60http://shareddarkness.comTue, 22 May 2012 00:42:42 GMTTue, 22 May 2012 00:42:42 GMTen bsimon@artnet.netnohttp://shareddarkness.com/2012/05/21/entrance.aspx?ref=rssBrent SimonCo-directed by Dallas Hallam and Patrick Horvath, Entrance is a deliberately paced indie offering that bills itself as a psychological thriller but in actuality is a fairly aimless tone piece about twentysomething emotional dislocation that only in its final reel leaps somewhat clumsily into genre-oriented skirmish and combat. More after the jump...Film Reviewshttp://shareddarkness.com/2012/05/21/entrance.aspx#Comments96efe67d-6336-4e33-85d6-2b3ffedfb488Mon, 21 May 2012 15:00:00 GMThttp://shareddarkness.com/2012/05/19/maiwenn-interview.aspx?ref=rssBrent SimonThe Grand Jury Prize winner at the Cannes Film Festival last year, and recipient of more than a dozen Cesar Award nominations, Polisse represents a unique French entry in a well-worn genre -- the grizzled police department drama. Centering on the myriad investigations of the Child Protection Unit of a Paris bureau, the movie features all sorts of shocking, sad and scandalous subplots about child abuse, abandonment, underage pickpockets and predatory sexual behavior. But it's also surprising for another reason -- its writer-director and co-star, Maïwenn Le Besco, is a female, trading in a genre most typically reserved for men. I had a chance to speak to Maïwenn recently, about her movie, its life-changing reception at Cannes, her love for Las Vegas, and what drew her to the arts. The conversation is excerpted over at ShockYa, so click here for the full read. ...Interviewshttp://shareddarkness.com/2012/05/19/maiwenn-interview.aspx#Comments64c17524-1436-4074-b324-aab17fa754b3Sat, 19 May 2012 19:00:00 GMThttp://shareddarkness.com/2012/05/19/hysteria.aspx?ref=rssBrent SimonPeriod pieces often get a bad rap simply by virtue of the fact that so many of them center around stuffy romantic hand-wringing, and so they perpetuate the idea that there exists between the various generations an impenetrable chasm of behavioral dissimilarity and fractured emotional resonance. The utterly delightful Hysteria, however, explodes that myth. More after the jump...Film Reviewshttp://shareddarkness.com/2012/05/19/hysteria.aspx#Commentsac07af05-93ad-4671-8c06-fadc6ad09c1aSat, 19 May 2012 14:55:00 GMThttp://shareddarkness.com/2012/05/19/polisse.aspx?ref=rssBrent SimonWinner of the Grand Jury Prize at last year's Cannes Film Festival, Polisse is a French cop drama that comes across as something of a cinematic "turducken" -- filling, yes, but also rather unnaturally stuffed to the breaking point with different and sometimes at odds tastes. More after the jump...Film Reviewshttp://shareddarkness.com/2012/05/19/polisse.aspx#Comments8fc97aee-aa20-4128-b451-950281d440b2Sat, 19 May 2012 14:05:00 GMThttp://shareddarkness.com/2012/05/18/natural-selection.aspx?ref=rssBrent SimonThe darling of last year's South By Southwest Film Festival, where it picked up seven awards, Natural Selection has an interesting central idea and a pair of fairly arresting lead turns, but it doesn't convincingly dig down into its characters, and is further bogged down and hamstrung by its technical limitations. A cracked road trip in which a devoted Christian housewife jointly rescues and falls for a hedonistic, previously unknown family member, writer-director Robbie Pickering's feature debut is an indie effort shot through with good intention, but lacking in either deft enough execution or a tonal commitment one way or another that might tip it toward an honest recommendation. More after the jump...Film Reviewshttp://shareddarkness.com/2012/05/18/natural-selection.aspx#Commentsf26c10d8-7c87-407c-b228-58e21f10b5e6Sat, 19 May 2012 00:45:00 GMThttp://shareddarkness.com/2012/05/17/tara-lynne-barr-interview.aspx?ref=rssBrent SimonWriter-director Bobcat Goldthwait's latest movie, the satirical, gleefully deranged God Bless America, centers on an unlikely pair of spree killers. Joel Murray plays Frank, a depressed, middle-aged office drone who's diagnosed with terminal brain cancer. When Frank sets out to off some of the stupidest, cruelest and most repellent members of society, he comes across Roxy, a 16-year-old high school girl who shares his sense of rage and disenfranchisement. The role of Roxy is a star-making turn for 18-year-old Orange County native Tara Lynne Barr, and not merely for all its foul-mouthed gun waving. Like Ellen Page's breakthrough in Juno, it's a performance that hinges largely on the loquaciousness of its young actress. I had a chance to speak to the wonderfully sweet Barr one-on-one recently, about the movie, auditioning and exactly who can get the middle finger. The conversation is excerpted over at ShockYa, so please click here for ...Interviewshttp://shareddarkness.com/2012/05/17/tara-lynne-barr-interview.aspx#Comments89f2d330-df33-4e5f-9936-d263311871dbThu, 17 May 2012 23:35:00 GMThttp://shareddarkness.com/2012/05/17/bill-w.aspx?ref=rssBrent SimonA documentary about the man who clawed his own way out of drunkenness and then forged a path for countless others to follow by co-founding Alcoholics Anonymous, Bill W. benefits from the plainly fascinating nature of its subject -- a man of contradictions and consistent struggles, who lived a life of sacrifice and service and yet always seemed racked with doubt over whether it was quite enough. More after the jump...Film Reviewshttp://shareddarkness.com/2012/05/17/bill-w.aspx#Comments8877a64f-2a38-439c-87f8-2642041b8f20Thu, 17 May 2012 21:55:00 GMThttp://shareddarkness.com/2012/05/15/i-wish.aspx?ref=rssBrent SimonIf Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne were Japanese instead of French-Belgian, or perhaps set out to craft a homage to Yasujiro Ozu that was crossed with a sort of whimsical yet melancholic version of The Parent Trap, it might well resemble I Wish, writer-director Hirokazu Kore-eda's latest effort. A tender but yawning story of childhood desires and maturation, the movie features some superlative adolescent performances, but also seems a bit caught up in its own relaxed rhythms and beatific point-of-view. For the full, original review, from ShockYa, click here. (Magnolia, unrated, 128 minutes) ...Film Reviewshttp://shareddarkness.com/2012/05/15/i-wish.aspx#Comments3d0424ec-5b9b-49c4-b0d0-d0321b773435Wed, 16 May 2012 06:20:00 GMThttp://shareddarkness.com/2012/05/15/nobody-else-but-you.aspx?ref=rssBrent SimonQuirky but never false, French import Nobody Else But You, from writer-director Gérald Hustache-Mathieu, is a terrifically involving murder mystery that invests in psychological parallelism, and a kind of dark, fated bond between victim and investigator. Traversing pulpy territory, but largely with a tenderness and intelligence matched only by its crisp characterizations, the film's droll grip loosens in the third act, under the weight of some metaphorical highlighting, but there's still plenty of enjoy here for arthouse and mystery fans alike. More after the jump...Film Reviewshttp://shareddarkness.com/2012/05/15/nobody-else-but-you.aspx#Comments26101e05-7c8b-4d13-9f31-d9e64d7622c6Tue, 15 May 2012 16:15:00 GMThttp://shareddarkness.com/2012/05/15/shockya-dvd-column-0515.aspx?ref=rssBrent SimonFor my latest DVD/Blu-ray column, over at ShockYa, I take a gander at War Horse, Bob's Burgers, Kate Beckinsale in black leather, and more, while also expressing disappointment that She's Not Our Sister isn't a Duff sisters movie in which mistaken identities and/or social embarrassment fuel wacky hijinks that involve shoe shopping, a costume party, a really important internship at a fashion magazine and some male eye candy from a series on the CW. Again, it's all over at Shockya, so click here for the full read. ...DVD Reviewshttp://shareddarkness.com/2012/05/15/shockya-dvd-column-0515.aspx#Commentsd4c97bc8-cc4d-4804-bfc8-483bcf223885Tue, 15 May 2012 16:00:00 GMThttp://shareddarkness.com/2012/05/12/joel-murray-interview.aspx?ref=rssBrent SimonJoel Murray, younger brother of Bill, has been in show business for more than two decades, but he's blessed/cursed with an Everyman countenance that often makes people mistake him for their dad's dentist or accountant, or that across-the-street neighbor from your first house. With God Bless America, that may be about to change...Interviewshttp://shareddarkness.com/2012/05/12/joel-murray-interview.aspx#Comments52d761b8-9c4b-41f0-9abf-48905f6c3ee8Sat, 12 May 2012 16:45:00 GMThttp://shareddarkness.com/2012/05/11/what-to-expect-when-youre-expecting.aspx?ref=rssBrent SimonA number of winning performances help keep nominally afloat ensemble baby-bump dramedy What To Expect When You're Expecting, a colorful crowd-pleaser that is facile but about an inch deep with respect to honest relationship complications. Adapted liberally from Heidi Murkoff's 1984 book of the same name, which peddled anecdotal and peer-driven information for soon-to-be parents, this confection works mainly as a piecemeal showcase for the talents of its cast, including Anna Kendrick (above left), Elizabeth Banks and Rebel Wilson. For the full, original review, from Screen International, click here. (Lionsgate, PG-13, 110 minutes) ...Film Reviewshttp://shareddarkness.com/2012/05/11/what-to-expect-when-youre-expecting.aspx#Comments4dc66671-816e-4a7a-9a8c-1af0e5cc4c78Sat, 12 May 2012 00:00:00 GMThttp://shareddarkness.com/2012/05/11/nesting.aspx?ref=rssBrent SimonMarried... Without Children? That's the focus of writer-director John Chuldenko's bittersweet, fitfully engaging Nesting. More after the jump...Film Reviewshttp://shareddarkness.com/2012/05/11/nesting.aspx#Comments2b1b1390-d26a-4fab-a424-c3f9f0387482Fri, 11 May 2012 16:10:00 GMThttp://shareddarkness.com/2012/05/11/devon-sawa-interview.aspx?ref=rssBrent SimonAt first, Devon Sawa is a bit frazzled. The 33-year-old actor has just returned to find a parking ticket on his car. Still, shaking off the disappointment ("If it's the worst thing that happens to me all day, I'm OK with that"), Sawa is enthusiastic when it comes to the subject of his latest movie, Philly Kid. Releasing this week in theaters and on VOD from After Dark Films, the movie co-stars Sawa as the pal of a former NCAA champion wrestler (Wes Chatham), recently paroled from prison, whose unsavory connections lead said friend into a series of brutal cage fights. I had a chance to speak one-on-one to Sawa by phone recently, about his movie, his affinity for MMA, great pranks unplayed, and what he made of that twist in the latest Final Destination movie. The conversation is excerpted over at ShockYa, so click here for the ...Interviewshttp://shareddarkness.com/2012/05/11/devon-sawa-interview.aspx#Comments96a3b0b3-4814-4630-9d69-434484de69ecFri, 11 May 2012 15:30:00 GMThttp://shareddarkness.com/2012/05/11/where-do-we-go-now.aspx?ref=rssBrent SimonLebanon's official Best Foreign Language Film selection for the 84th Academy Awards, Where Do We Go Now? juggles comic fantasy and politicized drama in telling a story of religious strife held at bay by the better angels of women's nature. Its commingled tonalities don't always quite mesh, but if one sticks with it there is some off-kilter delight herein that cuts against erroneous notions of foreign films tackling such big social issues as necessarily staid and stuffy affairs. More after the jump...Film Reviewshttp://shareddarkness.com/2012/05/11/where-do-we-go-now.aspx#Comments633338f1-0c4d-4dcb-a7f5-3af05c514c50Fri, 11 May 2012 15:15:00 GMThttp://shareddarkness.com/2012/05/08/regeneration.aspx?ref=rssBrent SimonThe social activism documentary subgenre is a rich one, but the best of these sorts of willfully disquieting films -- like The Corporation, An Inconvenient Truth, Who Killed the Electric Car? and Michael Moore's Capitalism: A Love Story -- aren't merely reflexive sermons to the choir, but instead movies that try to root down into systemic injustice, abuse, fraud and scientific rejection, in a fervent effort to expose the cost of continued social apathy and silence. Narrated by Ryan Gosling, the slim but still thought-provoking #ReGENERATION slots in nicely as a minor-chord entry of this sort. Director Phillip Montgomery's film has an agitator's soul, and that's perhaps a good thing.Focused on the twin pillars of education and the media, and how they impact and influence everything from our occupational pursuits to social thinking and avocational interests, #ReGENERATION explores some of the galvanizing forces behind the Occupy Wall Street ...Film ReviewsPoliticshttp://shareddarkness.com/2012/05/08/regeneration.aspx#Commentsbee23704-6fe2-4a3e-aeea-45e3f2cb25a8Tue, 08 May 2012 14:30:00 GMThttp://shareddarkness.com/2012/05/08/kris-van-varenberg-interview.aspx?ref=rssBrent SimonHollywood can be a tough place for young actors and actresses, and the seeming benefit or advantage of nepotism isn't always what outsiders might make it out to be. Such is the case for Kristopher Van Varenberg, the 24-year-old son of notoriously limber action star Jean-Claude Van Damme and Gladys Portugues, an ex-bodybuilder and fitness competitor. Mixing action roles and bit parts in movies alongside his dad with character work in other films -- including two new After Dark Films releases, Dragon Eyes and Philly Kid, debuting this week -- the friendly and candid Van Varenberg is out to leave his own mark in the entertainment business. I recently had a chance to speak one-on-one to Van Varenberg, about his two new movies, mixed martial arts and the workout routine he's perfected with his father. The conversation is excerpted over at ShockYa, so click here for the read. ...Interviewshttp://shareddarkness.com/2012/05/08/kris-van-varenberg-interview.aspx#Comments8aad5cc2-1d8f-4600-a432-a1bd8adb48b6Tue, 08 May 2012 14:15:00 GMThttp://shareddarkness.com/2012/05/08/perfect-family.aspx?ref=rssBrent SimonA putative dramedy centering on the happy-face domestic veneer many of us feel it so necessary to play-act and pantomime, The Perfect Family never locates and communicates a very persuasive reason for its existence, or even a compelling dramatic throughline. As a vehicle for the not-much-seen Kathleen Turner, this indie flick from first-time director Anne Renton, which premiered at last year's Tribeca Film Festival, is so-so, but that represents the high point of qualified recommendation for this resolutely middle-of-the-road affair, a cinematic "meh" if ever there were one. For the full, original review, from ShockYa, click here. (Variance Films/Certainty Films/Present Pictures, PG-13, 85 minutes) ...Film Reviewshttp://shareddarkness.com/2012/05/08/perfect-family.aspx#Comments5928befc-8cd4-4296-9db0-4be0d9fa2acdTue, 08 May 2012 14:00:00 GMThttp://shareddarkness.com/2012/05/05/bernie.aspx?ref=rssBrent SimonRichard Linklater is an American original, a filmmaker with a deep and eclectic body of work who has religiously used the medium of cinema to pursue inquiries into his varied fields of interest. In an ideal world, there would be more directors like him, who labor less for stature and craft, and more to shine lights into experiential nooks and crannies, and explore their own curiosities about modern life and all its contradictions and incongruities. Linklater's 15th feature offering, the delightfully off-kilter Bernie, is both different from much of his other work, and yet inimitably the same in its priorities and sublime telling. It's a kind of less overtly comedic Eastern Texas response to Fargo. More after the jump...Film Reviewshttp://shareddarkness.com/2012/05/05/bernie.aspx#Commentse6e676d4-9244-464d-93a6-848621d1d915Sun, 06 May 2012 00:45:00 GMThttp://shareddarkness.com/2012/05/05/suing-the-devil.aspx?ref=rssBrent SimonPablum would be a step up for Suing the Devil, an inane, moralizing Australian production from writer-director Timothy Chey that centers around a lawsuit against Satan filed by a down-on-his-luck law school student. Aiming for some theoretical sweet spot between comedy, courtroom drama and Up-with-Jesus! sermonizing, this poorly sketched and dreadfully acted movie can't even be saved via an attempted personality transfusion from a ranting, raving Malcolm McDowell, in the title role.Scripture is trotted out on both sides, naturally, but Chey's stooping efforts to try to shoehorn in comedy (wherein Satan claims responsibility for leaf blowers and automated customer service, and constantly derides everyone as losers and nitwits) is about 10 percent as clever as he thinks it is. "Trial of the century," huh? Only in movie hell. For the full, original review, from ShockYa, click here. For more information on the film, click here to visit its ...Film Reviewshttp://shareddarkness.com/2012/05/05/suing-the-devil.aspx#Comments4f3dff1b-fc1d-4c03-b7fa-8b1653048224Sat, 05 May 2012 15:40:00 GMT