FilmSnobReviews

Title: We Steal Secrets: The Story of Wikileaks
Year: 2013
Whose In It?: Julian Assange, Chelsea Manning, John “Fuzface” McMahon
What the Heck Is It:?: Alex Gibney known for his 2007 Oscar-winning documentary “Taxi to the Dark Side” takes a look at the creation of one of the most controversial websites in the internet’s history. With his usual flare for analytic prose, and in-depth use of information. The whole story does a good job of remaining unbiased, while the whole time never showing a hand as to Gibney’s true feelings on the manner. Sometimes we just want a documentary that isn’t going to hold our hand, this doesn’t and its unabashed feelings make it a  real experience

Title: The Cabin in the Woods
Year: 2012
Whose In It?: Kristen Connolly, Chris Hemsworth, Richard Jenkins
What the Heck Is It:?: You know the story a group of friends on break from school decide that of all the places they should go a shitty broken down cabin in the middle of nowhere seems like a good idea (ask Bruce Campbell if he feels the same.) Regardless crazy stuff starts happening and well I won’t say much else about it because that’d ruin the amazinginess of this film! I am by no means a horror fan but this is truly a master stroke by writers Drew Goddard and Joss Whedon.

Title: Saved!
Year: 2004
Whose In It?: Mandy Moore, Macauley Culkin, Jena Malone
What the Heck Is It:?:  Devout Christian girl Mary just learned her longtime boyfriend Dean is gay. Mary thinks that by giving herself to him she can cure him of this disease. This of course results in the impregnation of Mary, and her exile from the her group of fellow followers of Christ lead by the over the top Hilary Faye. Faye who is the schools most popular student has a brother not blessed with the gift of walking who is in love with the Christian school only Jewish student the rebellious Cassandra. How Mary navigates these unfamiliar waters makes for the films biggest treat.  

Title: The American
Year: 2010
Whose In It?: George Clooney, Violante Placido, Thekla Reuten
What the Heck Is It:?: An American assassin (Clooney) must do one last job to be done with this life he’s lead himself into. His assignment leads him to the beautiful Italian countryside. It is here where Jack starts to live a life he did not think was possible. He befriends a local priest, and falls for a beautiful local woman. All this while trying to maintain focus on the task at hand.

Title: Blue Valentine
Year: 2010
Whose In It?: Ryan Gosling, Michelle Williams, John Doman
What the Heck Is It:?: Dean and Cindy have been married now for almost a decade, and as happens with couples over time the spark appears to diminish, but Blue Valentine (titled after a Tom Waits album) does not just settle on being a fly on the wall of their relationships dismantlement we also learn of its origin. And what seems like a coupling set for forever is quickly shown for what it truly is…real. It’s painfully realistic portrayal of love lost in a hail of words, and a flurry of self-hatred. Derek Cianfrance’s masterpiece on how neurosis never truly diminishes in spite of age.