The Master: this film is a bit of a head-scratcher; partially, because the two central characters are unable to make much sense, but mostly because while there is much to be appreciated, enjoyment is not a result. It sports beautiful images and shots (here’s my bias for lengthy tracking shots showing up again), amazing performances by both Philip Seymour Hoffman and Joaquin Phoenix (in two very distinct ways), but at the end of the day, it is a film one […]

Categories: Film reviews • Tags: drama

Trouble With the Curve: despite the lazy, almost sloppy, story, this film still touches a few nice emotional chords. The laurels here go with the cast, in general able to sell the obvious situations the cliched characters are in.

Categories: Film reviews • Tags: drama

Arbitrage: the definition of arbitrage, roughly, is a group of trades that will yield, in no uncertain terms, a gain; such concept, however, is nowhere present in the film, neither objectively nor figuratively. It’s neither here not there, but the opportunistic title is a sign of the sloppy filmmaking present. Uneven acting (Richard Gere can play the sleazy charmer, but the emotionally charged moments are beyond him), disjointed story (the many elements are there to form a whole, not because […]

Categories: Film reviews • Tags: drama