All articles by Mark Rabinowitz
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Reviews
Bam Bam And Celeste
Dir. Lorene Machado. US. 2005. 85mins.Film-maker Lorene Machado and screenwriter Margaret Cho misfire with Bam Bam And Celeste, a featurefound wanting in too many departments, and potentially too offensive to many,to succeed.US theatrical prospects mightsee it pick up play at midnight theatres, especially on gay circuits, but fewaudiences are likely ...
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Reviews
Trust The Man
Dir/scr. Bart Freundlich. US, 2005. 103 mins.An enjoyable and high-spirited romp, Trust The Manis one of the brightest and most uplifting US indiecomedies of late. A screwball romantic comedy, it may not be to all tastes, andthose averse to plot loopholes are advised to stay clear. But Bart Freundlich's fourth ...
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Reviews
The Notorious Bettie Page
Dir. Mary Harron. US.2005. 91mins.The detachment from hersubject that Mary Harron successfully kept with her screen adaptation of AmericanPsycho (2000) is in evidence again with The Notorious Bettie Page -although the end result is less compelling.With Bret Easton Ellis'novel, Harron and co-writer Guinevere Turner delivered a chilling and darklyfunny slice ...
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News
InDigEnt starts 16th film with Maggenti, Mol
Independent DigitalEntertainment, aka InDigEnt, the New York-based digital production collectivehas begun shooting its 16th feature in New York City this week.The as-yetuntitled film was written and is being directed by Maria Maggenti, who hasn'tmade a film since 1995's The Incredibly True Adventure of Two Girls In Love.The romanticcomedy stars Gretchen ...
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Reviews
Bad News Bears
Dir. Richard Linklater.US. 2005. 114mins.To a generation ofAmericans, Michael Ritchie's 1976 comedy Bad News Bears was a culturaltouchstone, a rough-around-the-edges feature that celebrated an underdogbaseball team as it battled against adversity.The problem with RichardLinklater's remake is that the style of films made by Hollywood in the 30 yearssince. Bad News ...
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Reviews
Piccadilly Jim
Dir. John McKay. UK.2004. 97mins.John McKay's sophomorefeature Piccadilly Jim is one of those all-too common happenings incinema: a film that barely misses the mark when aiming at greatness, therebyinfuriating those who notice its failings and thus bringing the film down tothe level of 'having potential".Adapted by Oscar winnerJulian Fellowes (Gosford ...
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Reviews
The Adventures Of Sharkboy And Lavagirl In 3D
Dir. Robert Rodriguez.US. 2005. 94mins.A mildly engaging children's morality tale, RobertRodriguez's The Adventures Of Sharkboy And Lavagirl In 3D is the kind offilm that parents should be happy to let their kids see but which likely provetoo undemanding for anyone beyond its target age group.While the digital specialeffects are inventive ...
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Reviews
The Baxter
Dir. Michael Showalter.US. 2005. 91mins.The debut feature fromMichael Showalter, The Baxter harbours noble ambitions - but therein liemost of its problems, with what appears to be an attempt at mixing classicHollywood screwball comedy with elements of Billy Wilder's The Apartment(Jack Lemmon's character was named CC Baxter).In the US, distributor IFCFilms ...
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Reviews
Fierce People
Dir.Griffin Dunne. US. 2005. 110mins.Griffin Dunne's fifth feature is by far his most assured,with credits both above the line and below surpassing those of his previousefforts. Set in New York City and New Jersey during the 1980s, Fierce Peopleis darkly comic drama with a decidedly more downbeat third act its ...
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Reviews
Fierce People
Dir.Griffin Dunne. US. 2005. 110mins.Griffin Dunne's fifth feature is by far his most assured,with credits both above the line and below surpassing those of his previousefforts. Set in New York City and New Jersey during the 1980s, Fierce Peopleis darkly comic drama with a decidedly more downbeat third act its ...