Review: Song to Song

By Eric Blume

It’s difficult to review Song to Song, the latest film from Terrence Malick, because based on the standards of cinema (plot, characters, structure, acting, etc.), it’s a pretty terrible movie.  But with this film, Malick continues his journey to discover some sort of new cinematic language and style that has a weird beauty all its own.

The story, such as it is, revolves around three people in the music business (played by Michael Fassbender, Rooney Mara, and Ryan Gosling).  They go in and out of relationships with each other and a few other folks (notably Natalie Portman, Cate Blanchett, and Bond girl Berenice Marlohe).  Malick gives you no real sense of time, so it’s never 100% clear what happens when exactly.  But there are many, many scenes with those five people running their hands over each others’ bodies while voiceover proclaims banalities about sex and connection...   

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Yes No Maybe So: "Alien: Covenant"

Colony ship Film Experience crew member Robert here!

Since Prometheus blasted us back into the Alien universe to mixed reaction (hey, I really liked it!) there has been a flurry of talk about what the next entry in the franchise would be. For a while it was looking like Neill Blomkamp would get his shot at reviving the franchise with original star Sigourney Weaver, but Ridley Scott's sequel to Prometheus – originally not related to the Alien franchise, now called Alien: Covenant – put those plans on ice.

After a very tense teaser a few months ago we have a full trailer and it looks like it will be a bumpy ride for all. Trailer with the accompanying "Yes No Maybe So" after the jump...

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Thoughts I Had... the "Song to Song" Poster

Chris here, with a look at the next Terrence Malick flick. Last his other films of the past decade, this year's Song to Song has been long promised and long in the can, and is suposedly related to last year's Knight of Cups (both of which shot back-to-back). This Austin rock and roll based film is another starry dive we know little about - however this time we'll find out soon when it debuts next month at SXSW Fest and releases in the following weeks. The trailer will be here soon, but we now have a vibrant poster to ruminate over. Some thoughts...

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Review: Assassin's Creed

by Eric Blume

A movie doesn’t necessarily have to make sense to succeed.  Many of us are still mystified by the red pill and the blue pill and The Matrix but that film has such force and style that subtleties of plot were insignificant.  Assassin’s Creed makes less than zero sense, and mere mortals could not possibly explain the plot  It has something to do with the Spanish Inquisition, a descendant of an elite group of assassins, evil scientists, and the acquisition of the Apple of Eden, since the Holy Grail and Ark of the Covenant have been claimed elsewhere in better movies.

The confusing mechanics of this potboiler wouldn’t matter much if the film delivered on action sequences, compelling characters, or overall tension.  Unfortunately director Justin Kerzel seems overwhelmed by the entire enterprise, and buckles under the seriousness of the effort. This is saying a lot, because last year Kerzel directed MacBeth, and his great lead actors from that film, Michael Fassbender and Marion Cotillard, are back on this picture...

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Girl, where do you link you're goin'?

Comics Alliance The Flash movie, starring Ezra Miller, loses its Dope director
MNPP Matthias Schoenaerts and Jane Fonda on set together!
The New York on The Handmaiden and lesbian historical fiction
EW will give us an extensive first look at Beauty and the Beast in the new issue

The Film Doctor on Woody Allen's Cafe Society - have you caught up with this on dvd?
i09 because once you are all about being on-brand, like Johnny Depp, you can't ever leave franchise-verse, he'll be joining the Potterverse for a Fantastic Beasts sequel
/Film speaking of Ezra Miller is giving a history of the Potterverse to promote Fantastic Beasts
Time Out Two time Tony winner Tammy Grimes (mother of Amanda Plummer) dies at 92
D List after a brief internet freakout Idris Elba denies that he's dating Madonna
Superhero Hype set photos from The Defenders (Netflix's answer to The Avengers) though for now its mostly just Jessica Jones in her trademark leather jacket, blue jeans, and perma-scowl

NY Times "Warren Beatty wants six hours of your time" a profile
Jezebel ,,,Rich Juzwiak on the write-around of that piece
I Like Things That Look Like Mistakes Kyle Turner on the camp value of Lady Gaga's "Joanne"
IndieWire you can now stream Michael Giacchino's Dr Strange's score in its entirety 
Reel Talk time for reunion TV to go? 

P.S. Jason's Polling Skills are Formidable
Two Sophie's Choices in a single day? Right here he asked us to choose between Juliet & Pauline, two such Heavenly Creatures, and at his own blog My New Plaid Pants, this showdown between topless begloved sex gods. How will you vote in both polls?