Chances are that most of us would love to be able to make a living expressing ourselves, whether through art, music, literature or film, and UC Berkeley time and again proves itself an institution that will give us that chance. The Roselyn Schneider Eisner Prizes in Film and Video, commonly Read More…
Some kind of congratulations should be in order for Baz Luhrmann’s adaptation of “The Great Gatsby.” Somehow, Luhrmann has managed to turn F. Scott Fitzgerald’s iconic 1920s novel of wealth, excess and the death of the American Dream into something I never thought possible — dull. Yes, despite the extravagant Read More…
“In the House” balances beautifully the two things that French filmmakers do best — substantial natural dialogue and that singular sexuality inevitable in Francophone work — while reattributing them to a very different kind of story. Far from the Nouvelle Vague “Breathless” couples and quasi-sex-fantasy Brigitte Bardot fodder of the Read More…
Here’s a pitch that wouldn’t be hard to sell on a college campus — a religion about sex, drugs ‘n’ rock and roll. After all, many of us are already devotees to at least one of them. The co-directors, Maria Demopoulos and Jodi Wille, tell the story from the points Read More…
Much Ado About Nothing When one thinks of Shakespeare, the mind doesn’t naturally bend toward the sci-fi/supernatural wunderkind Joss Whedon. Known primarily for his forays into television (“Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” “Firefly”) and recent comic book box-office success with “The Avengers,” it seemed a slight surprise when it was announced Read More…
Movies with all-star casts are not the easiest to love. Usually, their budgets are so large that all they need to do is rely on their celebrity status to draw large crowds to movie theaters. Sure, they tell a funny story that will keep you entertained for 90 minutes, but Read More…
It’s hard to say no to Pixar when the animation studio invites you to its major national and international press day. Pixar Animation Studios, situated a mere three miles from UC Berkeley’s campus, opened up its own collegiate affair, “Monsters University.” Inspired by 2001’s “Monsters, Inc.,” Pixar is premiering the Read More…
Early twentieth century Russian filmmaker Dziga Vertov once observed that “everybody who cares for his art seeks the essence of his own technique.” Director Shane Carruth’s sophomore effort, the new film “Upstream Color,” strikes directly at this exploration; it is a sprawling, emotionally wrought movie whose abstract plot seems less Read More…
“Expand or Die.” This is the mantra of the 21st century’s $2 trillion agricultural market, depicted in Ramin Bahrani’s “At Any Price.” Henry Whipple (Dennis Quaid) is a firm believer of this saying. Whipple realizes that in order to survive he must expand, and to do this he must cut Read More…
If you’re looking for a documentary to break your heart with harrowing images, “The Revolutionary Optimists,” by Nicole Newnham and Maren Grainger-Monsen, is not for you. If you’re looking for a film to inspire you, it is. The documentary, which opened on April 5, instead presents a hopeful view of Read More…
