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Commentary – Due Date and Unstoppable
UNSTOPPABLE – There’s plenty of cliches you can use to describe this movie, like – “it’s a non-stop thrill ride”, “It’s got enough steam to be a run away hit” or “Catch this power packed vehicle before it leaves the theater”. All apt descriptions, as director Tony Scott has delivered a really intense action movie that had our preview audience noticeably cringing, rooting and cheering for veteran train engineer, Frank (Denzel Washington) and newbie Will (Chris Pine) as they try to chase down a runaway train, carrying highly toxic and flammable material into populated areas outside of Pittsburgh…. Continued on PFS site DUE DATE -I can say, I think the…
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New Philly Wine Bar – BIBA
POST UPDATE! It seems this Biba post gets a good number of hits, so I thought I’d update it now that I’ve actually gotten to patronize this new establishment. My brother-in-law, Philippe is French, lived in France his whole life until he married my sister and they moved to New York City (Tribeca). He knows and likes wine, so while they were here this weekend, I suggested we go for an after hours drink at Biba (His treat)! They really liked the vibe of the space. Biba is small and sparse, very understated chic, totally Lauren and Philippe’s style. Our server, Sean, was helpful and knowledgeable. My sister asked for…
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Commentary- Waste Land & Cafe (19th Philly Film Fest)
As promised, here’s a post on the two films screened during the festival that I never got a chance to write about: Waste Land (synopsis) Filmed over nearly three years, Waste Land follows renowned artist Vik Muniz as he journeys from his home base in Brooklyn to his native Brazil and the world’s largest garbage dump, Jardim Gramacho, located on the outskirts of Rio de Janeiro. There he photographs an eclectic band of “catadores”—self-designated pickers of recyclable materials. Muniz’s initial objective was to “paint” the catadores with garbage. However, his collaboration with these inspiring characters as they recreate photographic images of themselves out of garbage reveals both the dignity and…
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19th Annual Philadelphia Film Festival CLOSING Coverage 2010
By Le Anne Lindsay, Editor Sunday, (10.24.10) the official last day of The Philadelphia Film Festival, was my first screenings at Ritz Five, it was unintentional, but everything else I saw just happened to play in University City or The Prince. I saw Housemaid a South Korean film about a overly privileged, insufferably arrogant rich business man who takes advantage of his housekeeper/nanny. When she becomes pregnant his wife and mother-in-law conspire to get rid of her. The set production of their mansion is awesome, looks as if they’re living in a exquisitely appointed 4 star hotel. The film however, plays rather all on one level, felt as if scenes…
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19th Annual Philadelphia Film Festival – NIGHT CATCHES US & SEX MAGIC
by Le Anne Lindsay, Editor Not only was Friday night’s screening of Night Catches Us sold out, but attracted a cool, racial mix of peeps. This Centerpiece screening included a Q & A with writer/director Tanya Hamilton and lead Kerry Washington who looked really chic in her Costello burnt orange dress. Washington was drawn to the film not only because of it’s strong writing, but also the opportunity to humanize an important time period in our history, apart from the stereotypical depiction of afros, machine guns and fists in the air. The film is set around my neighborhood of Germantown/Mount Airy, a fact that one audience member was livid about.…
