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Out in Theaters: ‘SLEEPING WITH OTHER PEOPLE’

*This is a reprint of our 2015 Sundance review

Leslye Headland arrived on the cinematic scene in a roundabout kind of way. Her debut film Bachelorette divided audiences – Reelview’s James Berardinelli gave it zero stars and labeled it “the worst movie of 2012” (we gave it a soaring review) – though it’s gone on to achieve a quiet cult status. Originally written as a screenplay then adapted for the stage, her raunchy theatrical production was discovered, altered back into movie form and green lit with an inspired cast (Kirsten Dunst, Lizzy Caplan, Isla Fisher, Rebel Wilson.) The outcome was a lewd female Hangover bursting with genuine laughs. In 2013, Headland got back on the horse for a new project, one that she just described as “When Harry Met Sally with assholes.” And so came Sleeping With Other People, a satirically formulaic though gravely side-splitting whooper. Read More

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Out in Theaters: ‘THE BEAUTY INSIDE’

Categories are powerful. If I were to classify this film as a “romantic comedy” at this point in the review, a substantial portion of potential viewers will have dismissed the idea of going to see it by the end of this sentence. Our hard-wired categorization processes simultaneously serve as the lighthouse and blind spot of all facets of decision-making. The Beauty Inside half-heartedly sets out to explore this complex aspect of cognitive function in the context of romantic relationships. It tracks the life and love of protagonist Woo-Jin, a 29 year-old man with a highly unorthodox affliction: He is devoid of all social categories because his race, age, and gender changes every time he falls asleep. Read More

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Out in Theaters: ‘THE VISIT’

I could spend the bulk of this review talking about the precipitous rise and fall of M. Night Shyamalan. I could praise The Sixth Sense and Unbroken, give small credit to Signs and even portions of The Village and bury later “horror” duds like Lady in the Water and The Happening. I could extend a wilted rose towards the cinematic sharts that were The Last Airbender and After Earth but what’s the fun in that? After all, we’re no longer celebrating a funeral so much as a man’s comeback, because make no mistake The Visit is a comeback and a pretty damn entertaining one at that. Read More

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Bumbershoot 2015: 1 Reel Short Film Festival Reviews

Seattle was in shape to party this Labor Day weekend and the fiercest of lightning storms proved unable to stop the rabid fun at Bumbershoot 2015. Though this year’s lineup seemed short on musical prowess (excluding Cake who absolutely blew the top off their set) and big name comedians, their carefully curated One Reel Short Film Festival arrived in tip-top shape, bringing together a pantheon of shorts spanning both the globe and a bevy of genres. As is customary of our coverage, we’ve carefully curated the scoop on Bumbershoot’s 1 Reel Short Film Festival, weighing which shorts demand to be seen down the line in preparation for Oscar season and best of lists and which you can ultimately skip. Read More

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Portland Film Festival Review: ‘DEEP DARK’

Be Careful What You Wish For

or

How Far Would You Go For Art?

Michael Medaglia’s fantasy/horror/comedy mindscrew Deep Dark updates the classic Monkey’s Paw trope, investigating the source and meaning of real art in the meantime. Have you ever experienced writer’s block? Felt like you had something to say, but just couldn’t quite find the words? Have you ever wanted something so bad you can taste it in the back of your throat? Read More

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Portland Film Festival Review: ‘CONGO BEAT THE DRUM’

When most people think of reggae music, they think of Bob Marley; Jamaica; smoking sensamilla; the red, yellow, and green and the Jamaican flag. More informed heads might even think of Jah-on-Earth Haile Selassie, the last Emperor of Ethiopia, or the Lion Of Judah. No matter how into reggae you are, you are not likely to picture two skinny white Israelites from Tel Aviv, the subject matter of Ariel Tagar’s Congo Beat The Drum documentary.

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Out in Theaters: ‘BLOODSUCKING BASTARDS’

With this year’s very successful science fiction hits Mad Max: Fury Road and Turbo Kid already being referred to as “cult classics” in the making, the definition of the B-movie in the digital era must fit a different rubric beyond, for example, the use of practical effects or references to earlier films and aesthetics. The horror comedy has always been a genre prone to B-status – but can they all achieve the love that the ironically-adored low-budget classics of the past have? That’s the question facing a film like this week’s new release, Bloodsucking Bastards. Read More

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Out in Theaters: THE TRANSPORTER REFUELED

To say that no one asked for a Transporter reboot is putting things lightly. The franchise in which Jason Statham rose to fame hardly lit up the box office when it set off in 2002, barely crossing the 25 million dollar marker on a 21 million dollar budget. The second installment hardly fared better, scraping up 43 on 32 and by movie numero three, the second-rate action/car staple was hardly scraping by. 7 years later, we have the latest addition to the “Why In Hell Was This Rebooted?” pool in The Transporter Refueled, a near abomination of filmmaking, barely held together by flashy Audi commercial tie-ins, gratuitous sexual violence and Ray Stevenson’s equally flashy grin. At least Ray’s having some fun. We in the audience though are not privy to such leisure. Read More

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Out in Theaters: A WALK IN THE WOODS

*This is a reprint of our 2015 Sundance review.

Robert Redford‘s adaptation of Bill Bryson‘s popular 1998 memoir A Walk In the Woods is an unremarkable journey with a short sprinkling of low-key chuckles and a heaving dose of schmaltzy sentiment. As Redford’s travel companion, co-star Nick Nolte manages to give this low-percolating buddy comedy/road-movie-on-foot at least some minor footing, but its not enough to balance the overwrought equilibrium. Mining the material for all its geriatric sitcom worth, director Ken Kwapis‘ internal clock ticks with the fervor of a retiree, as he fails to charge the material with any sense of driving momentum. As much as Nolte’s character drags his feet, it’s Kwapis who lags most. For a film all about the journey forward, that presents a major problem. Read More

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Portland Film Festival Review: BIRDS OF NEPTUNE

It is the challenge of every young person to find and define their own selves, apart from expectations from society, family, friends, & personal history. This is, unfortunately, exponentially more true for women of all ages, but particularly young women, with everyone having opinions about their bodies, their style, even their mood (you’d be prettier if you smiled more). Birds Of Neptune, director Stephen Richter’s English-language debut after the Portuguese Center Of Gravity, investigates this battle for self-identification, by following two eccentric young sisters, Rachel and Mona, chilling portrayed by Britt Harris and Molly Elizabeth Parker. Read More