how a lot of viewers will feel after watching the less conventionally enjoyable second half of von Trier’s magnum opus.


There’s as much of a tonal disconnect between VOLUME 1 and VOLUME 2 as there was a stylistic gap separating Quentin Tarantino’s KILL BILL movies. If the first BILL was a dizzying succession of “Can you top this?” action setpieces, the concluding chapter released six months later was slower, talkier and (a half hour) longer. BILL VOLUME 2 was still an enormously accomplished piece of auteurist filmmaking, yet so far removed from its antecedent that many Tarantino fans felt cheated.

Repost: Nymphomaniac Volume 1 (July 3rd and 5th at the Cleveland Cinematheque)

[NYMPHOMANIAC, VOLUME 1 screens Thursday July 3rd at 5:30 pm and Saturday July 5th at 6:45 pm at the Cleveland Cinematheque]

Review by Milan Paurich

It’s amusing to think what audiences who flocked to softcore cream puffs like DAGMAR’S HOT PANTS, INC. and INGA back in the late ‘60s and early ‘70s would have made of a provocation as 

flagrantly transgressive as Lars von Trier’s remarkable NYMPHOMANIAC, VOLUME 1. Would they have been titillated? Scandalized? Amused? Certainly the lines would have been around the block.

In 2014, von Trier’s latest cause celebre will earn most of its domestic coin as a VOD (both parts of NYMPHOMANIAC are currently available on most American cable providers’ “On Demand” services), and only the hardiest cineastes will bother trekking out to see it. If they can even find it, that is. The only area theater brave enough to show von Trier’s magnum opus is Cleveland Cinemas' Capitol Theater. (VOLUME 1 opens Friday, April 4th; VOLUME 2, April 18th.)

Nymphomaniac, Volume 2 (Opens in Cleveland on Friday April 25th exclusively at the Capitol Theatre)

[NYMPHOMANIAC VOLUME 2 opens in Cleveland on Friday, April 25th exclusively at the Capitol Theater.]

Review by Milan Paurich

In his review of Lars von Trier’s NYMPHOMANIAC VOLUME 2, New York Times film critic A.O. Scott referred to VOLUME 1 as “the fun part.” Scott was making a joke (at least I think he was), but that snarky bon mot is probably how a lot of viewers will feel after watching the less conventionally enjoyable second half of von Trier’s magnum opus.


There’s as much of a tonal disconnect between VOLUME 1 and VOLUME 2 as there was a stylistic gap separating Quentin Tarantino’s KILL BILL movies. If the first BILL was a dizzying succession of “Can you top this?” action setpieces, the concluding chapter released six months later was slower, talkier and (a half hour) longer. BILL VOLUME 2 was still an enormously accomplished piece of auteurist filmmaking, yet so far removed from its antecedent that many Tarantino fans felt cheated.

Nymphomaniac Volume 1 (opens in Cleveland April 4th exclusively at the Capitol Theatre)

[NYMPHOMANIAC, VOLUME 1 opens in Cleveland on Friday April 4th exclusively at the Capitol Theater.]

Review by Milan Paurich

It’s amusing to think what audiences who flocked to softcore cream puffs like DAGMAR’S HOT PANTS, INC. and INGA back in the late ‘60s and early ‘70s would have made of a provocation as 

flagrantly transgressive as Lars von Trier’s remarkable NYMPHOMANIAC, VOLUME 1. Would they have been titillated? Scandalized? Amused? Certainly the lines would have been around the block.

In 2014, von Trier’s latest cause celebre will earn most of its domestic coin as a VOD (both parts of NYMPHOMANIAC are currently available on most American cable providers’ “On Demand” services), and only the hardiest cineastes will bother trekking out to see it. If they can even find it, that is. The only area theater brave enough to show von Trier’s magnum opus is Cleveland Cinemas' Capitol Theater. (VOLUME 1 opens Friday, April 4th; VOLUME 2, April 18th.)

The East (now on video)

Review by Bob Ignizio

Sometimes the best way to get a good film role is to write it for yourself. That seems to be Brit Marling's philosophy, and so far it seems to have paid off. Although the actress has worked in films for other people, her most high profile roles have been in the movies she has co-written with her directors, 2011's ANOTHER EARTH (with Mike Cahill) and the same year's THE SOUND OF MY VOICE (with Zal Batmanglij). Marling teams with Batmanglij once again for the political thriller THE EAST, which is her best work both as writer and star to date.

Marling plays Sarah, a former FBI agent now working in the private sector. Her current assignment is to infiltrate a group of activists (or eco-terrorists, depending on your point of view) called The East. The information is then passed on to Sarah's superior (Patricia Clarkson), who delivers it to the corporate clients footing the bill.

Thor: The Dark World

Review by Bob Ignizio

The latest Marvel film to roll off the assembly line is THOR: THE DARK WORLD, and once again it delivers a smart, funny, action-packed piece of superhero cinema. Taking place in the aftermath of 2012's superhero team-up THE AVENGERS, that film's villain Loki (Tom Hiddleston), who also happens to be the adoptive brother of Thor (Chris Hemsworth), about to receive his punishment back home in the other dimensional realm of Asgard. Only the love of stepmother Frigga (Rene Russo) saves the power hungry trickster from the death penalty, his step father Odin (Anthony Hopkins) instead sentencing him to life in prison. But when a menace from Asgard's distant past is unearthed by scientist (and Thor's girlfriend) Jane Foster (Natalie Portman), Loki is the only one who can help Thor combat it.