Film Review: Sound City

Dave Grohl, director of the new documentary Sound City.
Dave Grohl, director of the new documentary Sound City.

Directed By: David Grohl

Written By: Mark Monroe

Starring: Trent Reznor, Tom Petty, Mick Fleetwood, and a cast of musical legends

The movie ‘Sound City’ started as a movie about a location but evolved into the raw internal disclosure of the emotional soul of a musician and the music industry. It allows a peek into the behind the scenes non-glamorous side of an album recording, opening insight to the controversy of analog verses digital methods.

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Film Review: Parker

Jason Statham as Parker
Jason Statham as Parker

starring: Jason Statham, Jennifer Lopez and Michael Chiklis

written by: John J. McLaughlin

directed by: Taylor Hackford

MPAA: Rated R for strong violence, language throughout and brief sexual content/nudity Continue reading “Film Review: Parker

Film Review: Mama

mama-jessica-chastain-2

starring: Jessica Chastain, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Megan Charpentier, Isabelle Nélisse, Daniel Kash, Javier Botet, Jane Moffat

written by: Andrés Muschietti, Barbara Muschietti, Neil Cross

directed by: Andrés Muschietti

MPAA: Rated PG-13 for violence and terror, some disturbing images and thematic elements

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The Spinning Platters Guide to the Best Films of 2012

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It’s list time! 2012 marked my second full year serving as Spinning Platters’ movie editor, and I once again had the kinda-privilege of seeing nearly every theatrical release. But I have to say, and maybe it’s just because I’m already jaded and embittered after only two years of full-fledged film criticism: I was rather disappointed by the 2012 crop. Last year I had a bitch of a time narrowing my favorites down to just ten, while this year I had to talk myself into believing a few of them were even worthy of top-ten canonization. And unlike 2011, this year left me without a clear favorite. I still use a ranked list below, but my top four are fairly interchangeable. Still, some things have remained the same: as with last year, there is at least one optimistic critical favorite I’ve aligned myself squarely against (last year it was The Artist, this year it’s Silver Linings Playbook), as well as one blockbuster comedy that somehow made it into my top five. So without any further ado, let’s dive into my begrudging top ten, some honorable mentions, my bitchiest moments of the year, and the movie I’m most embarrassed about praising.

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Film Review: Django Unchained

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starring: Jamie Foxx, Christoph Waltz, Leonardo DiCaprio, Kerry Washington, Samuel L. Jackson

written and directed by: Quentin Tarantino

MPAA: Rated R for strong graphic violence throughout, a vicious fight, language and some nudity

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Film Review: This Is 40

Paul Rudd and Leslie Mann in THIS IS 40
Paul Rudd and Leslie Mann in THIS IS 40

starring: Paul Rudd, Leslie Mann, Maude Apatow, Iris Apatow, Jason Segel, Annie Mumulo, Robert Smigel, Megan Fox, Charlyne Yi, Albert Brooks, John Lithgow, Chris O’Dowd, Melissa McCarthy, Lena Dunham

written and directed by: Judd Apatow

MPAA: Rated R for sexual content, crude humor, pervasive language and some drug material

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Film Review: “Silver Linings Playbook”

Jennifer Lawrence and Bradley Cooper in SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK

starring: Bradley Cooper, Jennifer Lawrence, Robert De Niro, Jackie Weaver, Chris Tucker, John Ortiz, Julia Stiles

written by: David O. Russell (screenplay), Matthew Quick (novel)

directed by: David O. Russell

MPAA: Rated R for language and some sexual content/nudity

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Film Review: “Lincoln”

Daniel Day-Lewis in LINCOLN

starring: Daniel Day-Lewis, Sally Field, Tommy Lee Jones, David Strathairn, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, James Spader

written by: Tony Kushner

directed by: Steven Spielberg

MPAA: Rated PG-13 for an intense scene of war violence, some images of carnage and brief strong language

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Film Review: “The Paperboy”

Zac Efron, Matthew McConaughey, Nicole Kidman, and David Oyelowo in THE PAPERBOY

starring: Zac Efron, Matthew McConaughey, Nicole Kidman, John Cusack, David Oyelowo, Macy Gray

written by: Lee Daniels and Pete Dexter

directed by: Lee Daniels

MPAA: Rated R for strong sexual content, violence and language

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