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Meet the Author - Rory Dean
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Blog Catalog Sites
Above the Line: Practical Movie Reviews- The Matrix (1999) Blu-ray May 24, 2012The Matrix is that rare treat of a movie that entertains on a multitude of levels and as a result appeals to a diverse audience. You don't have to be an adrenaline hyped action junkie to enjoy the ride, or spend years snuffing dust print dust with your nose crammed in books on quantum physics and Einsten Rosen Bridge theory to be entertained. Exceeding […]rorydean
- Roadie (2011) May 6, 2012“Roadie” captures the dying dreams of middle-age coming to terms with changing or staying the same forever. That’s why you should watch “Roadie” because it gets so much of living and dying right. There’s always another comic book movie for getting away from it all. These films are like calling cards, like the pictures you look back on and say see, that’s act […]rorydean
- Ides Of March (2011) March 29, 2012George Clooney writes, directs and stars in this fine and impressive ensemble of talent with some of the brightest stars in front of the camera and behind it. Ides Of March is well made and character driven and for the most part the film accomplishes its goal of poking the seething underbelly of political corruption with impressive results from a fine ensemb […]rorydean
- Take Shelter (2011) March 28, 2012It's easy to fault a film that stumbles for lack of extravagance, which is forgivable but a film that purposefully mires itself in tiny revelations involving breakfast sausage and excavators is neither cinematic nor particularly engaging. Take Shelter makes every effort to portray normal but can't get beyond which crayon to use. Continue reading […]rorydean
- Miss Nobody (2010) February 12, 2012The fact Miss Nobody (2010) makes no effort to hide its similarities in the comfort of blatant clichés feels short-sighted if not intentionally convenient. It will most likely appeal best to those interested in caricature over character and those looking for a laugh at the expense of clever. Continue reading →rorydean
- The Matrix (1999) Blu-ray May 24, 2012
Monthly Archives: July 2010
Inception a.k.a Exposition
Despite popular opinion, Christopher Nolan didn’t invent the summer blockbuster any more than he was the first person to try peanut butter and chocolate in the same bite. All the pieces are there, big named stars and gun fire, ridiculous and unbelievable plot points that don’t just bump into one another but get lost like children in a field too enamored with the cornstalks to answer when mommy calls. Continue reading
Posted in In Theaters Now!, Movie I've Seen, Rants & Raves, Speak-Freely
Tagged above the line, christopher nolan, Cillian Murphy, dream thieves, dreams, ellen page, inception, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Ken Watanabe, Leonardo DiCaprio, Lukas Haas, michael caine, movie reviews, movies about dreams, Pete Postlethwaite, rory dean, summer blockbuser, tom berenger, Tom Hardy, warner bros.
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Less Than Zero is More Than Most
Less Than Zero doesn’t pretend to reinvent the ‘doomed if you’re in the company of drugs, dead if you do them’ story. Most will agree this story isn’t new; troubled youth spiraling into various incarnations of the abyss, fueled by sex and drugs and more drugs. Yet there is something operating much deeper here, something endearing about the boundary of these particular friendships that are tested, broken and repaired in a glossy veneer of 80s pop culture. Continue reading
Collateral
Collateral is a 2004 by Michael Mann starring Tom Cruise and Jamie Foxx and while the plot is a bit simplistic, strong performances and stylish cinematography using the Viper High-Definition video camera for the majority of production elevates the film to one of the time crime thriller films of the year. At times the images seem washed out, a common problem with video cameras, though much of the night scenes and frequent spontaneous recordings benefited from the compact camera and low-light sensitivity. A must fans of the genre, Michael Mann and the starring actors. Continue reading
Is Up In The Air a Downer?
Up in the Air is not a film for everyone but it is a film that writer-director Jason Reitman hopes will spark questions about the nature of our relationships and the consequences of our decisions to connect or not connect in the digital age. Continue reading
