Modern Classics — Mulholland Dr. (2001)

[Reviewed by: Alex Miller]

Perhaps one of the best examples of how bad the Academy is at picking the best film of the year, Mulholland Dr. was not even nominated for Best Picture in 2001. Instead they chose Ron Howard’s competent but all too formulaic and forgettable A Beautiful Mind that year. Although Director David Lynch (The Elephant Man, Dune, Lost Highway) did win Best Director at Cannes, it took time for some people to give the film the acclaim it truly deserves. It’s understandable in that if there was ever a film that DEMANDED repeat viewings it is this one. It is the first and only movie I have ever watched and then immediately rewinded and watched again (mind you it’s a 2.5hr long movie). I was interested but confused the first time, understandably so I think. The second time I wanted to go erect a statue in my yard in dedication to this cinematic achievement. If you missed out on this film when it came out, STOP READING as it is impossible to discuss this movie at any level of detail without completely ruining it for you. Go watch it, then read this, then go watch it again.

Review — Catfish

[Reviewed by: Eric Raymer]

Don’t listen to the marketing campaign – Catfish isn’t the movie they want you to think it is. The posters ominously warn you to not “let anyone tell you what it is,” and seem to suggest some sort of thriller or horror flick. It’s unfortunate that they resort to making you play guessing games in order to see this film. With a story that’s driven primarily by events occurring on the internet, and a plot that constantly has you questioning the truth from those in front of and behind the camera, Catfish captures life in 2010 in a way that few other movies do. I’ll try to avoid giving away any of the specifics in this review, but it’s impossible to discuss this film without changing the way you’ll perceive it. If you want to go in with no preconceptions at all, stop reading now. Otherwise, read on.

Top-5 — Films to Watch if You Liked Inception

[Posted by: Eric Raymer]
[Site Update: There is now a Top-5 Menu selection which shows you all of our “Top-5” lists]

Christopher Nolan’s Inception is one of the best films I’ve seen this year, mostly because of its unique Matryoshka doll plot structure and the way it blurs the line between dream and reality. I like movies that give me a little credit as a viewer and ask me to bring my brain to the theater instead of leaving it at home. If you want some more mind-twisting films that also dabble in dreamscapes, check these out. In no particular order:

Trailer of the Day — Devil

Trailer Review:
[Author: Alex Miller]

We’ve got the brand new trailer for “Devil” today. This is the first of a supposed eventual trilogy in “The Night Chronicles” series. The official website refers to it as having “M. Night Shyamalan’s signature touch”. It can’t be that bad can it?! Click the jump for the complete first look!