Category Archives: Movie Reviews

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Burden of Peace (2015)

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Dutch filmmakers Joey Boink and Sander Wirken helmed this documentary on the efforts of Guatemalan Attorney General Claudia Paz y Paz to bring justice to her country during her 2010-2014 term. Some of the problems that she faced were cultural – Guatemalan prosecutors were traditionally unenthusiastic about challenging narco-crime gangs, the nation’s notorious human rights abuses and even domestic violence cases – and other were the result of plain stupidity, most notably the proliferation of misspellings in the national crime database.

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Los Sures (1984)

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lossureFilmed thirty two years ago, Diego Echeverria’s documentary “Los Sures” is a striking and mesmerizing look at living in poverty in Brooklyn New York in 1984. Finally restored and given a long overdue theatrical release in 2016 to a wide release, “Los Sures” is a still very relevant look at impoverished and how those without opportunities are frozen in place in a neighborhood becoming more and more foreign to them. Diego Echeverria offers almost no narration and absolutely no soundtrack, instead painting the film with the sounds and sights of Williamsburg Brooklyn. The neighborhood dominated with a heavy Puerto Rican and Dominican population, Echeverria offers up a brief look in to the lives of four subjects, all of whom have no exit from their environment.

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The Atheist Delusion (2016)

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atheistdelusionOne of the many aspects that I love about Ray Comfort’s mercifully short documentary about challenging the views of atheists is that Comfort just eventually gives up. Mid-way through his hour long masturbatory self-promotion fest that doubles as an ego shining for Comfort, he just outright gives up trying to convince his interview subjects and spends about five minutes badgering them in to submission. He relentlessly bugs them in to admitting begrudgingly that they believe in a God, and that they are simply in denial. Ray Comfort is beyond the capacity of accepting that atheists exist, and spends at least a good stretch of the final half of the film insisting: “Come on, you know God exists. Admit it. Admit it. You know it in your heart. You just like to sin, that’s it. Admit it. Do it. Do it!”

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Legends of the Hidden Temple: The Movie (2016)

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lotht“Legends of the Hidden Temple” always had a fun Indiana Jones vibe to it, and was often well loved despite being notoriously difficult for its contestants who deemed it almost impossible to topple. I am one of the many nineties kids who spent a lot of time watching “Legends of the Hidden Temple” and immersing myself in the imaginative obstacles and fun history lessons. While the game show will never be revived for modern audiences, 2016’s cinematic adaptation is a perfect fit for an audience that loved the game show and for everyone else tuning in to see a good fantasy adventure movie. “Legends of the Hidden Temple” garners the right amount of menace and awe that the game show held, and evokes classic adventure films like “The Goonies.”

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Capture Kill Release (2016) [Blood in the Snow 2016]

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ckrA couple plans their next activity together: To kill a random stranger.  As they plan, prep, and discuss the possible murder, they start to disagree on things and it becomes clear that one of them is very into the idea of murder while the other is not so much. Written by Nick McAnulty who co-directed with Brian Allan Stewart, this found footage film does a few things right such as casting two leads that are rather unfamiliar, a move reminiscent of Paranormal Activity, and it shoots in a clear manner, meaning that is happening and said can be clearly seen and heard which is something many film of the sub-genre do not pay enough attention to.  This film shows what is happening and the emotions very clearly and it works in its favor as it brings the viewer in and let them get invested in the story.

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Holy Hell (2015) [Blood in the Snow 2016]

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holy-hellAfter witnessing a troubled family, the Bonners, decimated by a murderous family, the MacFarlanes, Father Bane goes on a rampage punishing those he deems not deserving of forgiveness with his new handgun, The Lord.  As he punishes left and right and protects the only surviving member of the family, he also decides to go after the murderous, incestuous killers. Written and directed by Ryan LaPlante, Holy Hell throws everything possible at the screen, violence, sex, incest, rape, murder, blood, gore, inappropriate jokes, insensitive jokes, bad jokes, and the whole nine in an effort to be shocking or subversive.  This is done with zero good taste and penchant for exaggerated action and ridiculous dialogue.

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24×36: A Movie About Movie Posters (2016) [Blood in the Snow 2016]

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24x36Illustrated movie posters are explore here through their beginnings, history, the artists behind them, and their recent resurgence started with Mondo and their artist posters of older films that have become highly collectible and wanted. Directed by Kevin Burke, this documentary starts with the history of the medium and interviews with knowledgeable people and artists.  This part of the film is filled with historical facts and anecdotal stories.  The film spends a bit of time on the history, where posters can from, why are they the sizes that they are, why they look a certain way, their evolution, etc.

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