Film Threat » Stina Chyn

PREDATORS

Stina Chyn — Sun, 11 Jul 2010 01:55:15 +0000

"Predators" could have been the (guilty) pleasure of many cinema-goers; instead, there’s too much dialogue for mindless violent spectacle and not campy enough to be so-bad-it’s-good...

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I RAN AGAINST US

Stina Chyn — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 04:01:45 +0000

“I Ran Against Us” conveys the wisdom that all is irrational in love and war. Individuals may be asked to sacrifice pride and rationality for national security...

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DECADES 8: IMPRESSIONS OF CLINT EASTWOOD

Stina Chyn — Mon, 31 May 2010 04:01:26 +0000

HAPPY 80TH BIRTHDAY, CLINT EASTWOOD! The adage about being a man of few words fits Clint Eastwood’s onscreen mise-en-scène. He doesn’t say much, but when he does, he is profound. Actor, director, cultural icon, and fixture of post-war masculinity, the 20th and 21st centuries would be a very different place without Clint Eastwood’s voice, likeness, and corporeality...

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JUST WRIGHT

Stina Chyn — Sun, 16 May 2010 04:01:56 +0000

Part sports film, part love story, “Just Wright” ropes the viewer along on a mighty funny tale of what could happen after a chance encounter between boy and girl...

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DARE

Stina Chyn — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 05:02:30 +0000

What might otherwise be an exercise in ordinary adolescent stories turns powerfully intimate through the wonderful performances that Adam Salky coaxes out from the cast...

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CLONES GONE WILD

Stina Chyn — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000

“Clones Gone Wild” packs an acerbic and goofy punch. So what if it leaves out how it’s possible for Ben not to know he has a clone.

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BIG FAN

Stina Chyn — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000

THE EAGLES TAKE THE GIANTS, 40-17! Writer-director Robert D. Siegel’s 2009 Sundance-approved dramedy indeed examines the fall-out of a hematoma-induced encounter between New York Giants fan Paul Aufiero and his favorite player Quantrell Bishop, but it's not a football film.

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SAW VI

Stina Chyn — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000

Though the same cannot be said of each film in the series, “Saw VI” is visually and narratively solid.

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THE BOYS ARE BACK

Stina Chyn — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000

Reminiscent of Michael Pressman’s 1996 film “To Gillian On her 37th Birthday,” “The Boys Are Back” displays an especially poignant sort of authenticity.

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THE COLLECTOR

Stina Chyn — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000

I can appreciate watching the exploits of an enigmatic, masked and seemingly motive-less psychokiller as much as the next slasher fan, but not this time around.

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DEADLY SWEET (DVD)

Stina Chyn — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000

The Italian title of Tinto Brass' film is “Col cuore in gola,” which literally means, “with heart in throat.” It’s a darn shame that “Deadly Sweet” leaves the heart going nowhere but indifference.

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THE BROTHERS BLOOM

Stina Chyn — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000

IN LIMITED RELEASE! A little bit of screwball comedy and a lot of film noir, add a dash of suspense-drama, and half a dozen card tricks too, then you have “The Brothers Bloom.”

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LYMELIFE

Stina Chyn — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000

IN LIMITED RELEASE! "Lymelife" is funny and well-acted, but it’s just shy of being compelling enough to be remembered.

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THE LAST LULLABY

Stina Chyn — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000

ATLANTA FILM FESTIVAL FEATURE! Goodman’s film is awfully reminiscent of a something you’d see on prime-time television, but I must confess, it’s great to see Tom Sizemore inflicting violence upon unsuspecting punks again.

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BEESWAX

Stina Chyn — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000

ATLANTA FILM FESTIVAL FEATURE! Andrew Bujalski, who also wrote and edited “Beeswax,” bakes some Christopher Guest flavoring (minus the parody) into the film’s overall execution.

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I AM THE BLUEBIRD

Stina Chyn — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000

ATLANTA FILM FESTIVAL FEATURE! The link between memory and self-agency is, in and of itself, a fascinating subject, but Thomas Verrette’s treatment of it makes the film frustrating to watch.

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PROGNOSTICATING WITH GARY WEEKS: OR, “THE DAY I LEFT MY CELL PHONE AT HOME”

Stina Chyn — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000

ATLANTA FILM FESTIVAL INTERVIEW! On a warm and breezy Wednesday afternoon with a honeydew-celery smoothie in hand, Stina Chyn chatted with writer-actor Gary Weeks to learn more about "Deadland," the film he stars in and wrote.

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THE DEATH OF ALICE BLUE

Stina Chyn — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000

ATLANTA FILM FESTIVAL FEATURE! Echoing the narrative programming of late-night SciFi or F/X television, "The Death of Alice Blue" depicts one of the most bizarre and health-code-violating office spaces in indie cinema.

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DEADLAND

Stina Chyn — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000

ATLANTA FILM FESTIVAL FEATURE! Despite its political elements and ideological motifs, "Deadland" is ultimately about a man's need to make things right, to reunite with the person that makes his life worth living.

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SUNSHINE CLEANING

Stina Chyn — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000

Beneath its morbid exterior, “Sunshine Cleaning” projects a tender portrait of how people help out others and seek a better life for themselves.

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I LOVE YOU, MAN

Stina Chyn — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000

Although I can’t formulate a better resolution to the narrative conflicts, "I Love You, Man" ends on a note that is too cute and conventional to accept.

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FILM THREATS SEVEN DAYS OF VD!!!

Stina Chyn — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000

It's that time of year...love and sex are in the air. Screwing is FREE in a recession people! (and for most it takes less time than illegally downloading a movie). So let's get it on with Film Threats "Seven Days of VD!!" First up...a poem and lovely ode to...."Hard Candy?"

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NOT EASILY BROKEN

Stina Chyn — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000

It’s debatable whether or not the sermon-like message is subtle or mild enough for viewers that prefer less of a Sunday school treatment. Coupled with decent acting but average cinematography and editing, “Not Easily Broken” hums more fittingly to the tune of a LifeTime television event.

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BRIDE WARS

Stina Chyn — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000

"Bride Wars" is a chick flick in the purest sense—it's not about men or falling in love—and is quite funny...It might have taken three screenwriters to finalize the blueprint, but the end result is deliciously mindless and doesn’t pretend to offer more substance than it delivers.

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THE TALE OF DESPEREAUX

Stina Chyn — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000

Trailers for "Despereaux" focus heavily, if not exclusively, on the title character. Knowing virtually nothing about the film’s story other than the inclusion of a mouse that doesn’t behave as a scaredy-mouse should, I wasn’t exactly ready for an entire secondary storyline involving a rat.

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A CHRISTMAS TALE

Stina Chyn — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000

The story of “"A Christmas Tale" does not rely on the tropes of Yuletide cinema for substance or style.

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NOTHING LIKE THE HOLIDAYS

Stina Chyn — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000

For seventy to eighty minutes out of ninety-nine, “Nothing Like the Holidays” provides mostly entertaining spectacle. It’s only when the ending credits roll that I realize I wanted to know more about a couple of the characters but the film wouldn’t be able to oblige.

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THE EXPRESS

Stina Chyn — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000

Rather than watch the closing credits with an overwhelming or mildly nagging feeling that the film could have done more to offer a more complete view of his life, you depart with the curiosity and eagerness to learn more about Ernie Davis and his time at Syracuse University...

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HOW TO LOSE FRIENDS & ALIENATE PEOPLE

Stina Chyn — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000

If one were to search for the instructions stated in the film’s title (of how to lose one’s friends and alienate people), one wouldn’t get very far. Sidney doesn’t have any friends to lose; his behavior and personality are more in line with being socially inept...

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RELIGULOUS

Stina Chyn — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000

The notion of biased vs. unbiased does not apply in a discussion of this film. Some might find fault with its approach, but the film’s method is entirely appropriate since "Religulous" incorporates historical factoids but is neither a book report nor an encyclopedia entry on institutionalized religion...

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MIRACLE AT ST. ANNA

Stina Chyn — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000

"Miracle at St. Anna" is a Spike Lee joint that possesses a European texture in the vein of Guillermo Del Toro and Jean Pierre-Jeunet. Imaginative, thought-provoking, and intense...

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RIGHTEOUS KILL

Stina Chyn — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000

The twenty-first century may not have been too generous to De Niro’s and Pacino’s acting careers ("Hide and Seek" and "88 Minutes" respectively, for example), but "Righteous Kill" has pulled both actors up to much more savory environs...

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TYLER PERRY’S THE FAMILY THAT PREYS

Stina Chyn — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000

When all pertinent hearts are flogged and egos shrunken, it’s nearly comforting to recognize that underneath the melodrama of cheating spouses and power struggles sits a road-movie-buddy-picture that could’ve been its own film...

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BANGKOK DANGEROUS

Stina Chyn — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000

Two films titled "Bangkok Dangerous." Both directed by the Pang Brothers (Oxide and Danny). The first one was released in 1999, the second in 2008. Both are about assassins and feature a female pharmacist. The likeness ends there...

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THE SISTERHOOD OF THE TRAVELING PANTS 2

Stina Chyn — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000

Appearances aren't everything, but when there are teenaged girls and matters of the heart and soul involved, then the way a movie looks is as significant as the story it tells. For Carmen, Tibby, Lena, and Bridget, their sisterhood shines even brighter the second time around.

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THE LOVE GURU

Stina Chyn — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000

"The Love Guru" will curb your craving for laughs and won’t leave you consuming more than is necessary...

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THE HAPPENING

Stina Chyn — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000

Whether you're a casual or an ardent follower of M. Night Shyamalan's films, "The Happening" could alienate or dominate your thinking cap. Remember—it's perfectly acceptable to laugh one second and shriek the next...

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PATHOLOGY

Stina Chyn — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000

Maybe I’ve seen too many CSI episodes, because in the end, “Pathology” arouses very little of anything...

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SCHISM

Stina Chyn — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000

If "Schism" is remotely accurate in its portrayal of growing old, it's no wonder that someone sixty-five and older has a higher chance of self-termination than someone sixteen to twenty-five years of age...

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DOOMSDAY

Stina Chyn — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000

“Doomsday” isn’t quite memorable or enthralling enough for three stars, but as a guilty pleasure, it’s spectacularly entertaining—- two-and-a-half twinkles should be fair.

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THE BANK JOB

Stina Chyn — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000

"The Bank Job" secures the viewer’s attention pretty quickly and does not relinquish that hold for a second. Furthermore, the manner in which the heist is carried out and the aftermath of its completion are both exciting and sobering...

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JUMPER

Stina Chyn — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000

The major weakness in “Jumper” is the piling on of action and narrative in the last ten to twelve minutes. It's as though the editor was rushing to meet a deadline and did the best he could with too much footage...

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ALIEN VS. PREDATOR: REQUIEM

Stina Chyn — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000

If the AVP concept is going to be a trilogy (and the ending suggests as much), then I could possibly believe that “Requiem” is just the lackluster, mediocre one in the middle...

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THE ADVENTURE

Stina Chyn — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000

A cinematic experience that is absurdist and peculiar rather than merely random...

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ALVIN AND THE CHIPMUNKS

Stina Chyn — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000

As an elementary school child during the 1980s, I lived for Alvin, Simon, and Theodore. News of a live-action-cgi-combo feature film should’ve fallen on disapproving ears. But it didn’t. On the contrary, I was intrigued...

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THIS CHRISTMAS

Stina Chyn — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000

It’s an ensemble cast Christmas movie focused on a family — the viewer already knows what to expect... “This Christmas” adheres to this formula and impressively stays away from the cheese and the sap that ordinarily accompany holiday pictures...

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AMERICAN GANGSTER

Stina Chyn — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000

The film hovers over Frank Lucas and Richie Roberts separately until the final sequences, where they occupy the same space for the second time and actually get to confront each other. It’s almost completely satisfying. Almost...

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THE COMEBACKS

Stina Chyn — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000

“The Comebacks” is only a great sports movie spoof if you can identify the intertextual elements and appreciate the humor in including them; otherwise, it’s just eighty-four minutes of puns, double entendres, and Freudian slips...

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LUST, CAUTION

Stina Chyn — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000

Ang Lee’s directing is so engrossing that one abandons the impulse to rationalize and finds oneself completely swept up in the consciousness of the story...

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WHY DID I GET MARRIED?

Stina Chyn — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000

Perry’s film made me laugh frequently and whole-heartedly; more so than any theatrically released American film has in many months...

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THE GAME PLAN

Stina Chyn — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000

"The Game Plan" is no "Heaven Can Wait," "The Last Boy Scout" or "Baseketball" in terms of biting humor or cultural criticism, but amidst the news-making events that have befallen the NFL in 2007 thus far, it is certainly an amusing and timely distraction...

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DRIFTING ON THE DOCK OF THE BAY: INTERVIEW WITH CHRIS METZLER AND JEFF SPRINGER

Stina Chyn — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000

Filmmakers Chris Metzler and Jeff Springer, the creative minds behind the ecologically aware and culturally relevant documentary “Plagues & Pleasures on the Salton Sea,” have learned that the right balance between fact and fun is attainable...

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PLAGUES & PLEASURES ON THE SALTON SEA (DVD)

Stina Chyn — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000

While maintaining the perspective of an anthropological, geological case study on a piece of land in southern California, Metzler and Springer’s documentary illustrates the multifaceted nature of man’s interaction with his environment...

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ARCTIC TALE

Stina Chyn — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000

IN LIMITED RELEASE! Consistent with the remarkable cinematography characteristic of a National Geographic film, “Artic Tale” is beautifully photographed...

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MR. BEAN’S HOLIDAY

Stina Chyn — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000

Rowan Atkinson once again brings his beloved character to the big screen with magnified potency in “Mr. Bean’s Holiday” (Steve Bendelack). This hilarious film has Mr. Bean spilling new antics—pun intended—and classic gags on a trip across France...

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THE NANNY DIARIES

Stina Chyn — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000

While the film carries over the novel’s premise, it alters aspects of plot and characterization to such an extent that perhaps it is more apt to refer to the movie as a “loose adaptation”...

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BECOMING JANE

Stina Chyn — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000

When I had first heard that Anne Hathaway would play Jane Austen in “Becoming Jane,” I shook my head for two reasons: 1). The accent! and 2). She’s too happy. After approximately fifteen minutes into the film, however, I forgot about the accent and realized that Anne’s exuberance and dramatic range are fitting for this portrayal of the celebrated literary figure...

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PARIS, JE T’AIME

Stina Chyn — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000

IN LIMITED RELEASE! “Paris, Je T’aime” watches very much like a compilation of short stories. Some entries leave you craving more, while others are self-contained; and still others impress you as having been plucked from a full-length film...

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NO RESERVATIONS

Stina Chyn — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000

“No Reservations” satisfactorily Americanizes its German predecessor by taking an originally more serious story and adding to it a lighter, more comedic tone. Not to suggest that I prefer the old to the new or vice versa, but considering Hicks’s film on its own, it surpasses any romantic comedy I’ve seen in a long time...

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EVENING

Stina Chyn — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000

As a fan of Claire Danes, Patrick Wilson, and Hungarian cinematographers and directors, I went into “Evening” with much enthusiasm. I left the theatre feeling anything but...

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NANCY DREW

Stina Chyn — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000

Complete with car chases, scaffold climbing, secret passages, and a creepy caretaker, “Nancy Drew” mixes the retro “Scooby-Doo” cartoon tone with a modern, kid-friendly action oriented romp along the lines of “Catch That Kid”...

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THE EX

Stina Chyn — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000

The film is superficially a necklace of ostensibly disparate gags, a dozen comedic scenes organized and tied together via a character or relationship study. A closer look, however, reveals that it achieves more than ninety minutes of sufficiently entertaining laughs...

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THE NAMESAKE

Stina Chyn — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000

IN LIMITED RELEASE! The film does not sit still; it pushes forward through time and space, stopping only long enough for the significance of one scene to inform the next...

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IN THE LAND OF WOMEN

Stina Chyn — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000

“In the Land of Women” isn’t a bad film per se—it’s just an empty film. The characters are representatives of narrative themes and consumer goods. When searching for your self, trying to mend a broken heart, or going for a jog, remember to be a good listener and bring your I-Pod...

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BLOOD CAR

Stina Chyn — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000

The future according to Orr is neither utopian nor dystopian. The world two weeks from now is a little absurd, and it must be seen to be understood...

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SAW III

Stina Chyn — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000

By itself, “Saw III” would be a solid exercise in weaving parallel storylines and incorporation of flashbacks. Considered as the third part of this specific trilogy, though, all the pontificating about appreciating life and self-sacrifice grows increasingly tiresome...

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MARIE ANTOINETTE

Stina Chyn — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000

History tells us that Marie Antoinette enjoyed spending money and told the peasants they could eat cake if they didn’t have bread. Instead of perpetuating this alleged comment, Coppola’s film explores Marie’s life from a completely different angle, expressing the idea that there is more to her than history has suggested...

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THE LAST KING OF SCOTLAND

Stina Chyn — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000

IN THEATERS! Inspired by the life of Idi Amin, Uganda’s dictator in the 1970s, “The Last King of Scotland” follows Nick Garrigan’s experiences as he becomes entangled in the private and public worlds of Ugandan politics...

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$100 SHORT SHORT

Stina Chyn — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000

A wobbly piece of furniture and a tilted art piece are easily remedied, but what happens when discrepancies concern money? For the characters in Mike Brune’s short film “The $100 Short Short,” it’ll take more than a stack of napkins to fix things...

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HALF NELSON

Stina Chyn — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000

Solidly directed by Ryan Fleck and edited by Anna Boden, and superbly performed by Ryan Gosling and newcomer Shareeka Epps, “Half Nelson” examines the way in which a history teacher and his student affect each other’s lives...

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FILM PHONICS: “THE TASTE OF OTHERS”

Stina Chyn — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000

Stina Chyn puts her viewing habits in your hands. Readers vote on five random words posted at Back Talk. The winning word dictates what she will have to watch as that word must appear in the title of the movie. Choose wisely!

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FILM PHONICS: “KILLER NUN”

Stina Chyn — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000

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PULSE

Stina Chyn — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000

IN THEATERS...If you have seen “Kairo,” you know more or less what will happen to the characters in “Pulse” and why they happen. If you haven’t, though, you may want to rent the original or watch something else altogether at the multiplex...

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FILM PHONICS: “ENEMY AT THE GATES”

Stina Chyn — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000

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FILM PHONICS: “THE NIGHT PORTER”

Stina Chyn — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000

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FILM PHONICS: “BUTTERFIELD 8″

Stina Chyn — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000

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FILM PHONICS: “BROKEDOWN PALACE”

Stina Chyn — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000

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SEE THIS MOVIE (DVD)

Stina Chyn — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000

Once the movie is made and post-production has finally been completed, distribution and exhibition are usually what challenges a filmmaker’s resolve and determination to share his or her work with an audience. Time, money, energy, and self-sacrifice can feel wasted if the film is finished and nobody is there to see it. For Jake Barrymore [...]

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CASANOVA (DVD)

Stina Chyn — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000

Filmed in Venice, filled with lovely costumes and even lovelier locations, Lasse Halstrom’s period drama-comedy “Casanova” (2005) is an exaltation of imagery. Unfortunately, the film itself is not as marvelous. Set during the mid-18th century, “Casanova” is about a young man (Heath Ledger) whose seductive ways and lascivious appetite for the ladies cause the local [...]

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STRAIGHT INTO DARKNESS (DVD)

Stina Chyn — Mon, 29 May 2006 04:00:00 +0000

ON DVD JUNE 6TH! In the stylistic tradition of Terrence Malick’s "The Thin Red Line" (1998) blended with the contemplative imagery of Robert Frost and the darker ponderings of Edgar Allan Poe, Jeff Burr’s “Straight Into Darkness” follows the journey of two American soldiers lost in the winter woods of a 1945 Europe...

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FILM PHONICS: “THE HI-LINE”

Stina Chyn — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000

Stina Chyn puts her viewing habits in your hands. Readers vote on five random words posted at Back Talk. The winning word dictates what she will have to watch and review the following week as that word must appear in the title of the movie. Choose wisely!

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SHOPGIRL (DVD)

Stina Chyn — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000

The story of “Shopgirl” can be read, heard, and seen. No matter if you choose to experience the world as perceived by Mirabelle Buttersfield via novella, audio book, or movie, each selection will be accompanied by the word choice, the voice, and the body of its primary creator, Steve Martin. I haven’t read or listened [...]

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STOMP! SHOUT! SCREAM!

Stina Chyn — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000

Take a big slice of beach movies, a generous helping of nature-revenge films, and put a pinch of King Kong iconography into a blender, and what do you get? An amusing amalgamation that writer-director Jay Wade Edwards calls “Stomp! Shout! Scream!”

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ATL

Stina Chyn — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000

IN THEATERS! “ATL” is too funny to be a straightforward drama; and, since it touches on topics such as class difference, historical legacy, and growing up without parents, it is too serious to be a comedy...

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BASIC INSTINCT 2

Stina Chyn — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000

IN THEATERS! “Basic Instinct 2” fails as a sequel because we’re not in the 90s anymore...

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GOODBYE, DRAGON INN

Stina Chyn — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000

Tsai Ming-Liang has made a film that by all aesthetic accounts should be a scary film. Psychological eeriness is present, but in tone as opposed to story. Remarkably, though, rather than simply wear the skin of a sinister movie, “Goodbye, Dragon Inn” is somewhat of a satire of the genre...

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ULTRAVIOLET

Stina Chyn — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000

IN THEATERS! Milla Jovovich may look hot in spandex and bangs, but if you want rapidly-cut, slow-motioned-for-emphasis spectacle AND story, take in some ESPN highlights or any production by NFL Films. At least you would be getting your money’s worth...

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THE BREAD SQUEEZER

Stina Chyn — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000

Shot on 16 mm Kodak film stock, Kowalczyk’s quirky comedy is arguably as much a self-conscious parody as it is a mélange of pop-cultural and folkloric imagery...

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UNKNOWN WHITE MALE

Stina Chyn — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000

IN THEATERS! That “Unknown White Male” is a documentary about a man who on July 3, 2003 wakes up to find himself at Coney Island without a clue as to why he is there or who he is makes you do a cognitive double-take...

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A TREASURE IN AUSCHWITZ

Stina Chyn — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000

Narrator Yariv Nornberg, along with a team of archaeologists and eyewitnesses, navigate through Polish geography, geology, and history to find out the truth behind something a store-owner told him about buried religious texts...

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SOLACE

Stina Chyn — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000

It’s a tribute to a man’s son, but it’s also an example of unconventional storytelling...

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HOSTEL

Stina Chyn — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000

IN THEATERS! Controversial for its unnecessary, unjustified exploitation of gore, Roth’s film implicates the audience in its perversity. Never mind that you may like graphically violent films in general or that you thought Roth’s picture was going to be more frightening in the conventional sense than disgusting. You have paid to watch a film about people paying to torture other people...

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LIFT

Stina Chyn — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000

Should “Lift” play at a film festival coming to your town, drop what you’re doing and go see it...

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STYLE WARS (DVD)

Stina Chyn — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000

Those individuals who’ve left legacies behind offer teachings...

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NINETY DAYS LATER: EDDY VON MUELLER AND EVAN LIEBERMAN

Stina Chyn — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000

When I interviewed Eddy Von Mueller and Evan Lieberman four months ago, their film “The Lady from Sockholm” hadn’t yet been screened at a public venue. Curious to know more about what has happened since the debut, I met up with them to talk about the film’s future, other local talents, and where filmmaking in Atlanta might be headed in the next few years...

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THE MYTH

Stina Chyn — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000

NEW JACKIE CHAN! Shot in China, Hong Kong, and Hampi, India, “The Myth” is a comedy of epic proportions. Combining historical fantasy, martial arts, and science-fiction, Stanley Tong’s film follows archaeologist Jack and scientist William on their adventures in investigating the veracity of a myth involving immortality, levitation, and a Korean princess-turned-concubine for Emperor Qin towards the end of the Qin Dynasty...

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LUNCH WITH JAY EDWARDS: GIRLS, SKIRTS, GARAGE ROCK AND MONSTER MOVIES

Stina Chyn — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000

ATLANTA FILMMAKER INTERVIEW! If you have watched Cartoon Network in recent years, then you have seen Jay Edwards’ editing skills. While there were no fries, meatballs, or milkshakes present when I met up with “Aqua Teen Hunger Force” editor and producer over lunch, there were a couple of tacos and a tuna dish...

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FILM PHONICS: “POSSESSION” & “ONEGIN”

Stina Chyn — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000

Every week, Stina Chyn puts her viewing habits in your hands. Readers vote on five random words posted at Back Talk every Tuesday. The winning word dictates what she will have to watch and review the following week as that word must appear in the title of the movie. Choose wisely!