Doctor Strange

Review by Bob Ignizio

In recent issues of Marvel comics (remember, those paper thingies the big blockbuster movies are based on?), Tony "Iron Man" Stark has taken to referring to Dr. Strange as his "facial hair bro." But the two characters have more in common than just their goatees. Each of them started out as a genius in his respective field – Stark in technology, Strange in neurosurgery. And each also started their journey to heroism as an arrogant asshole.

And yes, to some degree DOCTOR. STRANGE follows a superhero formula not even unique to these two characters, in which they must learn, after suffering severe misfortune, to put others ahead of themselves and become heroes. Just because it's been done before doesn't mean it's bad, and it certainly isn't here. But truth be told, it is starting to feel a bit familiar at this point.

Hail Caesar

Review by Bob Ignizio

The Coen Brothers have long shown a fascination with old Hollywood. Classic cinema runs through the veins of almost all of their films, sometimes subtly as in their neo noir debut BLOOD SIMPLE, sometimes more overtly as in their homage to Hollywood screwball comedies THE HUDSUCKER PROXY, or in straight up remakes of classic films like THE LADYKILLERS and TRUE GRIT. But no Cohen Brothers film to date has given them the opportunity to celebrate old movies and old movie making techniques to the extent that their latest effort, HAIL, CAESAR!, has.

Snowpiercer (now on video)

Review by Bob Ignizio

The post apocalyptic sci-fi scenario in SNOWPIERCER has to be one of the strangest ones ever conceived. Scientists trying to stave off the effects of global warming accidentally send the earth into a new ice age. The last surviving humans now live on a high speed, perpetually moving train. Those who bought their way on form an elite upper class that lives in the front of the train. Those less wealthy masses on board live in squalor at the tail end where they eat processed black foodstuff of questionable origin, get high on a drug made from the byproducts of the train's fuel, and occasionally mount rebellions that the elite put down with little effort.

31 Days of Halloween 2014: Only Lovers Left Alive

*Note: This year for our annual 31 Days of Halloween marathon of horror movie reviews, rather than write about old favorites, we're focusing on modern horror films that haven't had a wide theatrical release. So for the entire month of October, we will be dealing with horror fare that you can find in the “New Release” section of Netflix or (if you still have one) your local video store. So instead of nostalgic appreciations and recommendations, this promises to be more of a “the good, the bad, and the ugly” kind of affair. Hopefully more good than bad and ugly, but that remains to be seen.

Also, I got a little bit behind on this series, so I'm going the cheap route and reposting a review. Most likely you'll see a couple other reposts until I get caught up. All the reposts will still fit the criteria of being new releases, and at least in this case, warrant additional hyping.

Review by Bob Ignizio

I've gotta' say, I never expected to read an interview with Jim Jarmusch in Fangoria magazine. Nonetheless, the noted indie filmmaker made it into the venerable journal of gory horror films earlier this year thanks to his latest effort, the moody vampire romance ONLY LOVERS LEFT ALIVE. In the piece, Jarmusch showed himself far better versed in the horror genre, particularly as it pertains to bloodsuckers, than most of the hacks who wind up helming Hollywood fright flicks these days. He even mentioned French director Jean Rollin, whose singular vamp films mixed erotica, psychedelia, and a certain kind of dreamlike romanticism, which immediately upped my level of interest in the film. And he wasn't just whistling "Dixie", as even the poster art for LOVERS recalls Rollin's work.

Only Lovers Left Alive (now on video)

Review by Bob Ignizio

I've gotta' say, I never expected to read an interview with Jim Jarmusch in Fangoria magazine. Nonetheless, the noted indie filmmaker made it into the venerable journal of gory horror films earlier this year thanks to his latest effort, the moody vampire romance ONLY LOVERS LEFT ALIVE. In the piece, Jarmusch showed himself far better versed in the horror genre, particularly as it pertains to bloodsuckers, than most of the hacks who wind up helming Hollywood fright flicks these days. He even mentioned French director Jean Rollin, whose singular vamp films mixed erotica, psychedelia, and a certain kind of dreamlike romanticism, which immediately upped my level of interest in the film. And he wasn't just whistling "Dixie", as even the poster art for LOVERS recalls Rollin's work.

The Grand Budapest Hotel

Review by Pamela Zoslov

“Love/hate relationship with Wes” and “Can't stand quirky for quirky's sake” are the titles of two contentious comment threads on the movie website imdb.com. Participants in these conversations vociferously debate the merits of director-writer Wes Anderson, who is known for his quirky, stylized films, the eighth of which is THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL. Set in an aging, once-elegant hotel in the mythical Republic of Zubrowka, it is perhaps the apotheosis of Anderson's stagebound, confectionary style. And, like the Courtisane au Chocolate, the fancy pastry that figures in the movie's Byzantine plot, it may be too cloying for some.

We Need to Talk About Kevin (opens in Cleveland March 30th at the Cedar Lee and Capitol Theatres)

[WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT KEVIN opens in Cleveland on Friday March 30th exclusively at the Cedar Lee and Capitol Theatres.]

Review by Pamela Zoslov

The terrible shootings at Chardon High School on February 27 delayed Cleveland Cinemas' local opening of WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT KEVIN, a drama centering on a boy who commits mass murder at his high school. Viewing the film in the aftermath of that incident does give us the opportunity to think about how different fiction is from real life. It also makes us think about how different literature is from movies.

Based on a novel by Lionel Schriver (the masculine nom de plume of a woman journalist and author), WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT KEVIN imagines the school shooter as a monster, a “bad seed” who was born that way. Even as a baby, Kevin is stubborn, screaming all day and driving his mother (the fine actress Tilda Swinton) to distraction, while his father, Franklin (John C. Reilly) remains happily oblivious.