Film & TV
Climbing The North Face
For a film based on the well-known attempt by a set of climbers to scale the north face of the Eiger in 1936, the German-made thriller North Face perfects the art of the cliffhanger (literally) — even for an audience aware of the ultimate historical outcome. From the moment the main characters Toni Kurz (Benno Furmann) and Andi Hintertoisser (Florian Lukas) — two Nazi soldiers who prefer pitons over pistols — approach the deathly Eiger, director Philipp Stolzl crafts the story of the climber’s ascent with visual and emotional precision. With the group of climbers clinging to a mass of rock by the most inconsequential of steel and rope, dodging avalanches and taking a frostbitten beating from the fickle weather, Stolzl brings the audience to the mountain, piecing together the infamous story in the process. This becomes most evident in the scenes off the mountain; where the storyline strays from original accounts of the expedition, it struggles the most.
Forgotten By The Academy
Each year as Oscar nominations are announced, worthy candidates are inevitably left off the nominations shortlist.
Defibrillator: "Heavenly Creatures" (1994)
The name Peter Jackson is synonymous with fantasy, thanks to the Lord of the Rings trilogy, but this has not always been the case.
The Art Of The Documentary
Street chatted with The Art of the Steal director Don Argott and producer Sheena M. Joyce.
City Of Brotherly Theft?
According to Don Argott’s riveting documentary The Art of the Steal, one of the biggest thefts of recent memory was conducted not by masked men with guns, but by Philadelphia’s own elected officials.
Written In The Stars
Roman Polanski has directed yet another cinematic success with The Ghost Writer, a political thriller — and adaptation of Robert Harris’s book of the same name — that acutely delves into the lives of its high-powered characters, isolated from their country and the rest of the world on a secluded, bleak and wintry Massachusetts island compound.
Defibrillator: "Taxi Driver" (1976)
A few years ago, I watched Raging Bull on a whim. Having finally appreciated a movie not starring Will Ferrell, I vowed to make my way through the rest of Martin Scorsese’s greatest hits.
Spread The Message
After garnering Oscar nominations for Best Supporting Actor and Best Original Screenplay, fall release The Messenger is returning to theaters this week.
Guilty Pleasure: Josie And The Pussycats (2001)
Archie’s too-cool-for-school rock star friends, Josie (Rachael Leigh Cook), Melody (a pre-train wreck Tara Reid) and Valerie (Rosario Dawson) leap off the comic book pages and onto the big screen in this tongue-in-cheek comedy.
Open The Shutters
Shutter Island, Scorsese and DiCaprio’s fourth collaboration, finds the legendary duo taking more risks than ever before.
Island Dream Team
Street caught up with legends Martin Scorsese, Leonardo DiCaprio and Sir Ben Kingsley to discuss their new film, Shutter Island Street: How did you approach this film, and what drew you to the material? Martin Scorsese: I think I just tried to approach it from my own reaction to reading the material.
Highway To Hell
St. John of Las Vegas’ opening scene features Steve Buscemi under the unflattering glare of a convenience store’s fluorescent lights.
Go Fish
On the surface, Fish Tank seems like the white, British version of awards show-darling Precious. Both films feature teenage girls with big dreams in seemingly hopeless situations, living in poverty with negligent mothers and little guidance.
Werewolf?
Are werewolves the new vampires? Thanks to a certain tweenage book/movie sensation, it seems like our favorite hairy monsters are making a resurgence on the big screen.
In The Mood For Love
A complex web of relationships that all converge over the course of one day? You’re probably thinking you’ve already seen this movie.
3-D Upgrades
If Avatar’s success is any indication, we can expect many more 3-D films in the future.
Sundance Shoutouts
Last weekend, after 10 days and 200 films, Sundance concluded another exciting indie film festival.
Guilty Pleasure: Troop Beverley Hills (1989)
With its celebration of ’80s-style overindulgence and superficial consumerism, Troop Beverly Hills is just the film to combat those recessionista blues. Following her husband’s request for a divorce, materialistic socialite Phyllis Nefler (Shelley Long) plunges into her role as the leader of her daughter Hannah’s (Jenny Lewis long before Rilo Kiley) Wilderness Girls troop.
Sparks Fly
Nicholas Sparks should be proud of himself. Not only has he carved out a second home atop the New York Times bestseller list, but he has also practically monopolized the cinematic genre of tear-jerking romance.
