How many opportunities does one have to see a film which truly pushes the envelope? Avatar, in 3D, is one of those experiences. It will change what people expect from blockbusters. My skepticism is gone. Believe the hype, and disregard naysayers as attention-seeking contrarians.
You know that story that seems too riveting, too poignant, and too heartrending to be true? Well, it might not be. Forbidden Lie$ is a dramatized documentary about the search for the truth, or lack thereof, behind Norma Khouri’s bestselling book Forbidden Love.
Forbidden Love is a memoir, starring a young Jordanian woman named Dalia as its protagonist. Dalia falls in love with a Christian American soldier and for that act of sin, is stabbed to death by her father in an “honor killing”. Forbidden Lie$ examines whether or not this actually happened, or if it was a cynical money-making fabrication by the author.
Buy it here: Forbidden Lie$
I just got done reading an interview with one of my favorite film critics, Manohla Dargis of the New York Times, at Jezebel.com. That lady has a mouth like a sailor, especially when the topics include romantic comedies, the perception that women can’t direct great films, and… the Oscars:
Let’s acknowledge that the Oscars are bullshit and we hate them. But they are important commercially… I’ve learned to never underestimate the academy’s bad taste. Crash as best picture? What the fuck.
Jezebel is a site for and by women, so the interview mostly sticks to topics related to females in film. Dargis is not a “feminist”-critic in any sense, but that doesn’t mean she doesn’t have a lot of opinions about such things. Her point about “boy geniuses” like Wes Anderson getting anything they want despite bomb after bomb is well-taken… when’s the last time a female director has been bandied about as a genius?
If you have some time, and don’t mind aggressive swearing, check out the article at Jezebel.
Here’s a timely topic for the holiday season! Melvin Smif has started a popular thread asking about everyone’s favorite and most hated Christmas movies. Some classic gems like It’s a Wonderful Life and A Christmas Story show up frequently in the posts, which currently number over 40 (though they take a weird turn for the political midway through). Die Hard is another film which appears on a huge number of lists — not the most traditional seasonal fare, but a great movie nonetheless.
Will 2008′s A Christmas Tale one day make lists like this? This French film starring Catherine Deneuve is widely loved by Criticker Users, and might make a good choice for those getting tired of the old standards.
My personal fave, though it’s not awfully unique, is A Christmas Story — I don’t know how many times I’ve seen it. What’s yours? Go join the forum and share!
Amazon: It’s a Wonderful Life / Die Hard / A Christmas Tale / A Christmas Story
A couple of great and really popular films make their way to DVD just before Christmas. Inglourious Basterds and The Hangover were a couple summer flicks that managed to win both critical and box office adoration. Only one of them, though, was good enough to be a Criticker Pick…
In Nazi-occupied France during WW2, a group of Jewish-American soldiers known as “The Basterds” are chosen specifically to spread fear throughout the Third Reich by scalping and killing Nazis. Inglourious Basterds @ Amazon
The Hangover – Average Tier 6.76
A Las Vegas-set comedy centered around three groomsmen who lose their about-to-be-wed buddy during their drunken misadventures, then must retrace their steps in order to find him. The Hangover @ Amazon
G-Force – Average Tier 2.59
A specially trained squad of guinea pigs is dispatched to stop a diabolical billionaire from taking over the world G-Force @ Amazon
Taking Woodstock – Average Tier 5.56
A man working at his parents’ motel in the Catskills inadvertently sets in motion the generation-defining concert in the summer of 1969. Taking Woodstock @ Amazon
The Other Man – Average Tier 3.50
The story of a husband who suspects his wife of adultery, and sets out to track down the other man in her life. The Other Man @ Amazon
You want to be sure your iPhone has the best protection possible. Imperially stylish protection, of course! Our Dark Side iPhone cases come in both hard glossy plastic and matte black silicone. Stick with your rank, buddy. Don’t go ordering the Sith Lord unless you’ve mastered the Dark Side of the Force. There’s a Stormtrooper that’ll do just fine for you. Yeah, you. You know who you are.
Link: Star Wars iPhone Cases
More info: Darth Vader Nintendo Wii Sensor Bar Holder
This poster shows the face of Chewbacca, from Star Wars. At the bottom it says "Chewie" in 70s-style lettering. It’s like decorating your living room with an old friend.
Link: Chewie Retro Poster
For a long time, we’ve had a feature called the “Criticker Shop”. Until now, it’s not shown anything else than popular Amazon DVDs. Kind of worthless, to be honest, and no one ever used it… it was always a sort of place-holder, until we had something better.
So now we’re pleased to introduce the renovated and improved Criticker Shop. There are currently about 100 products, which we’ve hand-selected from various retailers. These are things we think are funny, unusual or awesome — hopefully all three!
If you’re stuck for a gift idea for the cinephiles on your list, check it out! ‘Tis the season for egregious online shopping.
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