Alleluia

A Belgian riff on the pitch-black legend of the Honeymoon Killers

"...most remarkable about Alleluia is Manuel Dacosse’s visually compelling cinematography, which is so studied and dangerously beautiful that the..."

July 31, 2015 Movie Review by Marc Savlov

Southpaw

This boxer's story is familiar, but Jake Gyllenhaal is all new

"...of a champion boxer. The sharp performances and committed cinematography elevate this stock drama to something beyond routine. Always..."

July 24, 2015 Movie Review by Marjorie Baumgarten

The Age of Adaline

Romantic hokum, well done

"...Age is a low-stakes, high-concept romance, gifted with warm cinematography and lush period trappings. Assisted in no small part..."

April 24, 2015 Movie Review by William Goss

The Water Diviner

Russell Crowe stars in and directs this historical drama

"...beauty of the Dardanelles coastline. But all that breathtaking cinematography is bogged down in a plot that seems to..."

April 24, 2015 Movie Review by Marc Savlov

Low Down

John Hawkes plays junkie jazz musician Joe Albany in this film based on his daughter's memoirs.

"...boilerplate junkie romanticism, it is, but the performances and cinematography lift this film above the gutter it so avidly..."

Nov. 14, 2014 Movie Review by Josh Kupecki

Oculus

A dark force lurks in the looking glass in this paranormal outing that's a notch above, but barely.

"...It boasts more story, less distracting CCTV and shaky-cam cinematography, and one badass mirror from hell that makes Alice’s..."

April 11, 2014 Movie Review by Marc Savlov

The Counselor

Cormac McCarthy pens his first screenplay, and Ridley Scott directs the tasty cast.

"...femme Malkina (Diaz). Awful acts and some seriously fine cinematography from Dariusz Wolski ensue...."

Oct. 25, 2013 Movie Review by Marc Savlov

Mama

Jessica Chastain stars in this spook tale that's rife with unsettling atmosphere.

"...has the most power. Mama’s creepiness is achieved through cinematography, score, and editing, rather than hideous monsters grotesquely and..."

Jan. 18, 2013 Movie Review by Louis Black

The Collection

This follow-up to the horror/torture film The Collector seeks to mold a new franchise.

"...might have a chance against her master trapper. The cinematography by Sam McCurdy is emotively rich, although some of..."

Dec. 7, 2012 Movie Review by Marjorie Baumgarten

House at the End of the Street

This scary-house movie starring Jennifer Lawrence is a strictly middling nonshocker.

"...feral by Ryan. Escape, pursuit, and lots of woodsy cinematography ensue...."

Sept. 28, 2012 Movie Review by Marc Savlov

The Hunter

Willem Dafoe plays a Canadian tracker hunting presumed-extinct prey in Tasmania, but soon he's stalking humans as well.

"...is anything but, and The Hunter, with its spectacular cinematography by Robert Humphreys, parallels Dafoe's character and that of..."

April 6, 2012 Movie Review by Marc Savlov

Hugo

Martin Scorsese steps outside his comfort zone to create an effects-heavy children’s film set in France – and winds up creating one of his most splendid and personal films.

"...young-adult literature that nourishes while it entertains. Robert Richardson’s cinematography is unquestionably the most impressive work seen this year,..."

Nov. 25, 2011 Movie Review by Marjorie Baumgarten

Echotone

This locally made documentary looks at the city of Austin through the eyes of its working musicians.

"...sound design, but even more striking is Robert Garza’s cinematography, especially as his camera hops a ride on Downtown’s..."

May 6, 2011 Movie Review by Kimberley Jones

Circo

A family-run circus that travels the back roads of Mexico is the subject of this documentary which explores the universal theme of filial loyalty.

"...and focus are universal and compelling. Enhanced by stunning cinematography by the film's director Aaron Schock and a soundtrack..."

April 29, 2011 Movie Review by Marjorie Baumgarten

Jonah Hex

The disfigured Weird Western Tales antihero gets his own movie, which mixes elements of the Western and the supernatural.

"...gone freakish, which is backed by some sporadically splendid cinematography, courtesy of Mitchell Amundsen (Transformers). In the end, though,..."

June 25, 2010 Movie Review by Marc Savlov

North Face

Based on real-life events of July 1936 in the Swiss Alps, this German film is a gripping and epic account of men vs. mountain vs. other men.

"...so to speak, but it's Kolja Brandt's gloriously edge-of-the-seat/seat-of-the-pants cinematography (much of the film was shot on location) that..."

April 30, 2010 Movie Review by Marc Savlov

The White Ribbon

A disquieting feeling of apprehension is made palpable in Michael Haneke's import, The White Ribbon.

"...receives a tremendous assist from Christian Berger’s stunning black-and-white cinematography that calls to mind Sven Nykvist’s work for Ingmar..."

Feb. 19, 2010 Movie Review by Marjorie Baumgarten

The House of the Devil

This retro horror film is the freakiest and most unnerving shocker in theatres this season.

"...film's off-kilter surreality comes from its retro look, tone, cinematography, and even music. The opening titles – freeze-framed shots..."

Oct. 30, 2009 Movie Review by Marc Savlov

My Life in Ruins

Nia Vardalos, who hit pay dirt with My Big Fat Greek Wedding, is on shakier ground with this clichéd story about an American tourist guide in Greece.

"...in some busted columns and century rot. The bland cinematography (by José Luis Alcaine) fits with the unimaginative script..."

June 5, 2009 Movie Review by Marjorie Baumgarten

Sin Nombre

Winner of dual awards for directing and cinematography at this year’s Sundance Film Festival, this immigrant drama is suffused with gritty realism, poetic imagery, and melodramatic hokiness.

"...unified whole. Winner of dual awards for directing and cinematography at this year’s Sundance Film Festival, this immigrant drama..."

April 17, 2009 Movie Review by Marjorie Baumgarten

Alien Trespass

Taking its cues from several classic 1950s sci-fi films, Alien Trespass is a deeply affectionate homage to the era when every kid on the block knew what "Klaatu borada nikto" meant.

"...tropes, from its Bronson Canyon locations to the crisp cinematography (in color, it should be noted) of David Moxness,..."

April 3, 2009 Movie Review by Marc Savlov

The Uninvited

A generic creeper that does nothing to improve upon the South Korean original.

"...to be fair, The Uninvited benefits from some outré cinematography courtesy of director of photography Dan Landin, who gets..."

Feb. 6, 2009 Movie Review by Marc Savlov

Shutter

Shutter is a shabby American remake of a Thai movie about a couple who sees mysterious images in photographs.

"...shivery camerawork from the masterful eye of director of cinematography Katsumi Yanagijima – a favorite of both Takeshi "Beat"..."

March 28, 2008 Movie Review by Marc Savlov

One Missed Call

This American horror remake of Takashi Miike's eponymous Japanese original is a dud.

"...and mull over the unmullable. Apart from some borderline-clever cinematography courtesy of Glen MacPherson, there's precious little to make..."

Jan. 11, 2008 Movie Review by Marc Savlov

The Final Season

A small-town high school baseball team is put to the test in this emphatically inspirational mess.

"...I mention Tom Arnold makes a few appearances? The cinematography (by Dan Stoloff) plays like a beautiful Toyota commercial,..."

Oct. 12, 2007 Movie Review by Toddy Burton

Lady Chatterley

This new French version of the D.H. Lawrence story is tastefully presented but not nearly as scandalous and coarse as the published novel.

"...more the viewer's problem than the film's. Although the cinematography favors soft-focus, Lady Chatterley's pastoral settings are lovely to..."

Sept. 21, 2007 Movie Review by Marjorie Baumgarten

Eye of the Dolphin

This family film is charming enough to inspire young girls to grow up wanting to swim with live dolphins rather than groom My Little Ponies.

"...preteen girls. Add in decent performances and gorgeous underwater cinematography, and you get a movie that's appropriate for the..."

Aug. 24, 2007 Movie Review by Marjorie Baumgarten

Eagle vs Shark

Like Napoleon Dynamite, Eagle vs Shark is a little wisp of a movie, a lightweight feature loaded with montage and hung on the multidimensional performance of Loren Horsley as Lily.

"...sneer. But it’s gentler and more lyrical, with angular cinematography interwoven with surreal stop-motion sequences about the lives of..."

July 20, 2007 Movie Review by Marrit Ingman

Angel-A

Luc Besson delivers a gorgeous-looking but ill-conceived mash note to the city of Paris that stars a petty crook and an ethereal beauty.

"...dull nonaffair. To be fair, Thierry Arbogast's sparkling black-and-white cinematography is a character in its own right; he makes..."

July 13, 2007 Movie Review by Marc Savlov

Chalk

Made by teachers for teachers, this local indie offers no easy answers to its statistic that 50% of teachers quit within their first three years on the job.

"...school. On the filmmaking side, Steven Schaefer’s inventive DV cinematography lends polish to the production, but some of the..."

May 18, 2007 Movie Review by Marrit Ingman

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