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THE RAVEN
 To paraphrase Edgar Allan Poe's own descriptive terms in The Tell-Tale Heart, what many may mistake for my own madness is but over-acuteness of the senses when it comes to THE RAVEN. In a phrase, A MASTERPIECE! Thanks to an inventive, intriguing and intricately twisting script courtesy of scribes Ben Livingston and Hannah Shakespeare, which is exquisitely showcased and brought to life by director James McTeigue, fact meets fiction during the last days of Poes life as he becomes embroiled in a game of cat and mouse with a serial killer replicating the gruesome murders Poe himself has so eloquently crafted for the masses. But the crimes become personal when Poe goes from potential suspect to fighting to save the life of his beloved Emily and stay one step ahead of the killer. Emboldened by an Oscar-worthy performance by John Cusack who, as Poe, is so powerful, so mesmerizing, that there is no trace of Cusack, we see and hear only Poe, THE RAVEN is a masterpiece worthy of the master of macabre himself.
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THE BEST EXOTIC MARIGOLD HOTEL
 Fox Searchlight has gone and done it again and picked another winner as THE BEST EXOTIC MARIGOLD HOTEL is, without a doubt, a mandatory nominee for Oscar - several! Best Picture, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Cinematography and more than likely, Best Supporting Actress for Maggie Smith and quite possibly, Best Supporting Actor nods for Bill Nighy and yes, possibly even, Dev Patel. BEST is quite simply THE BEST! A visual stunner, this is a feast for the heart and the senses . . .The Oscar race starts now with THE BEST EXOTIC MARIGOLD HOTEL!
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LAST CALL AT THE OASIS
 There is no doubt that we face a fresh water crisis in the world today. And yes, I say "world" as this is a matter of global proportion. However, because media focus of drought and contamination is primarily on "third world countries" or Africa, those in the United States rarely take notice, absent getting fined by the city for watering their lawns on the wrong day. Oscar winning director Jessica Yu attempts to cure that defect with her latest documentary, LAST CALL AT THE OASIS.LAST CALL AT THE OASIS may open some eyes and spark some debate on this very serious and frightening issue of water, but sadly, will undoubtedly quickly lose its audience due to over-reaching insuffiency. Personally, reading up on and understanding the work of Friends of the Earth Middle East (www.foeme.org) will do more to not only help the world understand and tackle the water crisis and other environmental issues, but be an example of how to achieve peace.
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THINK LIKE A MAN
 While I may not be a Steve Harvey fan per se, I am a fan of all things funny, especially when funny comes in the form of a great ensemble cast, well told organically unfolding intertwining stories and characters, and all packaged as a gem of a film shot in, of all places, the Heart of Screenland - Culver City. And this is exactly what director Tim Story gives us with THINK LIKE A MAN - a funny, funny film filled with heart and laughter. THINK LIKE A MAN is Tim Story's love letter to laughter, love. . . and Culver City.
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THE CABIN IN THE WOODS
 With THE CABIN IN THE WOODS, lets just say, Welcome to the World of Whedon. Co-written by uber genius Joss Whedon (the brains behind Buffy the Vamire Slayer, Angel, and Firefly) and Drew Goddard (a man initiated into the Whedon World during Season 7 of Buffy and who then hung around to helm Angel, not to mention write episodes of Lost and Alias) and directed by Goddard, who makes his feature debut, in typical Whedon World fashion, we have madness, mania, mayhem and monsters, more blood than I have ever seen used in a film, the rising of ancient evil, teenagers saving the world...again... and all put together with dry, wry, self-deprecating humor that is so clever, witty and entertaining it just knocks the film out of the park, er, woods. |
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THE PERFECT FAMILY
 Theres a new director on my radar named Anne Renton. Making her feature film directorial debut with THE PERFECT FAMILY, Renton is a director with a clear vision and approach to storytelling that allows performances to flow and a story to unfold and fuel itself on the everyday elements of life. And she does just that here with the Cleary family. A seemingly typical Irish Catholic family, mom Eileen is still caught up in the 70's mindset of devotion, religious tropes and trappings and the need to be "perfect" to the eyes of the world, and God. Nominated for Catholic Woman of the Year, she needs the family to be on their best behavior and mind their Ps and Qs if she has any hope of defeating her nemesis Agnes Dunn for the award (which comes with absolution for all of her sins). But what happens when her family isnt as perfect as she likes everyone to think?THE PERFECT FAMILY - a perfect little gem of heart and humor.
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FIRST POSITION
 Every little girl (and even some little boys) and aspiring ballerina knows what "first position" is: arms slightly bent with hands gracefully resting across the navel area of the torso as if floating on air. It is from this "first position" from which all other ballet movements emerge, just as young hopeful dancers emerge and blossom like butterflies from a cocoon. With FIRST POSITION, director Bess Kargman takes us into the world of ballet, starting from a thematic "first position", introducing us to young dancers at various stages of development but all with the same hopes and dreams. Fascinating, quite lovely to watch, educational and interesting, FIRST POSITION elegantly moves through emotion and time, while showcasing some of the most charming and talented young people blossoming in ballet today.A beautiful film, FIRST POSITION will keep you on your toes.
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GIRL IN PROGRESS
 Director Patricia Riggen sprang to the attention of English-speaking audiences several years ago with the beautifully poignant La Misma Luna. Her follow-up, the made-for-tv Lemonade Mouth, was a smash success for the ABC Family Channel. As if fated, she now helms GIRL IN PROGRESS, a film blending elements and emotions from each of these earlier projects into a coming-of-age story that at times touches the heart, makes you laugh, makes you cry, addresses social issues such as bullying, teen-aged angst and rebellion, and will definitely open dialogue between mothers and daughters everywhere. And letfs not overlook the fact that GIRL IN PROGRESS gives two incredible young actresses, Cierra Ramirez and Raini Rodriguez, a long overdue and well-deserved spotlight. |
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ABOUT moviesharkdeblore...
debbie lynn elias brings a wealth of education and experience to her work as film critic. A published journalist for over 36 years, she has written everything from hard news to public service announcements, travel pieces, celebrity interviews and profiles, book-theater-restaurant reviews, legal briefs, informational news stories, and for the past 20+ years, film reviews. She also served as a managing editor and author for a national legal magazine for 3 years and is the author of the children's book, 'Narcissa Cooks the Kitchen'. Combining her love of film with her journalistic expertise and years of education, experience and connections in television and film production, she brings unique and interesting perspectives to her film reviews. A member of the prestigious Broadcast Pioneers of Philadelphia, debbie is one of the few film critics in the country to have worked in both the technical and creative ends of the tv and film industry. The depth and familiarity of her reviews makes her one of the most sought after critics by filmmakers looking for an honest evaluation and review of their work. With her movie reviews carried in over 136 print and entertainment sites worldwide with over 1 million weekly readers, she is a fan favorite thanks to her keen insight, evocative interviews and detail oriented styling. A frequent guest on local talk shows, debbie not only serves as a consultant to first-time and independent filmmakers but remains hands-on with production, most notably as Executive Producer of the award-winning web series, Co-Op of the Damned. |
