DEATH OF TRADITIONAL CINEMA

A pivotal scene halfway through the film where Michael Fassbender, wearing only a towel screams at Carey Mulligan unlocked the mystery and the central conflict for me. Both actors are so enchanting onscreen you almost forget what the story is about. Then come the strong words. Most of what transpires in SHAME, director Steve McQueen's (not the famous actor) second film, reuniting him with actor Michael Fassbender are wordless moments, mostly introspection and silent images, and it's a plus for me because less talk onscreen gets me. Do it extensively and I will sleep on it, but do it just enough, especially for a sexually-themed story and you have my attention, in the spirit of the great films by Bertolucci (critics compare SHAME to LAST TANGO IN PARIS).  So what do you do if you're a sex addict who can't get enough sex, and one day your routine gets disrupted so much so you can't get it up anymore? That is what Brandon (Fassbender) has to live with, wit...

Perhaps the most disturbing film of the year, GIVE UP TOMORROW centers around Francisco "Paco" Larranaga, who was 19 at the time he was arrested for the charges of kidnapping, rape, and murder of sisters Marijoy and Jacqueline Chiong in 1997. He and six other boys who were members of prominent families were rounded up, and the media was quick to put a verdict.  I was ten years old when this occurred, and up until now I am not familiar with the incident (what rock was I hiding all these years?). As it turns out, the Chiong sisters' disappearance  (and murder?) and the circus trial of the seven accused, including Larranaga may in fact be the ultimate test of the Philippine justice system. Told through file videos, relying heavily on facts of the case, and supplemented by interviews with Paco's family and friends, as well as journalists who stood watch, and lawyers from opposing sides- filmmakers Michael Collins and Marty Syjuco documents a decade's worth of...

For Daniel Craig's third outing as the British super spy that needs no further introduction, and in celebration of 50 years of 007, the producers opted to go retro, as in go for the minimalist treatment in terms of story, set pieces, action sequences, themesong (Adele's delivery of "Skyfall" is so melancholic) and yes, gadgets. The story also goes back to Bond's beginnings, in order to confront a monster inevitably created by their cruel and unforgiving line of work. Overtly paying homage to the classic Bond films through the use of familiar elements, SKYFALL manages to be not only a return to form but also a character study and moral reevaluation. The villain (played by Javier Bardem) is a victim of circumstance, out to seek revenge on the one person who single-handedly destroyed his life- "M" (Judi Dench). Bond (Daniel Craig) would not let this happen, and even if M's bad judgment call almost led him to certain death (Bond's near-fatal...