Features
After criticising how predictable the Oscar race has become in recent years, it was almost as if Hollywood heard me and decided to turn this year's race into one of the most interesting.
Critical Perspectives: Thoughts on America in Lincoln and Zero Dark Thirty
Posted by: Elizabeth Hughes Belzil • February 4, 2013 @ 5:21pm
2012 was a year full of surprises: the world did not end as predicted by the Mayan calendar and two of the best films were about America.
American Horror Story has been on my radar from the moment it was announced. I've always loved the horror genre's sporadic stabs at the small screen (from Night Gallery to American Gothic) and am more than ready to welcome new additions. But as I watched this 2nd season -- I realized I could never write about the show on a week to week basis.
Top Fives: The First Five Times The Office Jumped the Shark
Posted by: S.P. Young • January 28, 2013 @ 2:33am
"But if I'm really being honest, I never thought it would have a happy ending."
There used to be a time when The Office was an amazing series. It was smart, painfully funny, and its refreshing delivery in a mockumentary format put it above all other sitcoms at the time of its launch.
Amplified Idiots: "Hecklers" - Tortured Artists Torturing Artists
Posted by: J.D. Renaud • January 22, 2013 @ 12:45pm
Heckling is an art form.
It's not a very appreciated art form, but it is still a creative vocation deserving of our attention and respect. Unfortunately, it's also one of those amorphous, pretentious art forms. You know, like jazz fusion or interpretive dance.
Critical Perspectives: Am I the Only Person on Earth who thought Silver Linings Playbook Sucked?!
Posted by: Elizabeth Hughes Belzil • January 21, 2013 @ 2:39pm
During the first half of Silver Linings Playbook I squirmed with excitement, elated that I might be watching my favorite film of the year. I was visiting my dad in Texas over Thanksgiving -- the escape from the familial fray to catch a movie was no small feat. After the buzz surrounding David O.
Critical Perspectives: Django Unchained and the Post-Modern Question
Posted by: Elizabeth Hughes Belzil • January 15, 2013 @ 9:34am
About Critical Perspectives: 2012 was a good year for film -- especially Hollywood. The Academy actually managed to produce a diverse and interesting list of nominees. In the weeks leading up to Oscar night, I hope to start conversations about the various films honored.
Nominations for the 85th Annual Academy Awards were announced Thursday and sure enough, just as I predicted, the race is being hyped as a battle of two pictures. The only thing is, I predicted the wrong two films! This year's Best Picture will not bear the name Les Miserables or Zero Dark Thirty.
I'm often asked, "How does one get into film criticism as a profession?" And I always give the answer I once heard Roger Ebert say, "You've got to write for whoever will publish you."
If you've made it that far, consider yourself lucky, because the next step will pro
Interview: Erica Linz of Cirque du Soleil: Worlds Away
Posted by: Mark McLeod • December 21, 2012 @ 11:24am
If you've ever been to Las Vegas, you are probably well aware of Cirque du Soleil. One of the mainstays of the Vegas strip and the originator of the big spectacle circus show, it has been delighting audiences for years.
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