Lessons of Darkness

New Year Catch-Up

Happy 2010, all. To start the new year, I've got a backlog of recent stuff, including my interview with Terry Gilliam, my latest Sandbox column, and my first review for The Village Voice.

The Adventures of Baron Gilliam (IFC News)
The Sandbox: Breeding Frenzy (IFC News)

Out Now:
The Chaser (Village Voice)
Daybreakers (Slant magazine)
Wonderful World (Slant magazine)

The Big Almost-Finale

There are a few more notable things to be posted here in the final days of 2009, but this is the last big link collection of the year. Enjoy!

The Sandbox: The Year's Most Cinematic Games (IFC News)

Out Now:
Avatar (Slant magazine)
It's Complicated (Time Out New York)
Invictus (Slant magazine)
Crazy Heart (Slant magazine)
The Slammin' Salmon (Slant magazine)

The End is Nigh

One more week until top tens are done, and then it's the home stretch. I've seen just about all of the year's remaining big releases, but because of embargoes, this collection of new stuff - which features my latest decade-centric feature - is all I currently have to offer. As with the Up in the Air review that's directly below this post, however, keep an eye on this space for new site-specific write-ups in the coming days and weeks.

The Sandbox: Postmodern Warfare (IFC News)
The Naughts: The Television Show of the '00s (IFC News)

Out Now:
Brothers (Slant magazine)
The Last Station (Time Out New York)

Post-Thanks Feast

Into the awards-season typhoon I now eagerly go, so no chit-chat - here's this week's new stuff, including my contribution to Time Out New York's Best Movies of the Decade poll and my thoughts on Disney's The Princess and the Frog.

The TONY Top 50 Movies of the Decade, and my ballot

Out Now:
The Princess and the Frog (Slant magazine)
Planet 51 (Time Out New York)
Old Dogs (Slant magazine)
Until the Light Takes Us (Slant magazine)

Dynamic Duo

Ok, well, these two new articles probably aren't exactly "dynamic," but it's Friday, and I'm tired, and that's the first title that came to mind. Nonetheless, here's this week's new published stuff, aside from the reviews of Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans and The Road that appear directly below this post.

The Sandbox: Voicing Celebrity Concerns (IFC News)

Out Now:
The War on Kids (Time Out New York)

Brain Dead

After a grueling work week, I've got nothing to say except that The Box is suprisingly loopy (in a good way), and both games featured in this week's Sandbox column are worth your time and cash.

The Sandbox: Breathing New Life into Old Forms (IFC News)

Out Now:
The Box (Slant magazine)
A Christmas Carol (Slant magazine)
Collapse (Slant magazine)
Splinterheads (Slant magazine)

Devil's Night

Since most of my recent writing has yet to be published, this week's update contains only three new reviews - one of which is mildly positive, two of which are severely negative. Nonetheless, be sure to check out my contributions (#10 and #2) to IFC's Halloween-themed list The 25 Scariest Moments in Non-Horror Films, as well as my interview with Ti West, whose awesome The House of the Devil opens in select cities today.

Ti West Gives Horror a Good Name (IFC News)
  
The 25 Scariest Moments in Non-Horror Films (IFC News)
 
  
Out Now:
The Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day (Slant magazine)
Skin (Slant magazine)
Labor Day (Slant magazine)

October Grouching

My latest batch of reviews doesn't feature much in the way of positivity. And if it's as good as its predecessors, Saw VI - which I'll be reviewing later today (link following) - won't do much to alter that mood.

The Sandbox: Five Rules for Making a Decent Video Game Adaptation (IFC News)

Out Now:
Amelia (Slant magazine)
Saw VI (Slant magazine)
Astro Boy (Time Out New York)
Cirque du Freak: The Vampire's Assistant (Time Out New York)
Motherhood (Time Out New York)
The Stepfather (2009) (Slant magazine)

For He's a Jolly Good Linker

For the first time in who-knows-how-long, I've got a link collection posted on a Friday afternoon. Whoo hoo! My latest Sandbox column is about video game characters' racial profiles, and of my new reviews, the one to pay particular attention to is Bronson, a pretty fierce Brit import that opens today in NYC.

The Sandbox: Racial Profiling (IFC News)

Out Now:
Bronson (Slant magazine)
Couples Retreat (Slant magazine)
The Damned United (Slant magazine)
Free Style (Slant magazine)

Fest-acular

Thanks to a busy work schedule and a young daughter whose illness has led to many recent sleepless nights, this latest link dump is - big surprise! - late. Nonetheless, it's got lots of goodness, from new NYFF (and Time Out New York) reviews, to my most recent Sandbox column, to a podcast I was happy to do with Greencine Daily editor extraordinaire Aaron Hillis and the Filmbrain himself, Andrew Grant. Enjoy.

The Sandbox: When Corporations Collide (IFC News)

NYFF '09 PODCAST: Wild Grass + NYFF Preview (Greencine Daily)

Out Now:

Pandorum (Slant magazine)
Coco Before Chanel (Slant magazine)
I Hope They Serve Beer in Hell (Slant magazine)
Intimate Enemies (Slant magazine)
The Blue Tooth Virgin (Time Out New York)

NYFF:
Broken Embraces (Slant magazine)
The Red Riding Trilogy (Slant magazine)
Lebanon (Slant magazine)
Sweetgrass (Slant magazine)
Ghost Town (Slant magazine)
Hadwijch (Slant magazine)