New England Film Movement Blog tagged 'reviews'

Sweeney Todd Receives Two Thumbs...

Lindsay Shah

That Tim Burton directed Stehpan Sondheim's SWEENEY TODD ought to have been a marriage made in heaven. With Johnny Depp as the Demon Barber with the metaphoric extension of his EDWARD SCISSORHANDS into a razor, this ought to have been a layup. Unfortunately, SWENEY TODD is considerably short of heavenly.

In spite of an impressive production design, London rats and all, the
demands of the film medium, no matter how stylized, still require more verisimilitude than a s [...]

TWEENERS - ON BROADWAY and THE BUSKER - and THEIR PLACE IN THE INDEPENDENT FILM MARKET

David Kleiler

Over the last l5 years, the definition of "independent film" has become as vague as that of "producer" At one time, independent films were defined by the fact that the fim challenged the viewer either in form and/or content- films like Darren Aronofskys PI orSoderberg's SEX LIES AND VIDEOTAPE. Now, the term applies to any film financed outside the studio system, no matter how conventional the film is either in the treatment of the subject matter or in the filmmaking itself. S [...]

"BUG"GING ME

David Kleiler

Although I'm aware that there has been an erosion of civil liberties, increased surveillance, illegal detainment of suspects, and an overall disrespect for privacy, I don't yet feel I live in an Orwellian universe. But yet you see the recent glut of films which are so preoccupied with spying that it borders on the paranoid. Similarly, just two weeks ago I waited i [...]

LOW AND BEHOLD and TEETH at the Nantucket Film Festival BITE!

Lindsay Shah

I will begin by saying that if you are planning to attend this festival you should attempt to purchase tickets ahead of time to avoid waiting in rush lines. The churches on the island double as screening rooms, so get there early for a pew up front. There is no ascending seating. Something about everyone being equally close to God I heard.

Rumor has it that there were a number of impressive films screening that week. Unfortunately a combination poor intuition and bad recom [...]

FILMMAKING IN BOSTON - THE NOVEL

David Kleiler

An old friend of mine, Paul Sherman, who used to write for
the Improper Bostonian and The Herald, is writing a book on filmmaking in
Boston. He already has a publisher. The text is due in mid-August, and the book
in due to come out in April 2008.

I've known Paul for 25 years. (He first came to my house 25 years ago for a
"press screening" of Russ Meyer's FASTER PUSSYCAT KILL KILL, when I
reviewed it in my Rear Window days) Paul, along with his sister Betsy, [...]

"12" STEPS TOWARD BUILDING A BOSTON FILM COMMUNITY

David Kleiler

Vitality in film production activity in the newly rejuvenated Boston is taking many forms. There's the revived Massachusetts Film Office under the knowing leadership of Nick Paleologos; there's the emergence of Beanywood, with young energy devoted to unifying and promoting the film community; there's Paul Sherman's book covering the history of filmmaking in the area; and now there's "12", a twelve-part film showcasing the work of some of Boston's most accomplished filmmakers.

< [...]

ONCE

David Kleiler

ONCE is a glorious little film that restores one's faith in independent filmmaking. Although it is a musical and a love story, both genres I mostly dislike, both elements are done in a refreshingly original way. ONCE tells of two musicians who meet, play music together, make a CD, and perhaps fall

in love sounds familiar, but wait until you experience the film.

Filmed [...]