Movie Reviews

Alice in Wonderland

March 5, 2010 · 2 Comments

My thought exiting this movie was: Did Tim Burton actually read Lewis Carroll’s works? It doesn’t seem so. Mr. Burton’s critical failure may be that he only went as far as Disney’s animated adaptation in his research. Not surprising; they’re the ones bankrolling this version. Alice in Wonderland, very loosely based on Mr. Carroll’s Through the Looking Glass: What Alice Found There, is neither a coherent adaptation of the source nor its predecessor, Alice’s Adventures In Wonderland. The opening credits, complete with Danny Elfman’s banal score,... [Read the full story]

Music Reviews

For Your Entertainment – Adam Lambert

November 22, 2009 · 28 Comments

Adam Lambert can’t be accused of timidity. His debut album, For Your Entertainment, hasn’t re-invented the acoustic wheel, but his bucking of any one genre is a risk most non-established artists would shrink from. In an industry where pop icons themselves are branded as a commodity, music often takes a backseat to pomp and circumstance. However, Mr. Lambert is a rare creature; his show-stopping style is backed by a preternatural vocal ability. As Madonna (more a businesswoman performer than a vocalist) sagely stated, “An image and a good hook can get you in the... [Read the full story]

Interviews

Kristopher Belman: More Than A Game

October 16, 2009 · Leave a Comment

Writer/Director Kristopher Belman began filming More Than A Game while a student at Loyola-Marymount University. Originally a short film project, he acquired financing and distribution for theatrical release. The film premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in September of 2008. Rubin Safaya: You studied film at Loyola? Kristopher Belman: Yeah. Actually I studied television production. It was in the film school. It was my first semester there when I… kind of… or my second semester when I started following these guys. RS: When you were deciding a concept for the 10-minute... [Read the full story]

Editorials

The Grammys® Transcript – Facebook Style

February 1, 2010 · Leave a Comment

Watching the 52nd Annual Grammy® Awards, I was on a bit of a tear posting nonstop updates to my friends on Facebook as the show went on. Filmmaker Nina Paley suggested I post the entire collection as an article on Cinemalogue. So here are my comments and observations, unedited: Rubin Safaya No WAY… GaGa just intro’d Pokerface in the lyrical meter of Bohemian Rhapsody! Rubin Safaya That’s SIR Elton Freaking John, ladies and gentlemen. 52nd Annual Gramophone “Grammy” Awards. Rubin Safaya Go to hell, Jay-Z. Have a sense of humor about your ridiculous-ass self. Rubin... [Read the full story]

Retrospectives

Tales From The Future

November 27, 2009 · Leave a Comment

In 1972, while studying film at University of Southern California’s School of Cinematic Arts, Robert Zemeckis (a classmate of George Lucas and John Milius) filmed an eight-minute short, titled “The Lift.” Filmed at the iconic Bradbury in Los Angeles, the project required Zemeckis to use angles, lighting and music to heighten the tension with no dialogue. In the process, the young prodigy brought an inanimate, mundane object to life. The talented Mr. Zemeckis went on to direct his first feature, I Wanna Hold Your Hand, in 1978, starring Nancy Allen (Robocop), Marc McClure and... [Read the full story]

News

HURT LOCKER Sweeps Oscars

March 8, 2010 · Leave a Comment

On March 7, Kathryn Bigelow became the first woman to win Best Director at the 82nd Annual Academy Awards®, at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood, CA, for her film The Hurt Locker. In addition to Best Picture, the movie picked up a total of six awards for Best Supporting Actor in a Leading Role (Christoph Waltz), Best Film Editing, Best Sound Editing, and Best Writing (Original Screenplay). Receiving the award, an elated Ms. Bigelow said, “This really is… There’s no other way to describe it, it’s the moment of a lifetime. First of all, this is so extraordinary to be in the... [Read the full story]