The character of Jep Gambardella is turning 65, which would mean he was around 11 years old when Fellini’s masterpiece La Dolce Vita attempted to understand an Italy caught in the transformation from a fiercely traditionalist fascist nation to the epicenter of fashion, art, and excess. We will ignore the math, though, because in many ways we can see Gambardella as a version of what could have become of Mastroianni’s Marcello Rubini in that earlier film. Continue reading…
The men at the center of Warrior are bruised and battered long before any of them step into the ring. The story of two brothers pitted against each other in a mixed martial arts tournament could have easily felt rote or manipulative, but thanks to its crystalline performances, smart script, and understated direction, Warrior succeeds in being the best sports movie since Rocky. Continue reading…
With the increasing popularity of internet streaming, DVDs may not be long for this world. The first quarter of 2011 saw a 20% drop in DVD sales, the Blu-Ray format hasn’t rescued the the flagging market, and even Netflix is moving away from those antiquated plastic discs in favor of the easier streaming model.
How did this happen? When they were first introduced in the ’90s, DVDs were a film lover’s dream — not just because of their superior quality, but because of all those glorious special features. Supplemental bonuses like commentaries, deleted scenes, and director’s cuts made us feel less like boobs as we watched the tube, enriching our knowledge and maybe even our appreciation of cinema. Continue reading…