Category Archives: Lists

Cinematic Television

Posted on March 24, 2011 by The Filmsmith | 2 comments

I have already written extensively on a couple of miniseries this year that have blurred the line between cinema and television (Red Riding Trilogy, Carlos). Many directors are turning to this format as a way to expand the possibilities of cinema, and as a result, we are experiencing what may in the future be referred to as the definitive golden age of TV. HBO has raised the bar on series like The Wire and The Sopranos, and AMC is right on their heels with Mad Men and Breaking Bad. Some of these shows are just damn good television, but in a few instances there is little to distinguish between the big and small screens. Here are a few of those instances. Continue reading →

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Posted in Lists, News

Tagged Berlin Alexanderplatz, boardwalk empire, Fanny and Alexander, Frank Darabont, HBO, Ingmar Bergman, John Adams, Martin Scorsese, Mildred Pierce, miniseries, Rainer Werner Fassbinder, The Walking Dead, Todd Haynes, Tom Hooper

Super Bowl Rewind: The Trailers

Posted on February 9, 2011 by Aaron Faulkner | Leave a comment

In case you missed the many trailers that premiered during the Super Bowl commercial breaks, we’ve collected a batch to help you catch up:

Continue reading →

Most Anticipated Films of 2011

Posted on February 5, 2011 by The Filmsmith | 2 comments

At the beginning of every year, just as we are unwinding from seeing all the great Oscar hopefuls, we are hit with a wave of upcoming films to get even more excited about. From Sundance favorites to entries in the Berlin Film Festival, we get a glimpse of the next year’s Oscar race, but we also get the chance to cherry pick some films that might pass us by if we aren’t careful. Yes, some of these will be impossible to miss, but these are the films that we expect to move us, thrill us, take us to another place, or just simply enjoy the most. Continue reading →

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Posted in Lists

Tagged A Dangerous Method, Battle: L.A., Caves of Forgotten Dreams, Damsels in Distress, David Cronenberg, David Fincher, Duncan Jones, Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, shame, Source Code, steve mcqueen, Terrence Malick, The Time That Remains, Tree of Life, Werner Herzog

Best Horror and Sci-Fi of 2010

Posted on February 4, 2011 by The Filmsmith | 1 comment

In my family’s house, horror films were a staple. Fright Night, The Monster Squad, and the genre-mashing Big Trouble in Little China were family staples, fascinating as much for their special effects as for the worlds they explored. As Ben Creech once commented, horror and sci-fi are cousins to the fantasy genre, and I would have to concur. These genres, traditionally looked down upon by critics and award shows, create fantastic worlds that aren’t always welcoming, but are nonetheless amazing feats of construction.

The following are some horror and sci-fi films of 2010 that are remarkable for the ways in which they play with the trappings of their genre. In other words, they do something that’s refreshing. Gather a posse and chow down on some cool cinema. (Click on the title to read my full review) Continue reading →

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Posted in Lists, News, Reviews

Tagged Best of 2010, Daybreakers, Devil, Horror, Predators, Repo Men, Sci-Fi, The Last Exorcism

2010 Staff Picks

Posted on February 1, 2011 by The Filmsmith | 1 comment

Separate from our post on the Best of 2010, the Staff Picks below represent the films on our Top Ten lists, but were not on anyone else’s list here at The Filmsmith. Continue reading →

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Posted in Lists, News, Reviews

Tagged Aaron Faulkner, Ben Creech, Best of 2010, Blue Valentine, Carlos, Catfish, Fish Tank, Green Zone, Howl, let me in, Micmacs, Monsters, Remington Smith, Shutter Island, Staff Picks, The Red Riding Trilogy, The Town, Toy Story 3, Winter's Bone

The Filmsmith’s Best of 2010

Posted on January 30, 2011 by The Filmsmith | 1 comment

One first reaction to a “Best of” list toward the end of January 2011 might be confusion: “Why didn’t you write this up at the end of the year like everyone else?” The major reason is that quite a few notable films of the year didn’t become available until recently. I had to take a trip to Chicago to see several of these titles, some of which my colleagues still have yet to see.

Now that The Filmsmith is a publication with voices beyond my own, we decided to each draw up our Top Tens of 2010 and wherever there was crossover, lump those together. Therefore, this is The Filmsmith’s Best of 2010 (individual staff lists will be released tomorrow). Continue reading →

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Posted in Lists, News, Reviews

Tagged Best of 2010, Black Swan, Exit Through the Gift Shop, I'm Still Here, Inception, The American, The Fighter, The Social network

5 Videos to Celebrate Christmas

Posted on December 25, 2010 by The Filmsmith | Leave a comment

Today is Christmas. Here are some videos to celebrate.

First, let’s drop a little knowledge on ya’.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MtywlNX4NiQ

Continue reading →

6 Films to Celebrate Winter

Posted on December 21, 2010 by The Filmsmith | 1 comment

Today is the first official day of Winter, commonly known as the Winter Solstice. Around this time there’s a deluge of Christmas films dulling your ears on television – but what about films with Winter as a central character?

The Thing

You can’t mention Winter and not have The Thing listed as John Carpenter’s 1982 horror film is still quintessential viewing. A cadre of men on an Antarctic expedition are slowly annexed by an alien being. Both the cramped quarters of the camp and the empty snowscape let you know: “You’re on your own, buddy.” Without the option of running to the authorities, the frigid environment makes it all the more unsettling when the shapeshifting alien crops up to snack on some man flesh. Continue reading →

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Posted in Filmsmith Faves, Lists, Reviews

Tagged Band of Brothers, Documentary, Fargo, John Hillcoat, Nanook of the North, The Road, The Thing, Touching the Void, Winter, Winter Solstice

WWII Films You Haven’t Seen (but should)

Posted on December 8, 2010 by The Filmsmith | 2 comments

Today marks the 69 year anniversary of the Japanese attacks on Pearl Harbor, which kicked off the U.S.’s direct involvement in World War II (indirect involvement consisted of the Lend-Lease Act and the “cash and carry” initiative). Almost everyone has seen Saving Private Ryan and Schindler’s List, but many probably missed out on some great World War II films released in the 2000’s. Such as…

The Pianist (2002)