“Everything I learned I learned from the movies.”
― Audrey Hepburn
All in film festivals
Although "Happy Christmas" is billed as a comedy, it's definitely more a dramatic character study with comedic elements than a belly-laugh inducing comedy.
This sprawling coming-of-age epic -- comprised entirely of masterfully woven together slice-of-life moments -- is one of the very best films in recent years. "Boyhood" is cutting-edge, experimental film making at its finest.
For a film so clearly designed only to be a quintessential tearjerker, this tale of first love and dying young pulls emotional strings with a story that borders on manipulative.
Like sweet and sour or chocolate and peanut butter, the combination of devilish fun and unnerving darkness comes together to form something unexpectedly incredible.
Not quite a comedy and lacking enough plot to call it a drama, 'Prince Avalanche' is a slowly-moving film that defies convention or genre.
One of the strongest films of 2013 is a simple, brilliantly executed coming-of-age story of a teen's summer vacation to a seaside town.
Simply calling 'Stories We Tell' a documentary is quite reductive. This is a masterpiece of storytelling and a layered, captivating look back at the lingering effects of 30-year old family secret.
It's apparent the intent was to create a scathing commentary on those obsessed with celebrities - but in doing so, 'The Bling Ring' sinks to the level of stupidity of those its critiquing.
The latest Pixar offering is a two-headed monster - one head is an unremarkable-to-cloying CGI kid's movie while the other head is a daring adventure and thoughtful story.
I caught 24 films at the SIFF 2013 - here are my top 5 films from the festival.
Kitschy documentary succeeds in making the already internet famous Lil Bub - who suffers a myriad of physical disabilities - more amazing, while doing her weirdo, cat-obsessed fans no such favor.
Nostalgic without manipulation, funny without compromising dramatic elements and an overall fun adventure - 'The Kings of Summer' is a great addition to the coming-of-age genre.
This is not simply the story of rediscovering a lost gem. 'A Band Called Death' is the very human documentary accounting the birth, death and rebirth of a pioneering punk band named Death.
This off-beat, artful film does what 'The Mindy Project' and even 'Girls' fails to truly accomplish: present a truly focused, wonderfully executed story of sympathetic and realistic single girl living in the city, chasing her dream.
