American Independent Cinema – Page 2

April 27, 2013

THE PLACE BEYOND THE PINES (Dir. Derek Cianfrance, 2012, US) – Eclipse of the Son [Spoilers ahead!]

I’m still convinced that as Ryan Gosling gets older he’s going to eventually look like Jimmy Stewart; it’s that curvature of his elongated face and dewy eyes. Much has been made of Gosling’s performance in this latest feature from director Derek Cianfrance and it is suggestive to the film. Gosling is a performer who is Continue reading

American Independent Cinema, Class, Family, Melodrama, Ryan Gosling, Social Realism

August 8, 2012

BERNIE (Dir. Richard Linklater, 2011, US) – Mr. Nice Guy [Spoilers Ahead]

Jack Black as Bernie Tiede. Its amazing what a moustache can do for an actor. Comic actor Jack Black has such a moustache in the latest film from director Richard Linklater. The moustache in question makes mortician Bernie Tiede appear deceptively ordinary; it also transforms Jack Black the comedian into a serious actor. Nonetheless, the Continue reading

American Independent Cinema, black comedy, jack black, richard linklater, small town america, tragedy

March 3, 2012

PUTTY HILL (Dir. Matthew Porterfield, 2010, US)

If Putty Hill is part of the Mumblecore movement then director Matthew Porterfield’s style is altogether more distinct, unique and neo realist. In many ways, Porterfield’s unfiltered and largely observational approach bears more resemblance to the films of Ramin Bahrani and Kelly Reichardt than Mumblecore regulars like Aaron Katz. Although Putty Hill is Porterfield’s second Continue reading

American Independent Cinema, Bahrani, Documentary, Mumblecore, Poetic realism

January 19, 2012

THE HUNTER (Dir. Rafi Pitts, 2010, Iran/Germany) – Echoes

(1). Targets (2) Victims Targets (Bogdanovich, 1968) Night of The Living Dead (Romero, 1968) Continue reading

1960s, American Independent Cinema, Iranian Cinema, Political Cinema, rafi pitts, Thriller

December 19, 2010

SLACKISTAN (Dir. Hammad Khan, 2009, Pakistan) – Tales From The City

I was somewhat conflicted both emotionally and ideologically whilst watching this latest feature film from Pakistan. Such a conflict arouse from my desire to turn away from the lives of Pakistani middle classes many of whom have indirectly helped to sustain such the ruling elite’s indiscriminate Continue reading

American Independent Cinema, Pakistani Cinema, Political Cinema, Slacker Cinema, Youth