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AT ANY PRICE
 Whenever a filmmaker or writer can create characters and develop a dynamic that strikes a chord with comparison to Arthur Miller, its relatively safe to say theyve done something right. Such is the case with AT ANY PRICE. Although not a perfect film, writer/director Ramin Bahrani hits all the right notes with tonal and thematic elements that harken to the generational conflicts of Millers Willy and Biff Loman while being topical and speaking to the very agro-political heart of America, all woven into the fabric of a complex story steeped in moral ambiguity with flawed and conflicted characters. AT ANY PRICE is grounded in metaphoric commentary and analogy thanks to sturdy story construct with multiple threads, paralleling and intertwining, pushing the audience to think and dig below the surface, looking at the roots of the film. Well crafted, the seamless interlocutory plot points and story execution ultimately all come together for a final payoff. Notable is that this is not "an agenda driven film" as socio-political commentary is wonderfully explanatory but not preachy. |
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MUD
 Matthew McConaughey continues his 2012 command of the big screen with 2013's first McConaughey film - MUD. But shining even more brightly than McConaughey is young Tye Sheridan whose observant wide-eyed wonder and youthful exuberance captivate and compel, at times even making you forget McConaughey is even there. Written and directed by Jeff Nichols, MUD is a romance from the male perspective; a movie about heartbreak, heartbreak as a 14 year old with his first crush, heartbreak as an adult who can't seem to let go of his first love or, as Nichols himself describes it, "... falling head over heels for a girl and getting your heart broken and how palpable that is." To paraphrase the Bard, this is the story, these are the characters, of which films are made on. A master class in storytelling and character development matched by the masterful performances of the actors.
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IRON MAN 3
 Lets just say it - IRON MAN 3 WILL ROCK YOUR WORLD! IRON MAN is back and the world is in peril. Need I even say more about the story? IRON MAN 3 is a perfect marriage of everything marvelous about Marvel and IRON MAN plus the skill set and movie touchstones of writer/director Shane Black. Curious to see how Black would not only retain the energy of the franchise in terms of story and action, but how he would reinvigorate the characters and the storyline, moving everything forward rather than stagnate, Black more than satisfies the most Doubting Thomas with a result that is outta this world! IRON MAN 3 is ironclad - IT ROCKS! IT'S AWESOME! IT'S OUTTA THIS WORLD! And it's got one of the best villains we've ever seen on screen!! |
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MICHAEL URIE: Exclusive 1:1 Talking HE'S WAY MORE FAMOUS THAN YOU,
Collaboration, Directing and, of course, Vanessa Williams  Best known as the deliciously devilish and always fashionable Marc St. James, partner in crime to the always scheming Wilhelmina Slater in "Ugly Betty", Michael Urie has delighted us in front of the camera for the past decade. Most recently, the Julliard trained Urie recently hit the stage to rave reviews in Jonathan Tolin's "Buyer & Cellar" which, thanks to flourishing at Rattlesticks Theater, now heads to the Barrow Street Theatre for an initial 10-week Off Broadway run starting June 18th. But for anyone who can't make it to New York to see Urie on stage, you can check out his handiwork not only in front of the camera but behind it, as he makes his feature directorial debut with the hysterical "slapstire", HE'S WAY MORE FAMOUS THAN YOU.I had a chance to speak with Michael Urie in this exclusive interview and talk about HE'S WAY FAMOUS THAN YOU, collaboration, stepping behind the camera and, of course, Vanessa Williams. Exuberant, thoughtful, articulate and passionate, Urie is as joyous off-screen as his performances are on-screen. Captivating me with a welcoming enthusiasm and his appreciation for acting, directing and life itself, Urie is humbled by his opportunities and success which just fuel his upbeat energy. |
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THE ICEMAN
 Joining the legendary class of mafia/hitman films is Ariel Vromen's THE ICEMAN. What sets THE ICEMAN apart from the classics like Goodfellas, Scarface, Public Enemy, Angels With Dirty Faces, is that THE ICEMAN is so much more; it goes behind the facade and the headlines and into the bedroom, living room and kitchen of a hired killer. Inspired by the true story of mafia hitman Richard Kuklinski, THE ICEMAN is unrelenting, hitting hard, fast and deep, gripping you with a compelling story, meticulously detailed characters and Oscar-worthy performances, not the least of which are courtesy of Michael Shannon and Winona Ryder.Cinematographer Bobby Bukowski sets the visual tone with a grim, gritty, dark murky look of the late 60's and 70's Jersey, Philly and NYC while editor Danny Rafic weaves a hypnotic spell, seamlessly melding violence and the calm of family capturing the physical and emotional dichotomy with smooth juxtapositioning. Icing on the cake is Haim Mazar's score punctuated with Top 40 hits of the era. THE ICEMAN - so slick, so smooth, it will send a chill through your veins. READ THE REVIEW. . . |
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SIR BEN KINGSLEY: THE MANDARIN MEETS IRON MAN
 New to the world of Marvel and Tony Stark are Sir Ben Kingsley, Guy Pearce and Rebecca Hall, all of whom join the cast of IRON MAN 3 as our heros adversaries. Each inexplicably intertwined, it is perhaps Kingsleys character, The Mandarin, and his riveting performance, that makes this not only the most remarkable, but one of the greatest villains in movie history. With strong visual resemblance to Osama bin Laden but ever cloaked in hooded darkness a la The Emperor in Star Wars, Kingsleys vocal intonations and demeanor feel like a compilation of the ever present "dark lords" in the world today and an ideal nemesis for IRON MAN. |
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WHAT MAISIE KNEW  Henry James 1897 novel, WHAT MAISIE KNEW is as relevant and poignantly heartbreaking and loving today as it was at the time of James writing. The story of the divorce of two of the most selfish and reprehensible people on the planet as seen through the eyes of their daughter Maisie, the timeless classic now moves to the big screen and 21st century Manhattan courtesy of screenwriters Nancy Doyne and Carroll Cartwright and co-directors, Scott McGehee and David Siegel who deliver a beautiful character study with a hopeful, and observant, ending. In keeping with the novel, the filmmakers tell the tale entirely from Maisies point of view, completely immersing us in Maisies loss of innocence at the hands of the callous adults around her.The emotional complexity and layering of WHAT MAISIE KNEW is a gorgeous and powerful construct in character and observational brilliance. The power of love, the purity of a child, the self-sacrifice of adults, the need to stop, look and listen with the eyes and the heart - WHAT MAISIE KNEW is a film that you need to know. |
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AFTERSHOCK
 AFTERSHOCK is mind-blowing entertainment! F**king genius fun! A shock-filled high octane thrill ride that never ends. Think Springbreakers meets Earthquake meets The Impossible. Strangers from a variety of countries come together in Valparaiso, Chile to vacation, party and have a good time. What they dont count on is a 10.0 earthquake to bring their good times crashing to the ground. Written by Eli Roth, Nicolas Lopez (who also directs) and Guillermo Amoedo, AFTERSHOCK is no holds barred moviemaking. Theres a little bit of everything here and all tied up with a super-saturated colored bow and with each end tie you pull on, you get closer and closer to the deliciously wicked ultimate conclusion. Just when we think we know what's going to happen, just when we think it's all over, WHAM, director Nicolas Lopez shocks us with something else.AFTERSHOCK shocks you into the land of the living thanks to death and destruction. AWESOMELY COOL! |
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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 managing editor and author for a national legal magazine and is the author of the children's book, 'Narcissa Cooks the Kitchen'. An award-winning producer and writer, combining her love of film with her journalistic expertise and years of education, experience and personal 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 industries. 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 140 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 recently as Executive Producer of the award-winning web series, Co-Op of the Damned and as Producer of the upcoming film, Bunker. moviesharkdeblore.com is a division of Elias Entertainment Network. |
