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The Great Gatsby (2013)
Dream dangerously.
Filmmaker(s): Baz Luhrmann

An adaptation of F. Scott Fitzgerald's Long Island-set novel, where Midwesterner Nick Carraway is lured into the lavish world of his neighbor, Jay Gatsby. Soon enough, however, Carraway will see through the cracks of Gatsby's nouveau riche existence, where obsession, madness, and tragedy await.

Moulin Green I saw Moulin Rouge,’ I knew that life would change, because film would have an added mainstream vocabulary. We would embrace it and adjust our dreams and intuitions. And indeed we have had Nolan ascendant. Even TeeVee has shifted. Oddly, after that film, Lurhmann...


Published February 6, 2024
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G.I. Joe: Retaliation (2013)
Heroes are made in America.
Filmmaker(s): Jon M. Chu

Framed for crimes against the country, the G.I. Joe team is terminated by Presidential order. This forces the G.I. Joes into not only fighting their mortal enemy Cobra; they are forced to contend with threats from within the government that jeopardize their very existence.

Guys and Dolls suppose it is natural to define a self from negatives: what you are not. So much in public life depends on this dynamic. It is a dangerous urge that I often see out of control, and one I want to closely monitor...


Published February 6, 2024
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Ender’s Game (2013)
This is not a game.
Filmmaker(s): Gavin Hood

Based on the classic novel by Orson Scott Card, Ender's Game is the story of the Earth's most gifted children training to defend their homeplanet in the space wars of the future.

Internals Revealed do dimly recall the first couple books of the series. They were engagingly written. But more importantly, they used a device that probably won‘t work today. The books were powerful because they focused on Ender‘s internal mind. The second book folded this into Ender‘s...


Published February 6, 2024
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Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters (2013)
Revenge is sweeter than candy.
Filmmaker(s): Tommy Wirkola

After getting a taste for blood as children, Hansel and Gretel have become the ultimate vigilantes, hell-bent on retribution. Now, unbeknownst to them, Hansel and Gretel have become the hunted, and must face an evil far greater than witches... their past.

Children's Dreams has been some time since I was exposed to how these things work. A clever writer can start with anything and extend it toward a known formula so that it animates that formula with a new disguise. In this world, the writers are...


Published February 5, 2024
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Stoker (2013)
Innocence Ends.
Filmmaker(s): Park Chan-wook

After India Stoker's father dies, her Uncle Charlie, who she never knew existed, comes to live with her and her unstable mother. She comes to suspect this mysterious, charming man has ulterior motives and becomes increasingly infatuated with him.

Not Thirsty Enough seen and been unhealthily engaged in ‘Thirst‘ I acquired this. It reminded me of a similar disappointment. One of my most trusted filmmakers is Kar Wai Wong, someone who has expanded my electric cage. His first non-English film 'Blueberry Night‘ was every bit...


Published February 4, 2024
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Top of the Lake (2013)
One day, we won't be able to close our eyes anymore.
Filmmaker(s): Ján Lacko

A woman haunted by her past, Detective Robin Griffin, investigates complex and unsettling cases.

Hidden Agents, Justice masterly series has several notable qualities. Most striking are the cinematic (meaning the camera-centric) anchors for the storytelling. But the most commented upon by others is the exploration of motherhood, supported by accomplished actresses doing their best work. I’ll comment instead on the...


Published February 3, 2024
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Night Train to Lisbon (2013)
Only when you are lost can you truly find yourself
Filmmaker(s): Bille August

Raimund Gregorius, having saved a beautiful Portuguese woman from leaping to her death, stumbles upon a mesmerizing book by a Portuguese author, which compels him to suddenly abandon the boring life he has led for years and to embark on an enthralling adventure. In search of the author, Gregorius acts as detective, pulling together pieces of a puzzle that involves political and emotional intrigue and the highest possible stakes. His voyage is one that transcends time and space, delving into the realms of history, medicine and love, all in search of true meaning to his life.

Authorship did not work for me, and I would like to discover and report why. It is a film adapted from a successful book, in which (another) book is the primary agent. Both the outer and inner books are deeply philosophical, abstracting themes about life that...


Published December 24, 2024
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The God of Ramen (2013)
Filmmaker(s): Takashi Innami

Every day, people would queue for over two hours for a bowl of ramen. What’s the celebrated chef’s secret ingredient? There is no secret ingredient. In fact, as most fans of Taishoken believe, it’s the charisma of owner Kazuo Yamagishi that attracted people from all around Japan to his modest shop. His personality and love for his craft, combined with a precise mélange of flavours, combined to create perfection in each ramen bowl. This heart-warming documentary is not just for noodle fans, but for anyone who loves to be inspired by passionate people.

Optional Demigods is a tricky one. This documentary is centred on a fellow who is celebrated as the best chef, in precisely the stance we have with ‘Jiro Dreams of Sushi’. That film predates the release of this but not the beginning of filming. Jiro...


Published February 19, 2025
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Prometheus (2012)
The search for our beginning could lead to our end.
Filmmaker(s): Ridley Scott

A team of explorers discover a clue to the origins of mankind on Earth, leading them on a journey to the darkest corners of the universe. There, they must fight a terrifying battle to save the future of the human race.

Snowcrash seems all the writing about this film is about the story, how it doesn't hold your hand and what religious metaphors are exploited. Well, that matters a bit because it elevates the thing out of the ordinary package. But a much more interesting way...


Published June 29, 2023
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Dripping in Chocolate (2012)
Filmmaker(s): Mark Joffe

When Detective Bennett O'Mara finds a chocolate wrapper on a strangled girl, it leads him to enigmatic chocolatier Juliana Lovece. Just as this perceptive woman gets under his hardened skin, he suspects she may be at the centre of an increasing murder count.

Drops seem to have run out of quality mystery movies, and am out seeking a second or third tier. This at least had Sydney, and I now live in Australia. Yet another mystery where out of the blue with no warning, the trusted policewoman is...


Published April 14, 2023
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