Category: Culture watch
Rivalry and racing: Reviewing Rush
by Ted Giese Most movies have a tag line, a catchy phrase that sums up the film and gives the potential audience a good idea of what they’re getting into. The tag line for the film Rush—”Everyone’s driven by something”—is kind of clever since this…
Mental Illness and Redemption: Reviewing Blue Jasmine
by Ted Giese Some people won’t like Blue Jasmine because there are no explosions or epic showdowns between super heroes and super villains; it’s simply a movie about a rather unpleasant woman whose life is unravelling in mental illness, surrounded by equally terrible supporting characters….
Paradise lost: A review of Elysium
by Ted Giese Under the special effects, makeup, and whiz-bang jargon of sci-fi film-making, one often finds popular social commentary. The commentary generally comes in two varieties: prophetic warning of what the future might hold, or a pointed criticism of how things are right now….
Job and the Monsters: A review of Pacific Rim
by Ted Giese Pacific Rim is not a dumb action film. It’s visually sophisticated, complex and—if you like epic sci-fi—it could be the best fun you’ll have in theatre this summer. There’s more to this film than watching giant robots battle giant monsters. As it…
The Conjuring: “I Ain’t Afraid of no Ghost!”
by Ted Giese Are you afraid of ghosts? Last Friday night the theatre was sold out for the much anticipated horror film The Conjuring (rated R)—full of people looking for a ‘good’ scare. The film tells the story of the Perron family, who buy an…
Star Trek Into Darkness: “Greater love has no one than this…”
[Note: Spoilers follow.] by Ted Giese A crew member says, “It’s a miracle!” Spock responds, “There are no such things.” Star Trek Into Darkness is a big budget blockbuster film, chalk full of explosions and intrigue, but it doesn’t have the luxury of existing in…