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Super 8 (2011)
Super 8 / J.J. Abrams / 2011 / Active Ingredients: Period setting; Sympathetic characters; Child casting; Train sequence Side Effects: Emotional backstories; Over-sentimentality; No sense of danger...
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Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son About His Father (2008)
Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son About His Father / Kurt Kuenne / 2008 / Active Ingredients: Dramatic, emotional story Side Effects: Flashy editing; Manipulation from unrealitymag.com How can you...
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Melancholia (2011)
Melancholia / Lars von Trier / 2011 / Active Ingredients: Metaphor for depression; Operatic overture; Music Side Effects: Acting; Unconvincing characters from Magnolia Pictures A mysterious planet...
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The Loneliest Planet (2011)
The Loneliest Planet / Julia Loktev / 2011 / Active Ingredients: Location photography; Acting Side Effects: Thin material; Uninteresting drama from tmtmshow Visually, there’s a lot to like about Julia...
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Scenes of a Crime (2011)
Scenes of a Crime / Grover Babcock & Blue Hadaegh / 2011 / Active Ingredients: Inherently dramatic subject; Good photography Side Effects: One-sided; Tedious review of evidence from raindance.org...
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The Salt of Life (2012)
The Salt of Life / Gianni Di Gregorio / 2012 / Active Ingredients: Cast of recurring characters; Concerns about aging Side Effects: Lack of humor; Handheld camerawork from zeitgeistfilms.com The Salt...
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Magic and Loss (2010)
Magic and Loss / Lim Kah Wai / 2010 / Active Ingredients: Unpredictability; Indie charm Side Effects: Sense of mystery; Lack of cohesion Cultures and identities blend and sublimate in the international...
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The Dark Knight Rises (2012)
The Dark Knight Rises / Christopher Nolan / 2012 / Active Ingredients: Cinematography; Bane Side Effects: Emotionally and morally muddy; Alfred; Pacing and action from screenrant.com It seems as though...
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Berberian Sound Studio (2012)
Berberian Sound Studio / Peter Strickland / 2012 / Active Ingredients: Soundscapes; Sincere interest in B genres; Tobey Jones Side Effects: Lack of direction; Unfinished feeling; Slow pace [Berberian...
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Modest Reception (2013)
Modest Reception / Mani Haghighi / 2013 / Active Ingredients: Slowly developing thematic implications Side Effects: Handling of tones; Frustrating performances Modest Reception [Modest Reception plays...
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Adult World (2013)
Adult World / Scott Coffey / 2013 / Active Ingredients: Supporting cast; Affable tone Side Effects: Generic story; Disjointed pacing [Adult World is playing at the Tribeca Film Festival on April...
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Bottled Up (2013)
Bottled Up / Enid Zentelis / 2013 / Active Ingredients: Thoughtful character development Side Effects: Drab photography; Awkward comedy [Bottled Up plays at the Tribeca Film Festival on April 23rd.]...
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I Declare War (2013)
I Declare War / Jason Lapeyre & Robert Wilson / 2013 / Active Ingredients: Limited scope; Interest in imagination Side Effects: Performances; Shallow representations of childhood I Declare War...
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Melancholia (2011)
Melancholia / Lars von Trier / 2011 / Active Ingredients: Metaphor for depression; Operatic overture; Music Side Effects: Acting; Unconvincing characters from Magnolia Pictures A mysterious planet...
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Noah (2014)
Noah / Darren Aronofsky / 2014 / Active Ingredients: Dark thematic content; Creation sequence Side Effects: Derivative visuals; Theatrical performances The critical consensus on Darren Aronofsky’s...
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Under the Skin (2014)
Under the Skin / Jonathan Glazer / 2014 / Active Ingredients: Bold imagery; Unsettling score and sound design Side Effects: Lack of thematic weight; Use of non-actors Jonathan Glazer’s Under the Skin...
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Side By Side (2012)
Side By Side / Christopher Kenneally / 2012 / Active Ingredients: Important, timely topic; Considers many aspects of production Side Effects: Lack of experimentation; Cursory view of film history...
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Two Shots Fired (2015)
Two Shots Fired / Martín Rejtman / 2015 / Active Ingredients: Discursive narrative; Intersecting web of characters Side Effects: Flat, unaffected performances; Imprecision of style Argentinian...
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The Walk (2015)
The Walk / Robert Zemeckis / 2015 / Active Ingredients: Heist elements; Optimism; Vertiginous height Side Effects: 3D; Supporting characters; Imprecise psychology The Walk is a warm-hearted but...
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Beasts of the Southern Wild (2012)
Beasts of the Southern Wild / Benh Zeitlin / 2012 / Active Ingredients: Originality and vibrancy; Sense of location; Dwight Henry Side Effects: Manipulation; Music; Distracting camerawork Beasts of...
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