Caballero Oscuro
A masked media snob rebelling against rampant mediocrity in the entertainment industry and searching for the best and brightest talents deserving wide recognition.
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Displaying Results 1 - 50 (of 50) for All Content
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A Man Named Pearl Movie ReviewA Man Named Pearl is a rarity in the world of documentary film: an unabashed feel-good film that has little agenda save a look at the work of its fascinating subject. -
The Guatemalan Handshake DVD ReviewPopulated by a cast of remarkable, colorful characters and structured with some odd elliptical storytelling, it's at once an ode to small town life as well as a comedic examination of the oddballs allowed to flourish there.
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"Alice's House" Movie ReviewAlice's House presents a slice-of-life tale centering on a middle-class family in Sao Paulo, Brazil.
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Gypsy Caravan Movie Review: The Truth About GypsiesGypsy Caravan is much more than a music documentary, shattering myths and stereotypes while providing an enriching, captivating look at the Romani people.
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The Treatment Movie Review: Too Much Treatment, Not Enough RomanceAlthough the Dr. Morales character gives the film and novel its title (as he's giving Jake "the treatment"), his excision from the film would have given it a chance to fully focus on what it does right: the budding romance between Jake and Allegra.
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DOA: Dead or Alive Movie ReviewDOA: Dead or Alive might as well be called Dead on Arrival for its overall chances of box-office success, but here's the surprise: it's a fun guilty pleasure
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Hatter M: The Looking Glass Wars Vol. 1Frank Beddor's comic book adaptation of his Looking Glass Wars universe has been collected in a lush hardcover "geo-graphic novel" complete with a plethora of bonus features. -
CD Review: Erasure - Light at the End of the WorldThe boys in Erasure are still making music together, and not much has changed since their debut over 20 years ago -
Arthur and the Invisibles DVD ReviewWith Arthur and the Invisibles, action auteur Luc Besson turns his attention to entertainment for the younger set with mostly favorable results. -
Provoked Movie Review: The Indian Burning BedThe film has a powerful story and a fine cast, but suffers from completely pedestrian production that feels more like a Lifetime movie from India than a major motion picture. -
Breaking and Entering DVD Review: A Theft of Two HoursMinghella's films have always seemed overly self-important, but at least in the past he had solid literary origins to fall back upon. Here he's left to his own devices, sinking the production with his plodding, uninvolving, and completely unbelievable script. -
L'Iceberg Movie Review: Send in the ClownsL'Iceberg inhabits the eccentric, fantasy world of comedy films populated by the likes of The Life Aquatic and Amélie, barely keeping one foot in reality while stepping far out into its highly stylized fictional realm. -
Born to Fight DVD ReviewBorn to Fight isn't just a cheap knockoff designed to cash in on the goodwill Tony Jaa's Thai films have established here, instead it's a thrilling achievement completely capable of standing on its own merits. -
Red Road Movie ReviewRed Road paints a disturbing picture of our security-obsessed culture, demonstrating the inherent abuse of power made possible by widespread deployment of security cameras.
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My Father the Genius DVD ReviewWhile the director struggles with her own ambivalence about her father throughout the making of the film, her compelling documentary paints a memorable portrait of this largely unknown artist. -
The Page Turner Movie ReviewRather than relying on horrific acts of violence to drive home its theme, the film's modest thrills show that in this case, revenge is a dish best served lukewarm -
Adam's Apples Movie ReviewAlthough the film is propelled forward by the various misfortunes suffered by the faithful Ivan, it's ostensibly a study of the transformative power of faith on the tough, uncaring skinhead Adam. -
The Host Movie Review: Great Effects, Marginal StoryThe film builds up suitable suspense in its early stages, but constantly allows it to dissipate by switching between the various family members once they get separated. -
Beyond the Gates Movie Review: A Haunting Look at GenocideBeyond The Gates presents a dramatic recreation of the events that transpired during the initial days of the Rwandan genocide, centering on the efforts of two British citizens to protect the endangered natives. -
C.R.A.Z.Y. DVD ReviewWhile the film is worth seeing and remains interesting throughout its nearly two hour length, it loses effectiveness through its scattered themes. -
La Sierra DVD Review: The Real City of GodWhile the film draws easy comparison to the fictional City of God, the reality of this documentary puts it above its predecessor in terms of overall effectiveness -
Into Great Silence: A Truly Transcendent Film ExperienceImagine a world of voluntary solitude and silence, with scarcely any human contact or modern conveniences. Into Great Silence explores this cloistered life in the remote Grande Chartreuse monastery nestled deep in the picturesque French Alps.
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The Cuban Masterworks Collection DVD Box Set ReviewThe set is an extremely welcome addition to US DVD shelves and will hopefully lead to further exploration of the ignored movie archives of Cuba.
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Cowboy Del Amor DVD ReviewDirector Michele Oyahon spends ample time on the relationships shown in the film, but also recognizes the incredibly entertaining character of Ivan Thompson and allocates sufficient time to simply capturing him in action.
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Close to Home Movie ReviewClose To Home is a frightening glimpse of what the US could easily become, and a reminder of how fortunate we are for now.
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Curse of the Golden Flower: Style Over SubstanceWhile the entire film is an absolutely eye-popping display of vibrant color, gorgeous costumes and scenery, it ultimately feels just as empty as the lives of its cloistered royals.
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Dead Man's Shoes DVD Review: Paddy Considine's PaybackPaddy Considine plays the lead role and also co-wrote the script, and while he's far from a household name in the US he puts in a bravura performance here that goes a long way toward cementing his well-deserved lead status.
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Somersault DVD Review: Troubled Teen in Rural AustraliaThis is the debut feature from writer/director Cate Shortland, and it shows, with a propensity for out of focus, pseudo-artistic shots inserted between key scenes as well as needless subplots.
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Children of Men: A Masterful Vision of a Frightening FutureAlthough Children of Men is centered around the tired idea of a dreary dystopian future, director Alfonso Cuaron has taken an entirely refreshing and amazing approach that will reaffirm your belief in the art of filmmaking.
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Happy Tree Friends - New Adventures on DVDSimilar to Itchy & Scratchy from The Simpsons or Kenny from South Park, the characters serve no real purpose other than to die in extremely creative and hysterically funny ways.
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The Architect Starring Anthony LaPaglia: Not Built to LastThe Architect has an interesting core concept, but buries it under implausible and uninteresting subplots that doom the picture to obscurity
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Cars DVD Review: John Lasseter Returns to the Driver's SeatJohn Lasseter finally took the directorial reins again for Cars, and while there was little question that the film would succeed with him at the helm, there was also little chance that he would deviate from the formula he created.
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The Complete Harveytoons Collection DVD Review: High Quantity, Low QualityClassic animation buffs may snipe about the overall production quality of Harveytoons, but there's no denying the overwhelming quantity of cartoons contained on this new DVD collection
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Greg the Bunny from Fox Sitcom Now on DVD (A Compilation of His Short Films)Remember Greg the Bunny from his Fox sitcom a few years back? He's reemerged from hibernation and now appears in new short films on IFC, resulting in this new DVD compilation.
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Climates: A Languid Look at a Deteriorating Relationship in TurkeyClimates traces the deteriorating relationship between middle-aged professor Isa and his noticeably younger TV producer girlfriend Bahar.
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Solo Con Tu Pareja: Alfonso Cuaron's Sex Comedy Finally Reaches the USA 15-year-old Mexican sex comedy might not seem like a prime candidate for release on the prestigious Criterion label, but Solo Con Tu Pareja gets the nod primarily due to its status as Alfonso Cuaron's first feature-length movie.
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The Looking Glass Wars: A Rollicking Literary Reinterpretation of the Alice in Wonderland UniverseThe Looking Glass Wars is a rollicking literary reinterpretation of the Alice in Wonderland universe sure to cast a spell on its targeted young adult audience as well as older readers.
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Moongirl: The Return of Henry Selick, Famed Stop-Motion Animation DirectorMoongirl is a combination DVD and book, an intriguing package deal that results in the DVD gaining distribution through the publishing industry instead of languishing in a studio vault.
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So Much so Fast: A Movie Reaffirming the Precious Value of LifeSo Much So Fast chronicles Stephen's life from the early stages of ALS through its devastating impact over the intervening years, documenting his physical deterioration but also mental determination in the face of an almost certain death sentence.
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Russian Dolls DVD Review: Searching for the Final PrizeL'Auberge Espagnole introduced viewers to Xavier Rousseau as he attempted to find himself while studying abroad in Barcelona. Russian Dolls picks up Xavier's story five years later and finds that he's still as ungrounded as ever.
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Jimmy and Judy: A Doomed Relationship Captured on Handheld VideoJimmy and Judy uses the timeworn convention of a doomed couple on the run from the law, but injects some intriguing guerilla filmmaking to set it apart from its predecessors.
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49 Up: Ordinary People in an Extraordinary Lifelong ProjectAlthough each participant has a different life story, it's striking how similar they have become as middle age encroaches on them. There's a universal sense of resignation and contentment as they begin to enter the realm of grandparents.
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Hustle: Season One on DVD: A Witty and Amusing Look at the Art of the ConInstead of using the serious, heavy-handed dramatic approach followed by the similarly-themed and short-lived FX series, Thief, Hustle follows the breezy, winking approach of the Ocean's Eleven films.
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Hard Candy DVD Review: A Winning Cinematic AchievementIt would be so easy for the film to take sides and turn this into a diatribe on the dangers of online relationships, but the creators wisely avoid preachiness and instead present a horrific situation with no moral winner.
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The Office Season Two: DVD Review: Jam-Packed with Memorable MomentsWhile the original UK version was almost always painfully uncomfortable, the US version has drifted toward more comedic touches that give the show a lighter, more upbeat feel without detracting from its core concept.
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Lonesome Jim Fails to Click: Hampered by Affleck's Listless Delivery and Buscemi's Confusing DirectionWhat do you get when you pair Ben Affleck's younger brother with quirky actor-cum-director Steve Buscemi? Unfortunately, not much.
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Surviving Eden Skewers the Reality TV Show GenreThe concept is so ripe for satire that there are plenty of laughs throughout the film for both fans and detractors of reality shows.
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Idlewild is an Entertaining MessThe weight of Idlewild's genre collisions drags the production down a notch and occasionally causes some plot whiplash, but ultimately adds up to an enjoyable mess.
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Lars Von Trier's Manderlay DVD Review: A Hidden GemManderlay was overlooked during its theatrical release but deserves recognition now that it has arrived on dvd.
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Beastie Boys - Live at Madison Squqre Garden DVDReview of Beastie Boys concert dvd