Blogcritics Author: Brandon Valentine

Movie Review: Munich

Brandon Valentine — Fri, 2 Jan 2009 16:16:28 EST

Despite its lengthy running-time, Munich is a remarkable feature and a valiant effort from all involved.
Despite its lengthy running time, Munich is a remarkable feature and a valiant effort from all involved. Director Steven Spielberg is back to the top of his game (after War of the Worlds), composer John Williams accentuates Spielberg’s prowess, and the cast is without a weak spot. Inspired by real events, Munich is utterly stirring to...

Movie Review: Alive or Dead

Brandon Valentine — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 19:27:34 EST

Think of Alive or Dead as a lowest-grade version of The Hills Have Eyes�stripped of any redeeming qualities.
There is a certain level of tolerance associated with today’s horror. If the production provides genuine fright, gore, and scare tactics, while pulling together a coherent plot and believable characters, then it largely succeeds. If the feature does not supply moments of intrigue and artistic vision, then it arguably fails.Even between...

Movie Review: High School Musical 3 - Senior Year

Brandon Valentine — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 18:29:26 EST

HSM 3 will please giddy followers; yet, the film also proves that bigger isn�t always better, or better bigger.
The High School Musical franchise is fascinating, not because of its substance or staying power, but because of its back-story. HSM is one of a few films (most notably alongside 1983's A Christmas Story, which was preceded by three television movies produced by PBS) to start out as a TV franchise and move to a theatrical release. While the...

Movie Review: Hard Candy

Brandon Valentine — Sun, 7 Dec 2008 21:06:34 EST

Considering the storyline demands intimacy, it is hard to imagine Hard Candy served any other way.
Grown men who scour Internet chat rooms for teenage girls and boys are known as child predators. These irresponsible and despicable adults prey on confused adolescents who think that because they act like adults, they should partake in mature acts. The pre-teens and teenagers are the victims, not the perverted men who claim to be...

Movie Review: 9 Songs

Brandon Valentine — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 15:51:20 EST

The content of this review is sexual in nature. Reader discretion is advised.
(Note: Given the nature of the film, the content of this review is sexual in nature. Reader discretion is advised.) One could argue for ages whether 9 Songs is art, porn, or cinema. While the bulk of viewers could be convinced that perhaps it’s an amalgam, 9 Songs is neither artsy, sexy, nor cinematic. It's short on story, cheaply made,...

Movie Review: Psycho (1960)

Brandon Valentine — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 19:24:44 EST

If you find yourself crestfallen with the humdrum horror of today, Psycho is the ticket.
Think back to the first time you were scared out of your skin, either in a movie theater or at the drive-in. For many baby-boomers, this experience occurred during the 1975 hit Jaws. For others, it was three years later with the father of horror Halloween. However, if you were ripe for the horror plucking in June of 1960, the grandfather of horror...

Movie Review: The Battle of Algiers

Brandon Valentine — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 14:19:38 EST

Even after more than forty years, The Battle of Algiers is one of the most relevant films on war and persecution today.
“Acts of violence don’t win wars. Neither wars, nor revolutions. Terrorism is useful as a start. But then, the people themselves must act.” The Battle of Algiers outclasses the usual attributes that make a motion picture commendable. This violent wartime classic goes above and beyond a simple inspired vision. In terms of...

Movie Review: Saw V

Brandon Valentine — Sun, 2 Nov 2008 15:08:42 EST

While Saw V is more of the same, this review is something different.
The following is a fictitious reenactment of how Saw V came to be. Certain scenes contain brutal violence and bloodshed. Reader discretion is advised. As screenwriters Patrick Melton and Marcus Dunstan exit the premier of Saw IV, they begin to converse.Melton: What a piece of cake! We can keep pumping out violent, intertwining Saw storylines in...

Movie Review: Silhouette City

Brandon Valentine — Sat, 1 Nov 2008 13:45:30 EDT

By no means is Silhouette City anti-American or anti-conservative; it�s simply enlightening.
Taking its name from a 1970’s and ‘80’s “mock-town used for paramilitary training,” Silhouette City spans the evolution, commercialization, and politicization of religious extremism. Beginning with the survivalist sect called The Covenant, The Sword & The Arm of the Lord and ending with the advancement of the...

Movie Review: The Final Cut

Brandon Valentine — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 20:23:12 EDT

The Final Cut is worth the time in analysis, but not worth the money.
When Omar Naim decided to write his first (and, to date, only) screenplay, he probably sat down and revisited a handful of his favorite films including Blade Runner, Gattaca, Minority Report, Being John Malkovich, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, and I-Robot. In the process, Naim most likely grabbed a pen and pad, took detailed notes, and...