Monthly Archives: May, 2011

In a departure film of sorts for the director who gave us I’m Going To Explode and Drama/Mex, Gerardo Naranjo makes the zone/border that...

Not sure if the film's title accurately denotes the life choices of our central character here in The Slut, but we get a sense...

It is perhaps no surprise that a director with a TV advertising background would make a movie so fraught with product placement (a 7-Eleven Slurpee is otherwise needlessly included in a scene that, due to strategic marketing, is also featured in the trailer), and which promotes the idea of corporate salesmanship as a route to self-awakening (Ferrell’s middle-school protégé absorbs advice from 'The Sales Bible,' whose book-cover -- more tie-in revenue? -- he holds conspicuously cheated towards camera). "I'm selling everything," exclaims Halsey, in a moment of what passes in this movie for epiphany, "and it feels great!"

An adults only version of the classic fable, Sleeping Beauty received a tepid response from the early press screening on Wednesday night, which correlates with how our panel graded the film. Julia Leigh's daring debut film wasn't critically slammed across the board, as it does have a trio of supporters -- and its this kind of support that will ensure that Leigh has the option to forgo future book writing manifestations. Emily Browning gives a bare, brave performance (just her first scene where she has a tube shoved down her throat demonstrates her commitment to the part) and Leigh will undoubtably be referred to as Australia's new infant terrible. Click on the grid below to see how our critics responded to the film.

The U.K's Protagonist Pictures like to spread themselves out, having shown Tyrannosaur at Sundance and Berlin and this year they've got Australia's Snowtown in the Critic's Week. The Deep Blue Sea appears to be billed as a Venice/TIFF selection and next year they'll be backing one of their own in Kevin MacDonald's How I Live Now.