The Divide

Well, this is January. The month of January is historically known in the movie world as a dumping ground for new releases. Studios and distributors take their movies that have been sitting on the shelf for years or movies quality that is at the very least questionable and release them at the beginning of the year so audiences can quickly forget about them.

Movie-Goers Had No Love For 2011

With 2011 behind us and the promise of 2012 lurking about, it has been a rather disappointing year in movies in terms of audience attendance. If fact, 2011 had brought in the lowest box office receipts in recent years. As reported, Hollywood revenues were down a considerable 3.5 percent from 2010, despite the allure of 3D and IMAX movies. This drop off represents the highest downfall since 1995 when audience attendance were down a whopping 4.4 percent.

The Problem With FOX News' Analysis of The Muppets

I think the best way to start this is to come from the viewpoint of art, history, cinema and storytelling as a way to tackle the analysis of FOX News’ point of view of “The Muppets.” The idea of brainwashing children into thinking capitalism and success are bad things. Yes, from the point of view of FOX News is that money is good and people and government are bad. An “attack” from the liberal biases of Hollywood would make sense then, and after all FOX’s way of running this country is the right way. I really don’t take anything seriously on FOX News anyway. But I found the point made on the FOX News show “Follow The Money,” hosted by Eric Bolling, to be inherently loaded (of course it is), comical, maddening and obnoxious.

Melancholia

Lars von Trier is a good example of the auteur theory at work today. His films are very divisive, relentlessly punishing and emotionally heartbreaking, but at the same time there’s this lyrical beauty to them, looming in the background, in terms of the human condition and its extremes. Even at his most basic and simplistic, stripping away the limitations of cinema with his Dogme 95 films, von Trier tries to nail down the limits of human emotion. In his new film, “Melancholia,” von Trier evolves as a filmmaker on a technical level but still refines his curiosity in pain, pleasure and depression, keeping in mind the villainy of humanity and nature playing against each other.

Scenes of a Crime

Getting caught on videotape is probably the most damning piece of evidence brought into a trial, but what happens when the circumstances and practices of what is caught on videotape is in question. What happens when an accused man’s confession is psychologically coerced from detectives? In the documentary, “Scenes of a Crime,” filmmakers Grover Babcock and Blue Hadaegh try to question police practices and somehow overturn a jury’s final verdict in the case of Adrian Thomas in Troy, New York, accused of murdering his infant son.

Into The Abyss: A Tale of Life, A Tale of Death

The balance between life and death is extremely fine, and as a society we’ve accepted a pack to recognize that murder is not an acceptable way to act. But does that include all murder? What is justified and what is a crime of passion? Is the government justified in taking someone’s life after they commit a crime? Filmmaker Werner Herzog examines these notions while keeping true to the premise that murder is not acceptable no matter who is involved. In this way, I feel “Into The Abyss: A Tale of Death, A Tale of Life” is a fair, interesting and involving documentary.

The Other "F" Word

Dealing with your public life and private can be a tremendous balance, especially if you are in the public eye and also considered punk rock royalty. But taking that delicate balance and adding a family, kids and a home life can make for an interesting dynamic to boot. In the new documentary, “The Other F Word” explores notions of being a responsible, authoritative parent and being in the lime light as a punk rock icon, who tells their loyal fans to “Fuck authority”. This juxtaposition is the centerpiece of this wonderful documentary, which also serves as an accurate depiction of an aging band on tour coming to grips with being middle aged with the punk rock band, Pennywise.