by Logan Butts | May 20, 2013 | Opinion
Welcome back, readers, for the second edition of Logan’s home video update! Due to the lack of quality new DVD releases this week, I will be suggesting two slightly older releases to catch up on. If you are like me, then I am sure your list of movies to see can never be too long. Life of Pi (PG, 127 minutes- starring Suraj Sharma) With a slew of Oscar nominations and a well-deserved four wins, Life of Pi was one of the biggest winners from the 2012 awards season. Although the performances from newcomer Suraj Sharma and veteran Bollywood actor Irrfan Khan were great, the true star of this film was the visual effects. It almost felt like the dazzlingly-beautiful set and CGI in the film were characters in their own right. Instead of making the film feel artificial, they brought an emotional depth to an already emotionally-rich story. The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (PG-13, 169 minutes- starring Martin Freeman) Though it drags on a bit, which was expected considering they are adapting one book into three different movies, The Hobbit was a welcome return for one of the most familiar and beloved film series of the last decade. One of the highlights of the film was the chemistry between all of the dwarves. Their characters were all cast very accurately, and the actors all had a natural chemistry with each other. That’s a wrap for this week’s edition of the home video update. I hope you enjoy the...
by Logan Butts | May 13, 2013 | Opinion
Hello, readers! I have decided to revamp the old Lumination staple that was the Redbox Report! In my darker, grittier rebooted version, I will be presenting two or three home-viewing options every week. At least one of the films will be a new release, and at least one will be a slightly older release (in case you are trying to play catch-up on last year’s films during the summer months as I am). So, with that in mind, I guess I should change the name to something more accurate. How about the home video update? I will work on the name. Without further ado, here are this week’s home video viewing options. New Release: Mama (PG-13, 100 minutes- starring Jessica Chastain) Admittedly, I am a pretty large fan of horror films. So, it may be a little bit biased that I am recommending this hauntingly creepy supernatural thriller. I really do believe that this is a solid choice for home video viewing if you are up for a quick scare or if you are a horror movie aficionado like me. It also doesn’t hurt that the always wonderful and recently Oscar-nominated Jessica Chastain stars. Slightly Older Release: Lincoln (PG-13, 150 minutes- starring Daniel Day-Lewis) If you have not yet seen Lincoln, it is a must see for any fans of film or American history. Lincoln was one of last year’s biggest success stories in film, grossing 270 million at the box office and garnering 12 Academy Award nominations, winning two. Daniel Day-Lewis was magnificent in the title role, taking home the Best Actor Oscar along with every other award...
by Logan Butts | May 3, 2013 | Opinion
“Ever since the guy with the hammer fell out of the sky, subtlety kind of went out of the window.” And just like that, Iron Man 3 had been summed up in one quote from Col. James “Rhodey” Rhodes a.k.a. War Machine a.k.a. Iron Patriot. My job was done. No need for a review. But, seriously, this one quote, delivered with expert comic timing by the cheeky Don Cheadle, had everything you need to know about Iron Man 3. After the enormous success of The Avengers, expectations were high for Iron Man 3. Director Shane Black, new to the superhero genre, decided to respond to those expectations by going for broke. Black took his usual nineties buddy cop action formula and applied it to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. There were enough edge-of-your-seat set pieces to indulge any action junkie. All of the action scenes, along with Black’s trademark comedic touch, were not subtle whatsoever, which is exactly what this franchise needed to stand out after the massive box office haul and critical adoration of The Avengers. Robert Downey, Jr. was his usual charismatic self as Iron Man, the role he was born to play. With an array of one-liners and an unexpected touch of feeling, Downey continued his winning streak as the most compelling on-screen Marvel hero. As it has come to be expected from the Marvel movies, the cast was rounded out by a group of highly respectable actors turning in more than capable work. Gwyneth Paltrow’s role as Pepper Potts was expanded to include more vital screen time in this segment of the trilogy, as was Jon Favreau’s...
by Cory Woodroof | Apr 28, 2013 | News Slider, Opinion
The Nashville Film Festival concluded its run on Thursday, and here’s a recap of the four films I saw from the midpoint of the festival to its close. MAGIC CAMP A kindly documentary if there ever was one, Judd Ehrlich’s Magic Camp takes a look at the week-long journey of five aspiring magicians as they try to hone their craft at the legendary Tannen’s Magic Camp. The film offers five strong subjects – a seasoned camper who hopes to once again claim the week’s competition prize, a nine-year-old budding magician who takes his talent very seriously, a teen that uses his magic skills as a way to honor God, an enthusiastic young female magician who tries to stand out in a field of guys and a magician suffering from Tourette’s Syndrome. With Magic Camp, Ehrlich offer up an earnest look at a gifted group of youngsters who use magic as a way to socialize, deal with personal issues and fulfill lifelong dreams. It’s a documentary that champions the idea that kids need outlets like magic to truly be their original selves – a praiseworthy message if there ever was one. A good documentary leaves you hopelessly invested in the focal points, and thankfully, the five kids in Magic Camp were such strong hinges to hang the film’s message on, this documentary is able to elevate itself above what I expected a feature about a magic camp would be like. Simply put, Magic Camp was one of NaFF’s stronger documentaries. THE LAND OF EB A smaller feature that screened at the festival, The Land of Eb took the prize for...
by Cory Woodroof | Apr 23, 2013 | Opinion
The Nashville Film Festival is still currently underway at the Green Hills 16 Theater by school, and I’ve been given the chance to see a few movies as the semester winds down. Here’s a few thoughts on the films that I’ve been screening. LUNARCY! In the chipper documentary Lunarcy!, filmmaker Simon Ennis showcases individuals who, in some way, shape or form, gear their lives in accordance to the moon. Among the film’s many subjects, we spend a great deal of time with Christopher Carson, a lunar devotee with a dream of getting a one-way ticket above, Alan Beam, a former astronaut who now prefers to paint about his time in the sky and Dennis Hope, the supposed ‘President of the Moon.’ For much of its runtime Lunarcy! is a sheer joy to watch. It’s clear that Ennis is fascinated by his subjects, regardless of how naïve or silly their aims may appear. It’s easy to initially write-off the focal points as hollow daydreamers, but Ennis digs deep into why someone would hang their aspirations on something as far-fetched as living on or owning something that’s hundreds of thousands of miles away – which works wonders for the end product. Instead of being a novelty, Lunarcy! turns into something more – an intimate portrait about why we dream. The film fights for the idea that no matter how unobtainable your aims are, they’re justified because they’re a part of you. Lunarcy! is a gem that deserves mainstream attention. DIE THOMANER: A YEAR IN THE LIFE OF THE ST. THOMAS BOYS CHOIR LEIPZIG Die Thomaner: A Year in the Life of...
