THE ITHACAN

Film tackles reality of post-traumatic stress disorder

By Evan Duchan, Contributing Writer • October 4, 2007

Coming back from war, many soldiers are diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). It is caused by extreme psychological trauma and, on returning, stateside soldiers coming back from war zones realize they cannot let go of some of the things they did. In Paul Haggis’ newest film, “In The Valley of Elah,” retired Army sergeant…

Romance film lacks emotion and depth

By Mike Spreter, Contributing Writer • October 4, 2007

Richard Linklater’s “Before Sunset,” a golden diary of the 80 minutes shared by two hypothetical soul mates as they glide through Paris, is a triumph in part because it mediates its humanism without lapsing into sloppy pathos. It creates two people we may choose to love despite being dragged through their requisite faults, reminding us…

Final ‘Resident Evil’ installment lacks focus

By Ryan Bryant, Contributing Writer • September 28, 2007

Paul W.S. Anderson brings the last installment of the “Resident Evil” series with “Extinction,” based on the popular video game series of the same name. In both the films and the games, an evil corporation ominously named Umbrella creates a powerful virus that unintentionally brings the dead back to life. With a new desert setting…

Drama tells dark tale of Russian crime family

By Benjamin Tietz, Staff Writer • September 28, 2007

There is something innately fascinating about the gangster film — the moral ambiguity, the wanton bloodshed, the black suits that look like they were carved out of onyx — that all filmmakers want to revel in and, ultimately, transcend. Canadian auteur David Cronenberg has based his entire career on elevating genre films to unexplored artistic…

‘Sydney White’ puts a goofy spin on a beloved classic

By Sarah Peed, Contributing Writer • September 27, 2007

This year’s feel-good flick for tweens has hit theaters in the form of the new Amanda Bynes film, “Sydney White.” While the film tries to update “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” with new jokes, it falls into the predictable rhythm of a “be true to yourself, while still managing to get the cute guy”…

‘D-War’ boasts high budget but fails to deliver

By William Earl, Senior Writer • September 21, 2007

This year, one movie was able to bridge the gap between geek and chic, using a compelling story and brilliant special effects to satisfy both fanboys and the average American. That movie was “Transformers.” Hoping to capitalize off the vast amount of money drawn in by that film, “Dragon Wars” — also billed as “D-War”…

Funny actors flounder with cheap jokes in flat comedy

By Andy Swift, Accent Editor • September 20, 2007

The only funny part of “Mr. Woodcock” is its title. Other than that, the film has nothing to offer but 87 minutes of uninspired acting, lackluster dialogue and an incredibly random appearance by “daytime diva” Tyra Banks. “Mr. Woodcock” tells the story of John Farley (Seann William Scott), the successful author of a self-help book…

Murderer and cursed lawyer face off in drama

By Aaron Arm, Staff Writer • May 4, 2007

In light of previous roles, it is difficult to watch Anthony Hopkins and not see him as an evil, manipulative genius. Fortunately, the audience needs not shed this preconception, as “Fracture” borrows the character of Hannibal Lecter — sans the cannibalism — for its own devices. The film begins with an all-too-original formula. Ted Crawford…

Tired story fails to convey deeper social meanings

By Harry Shuldman, Staff Writer • May 4, 2007

To no one’s surprise, professional wrestling stars don’t have the greatest track record when it comes to headlining movies. After all, wrestlers are built for action, not acting. But as long as they’re provided with asses to kick and things to blow up, the results should still be somewhat tolerable. (See Duane “The Rock” Johnson…

Vanity Fair editor advocates self-sufficiency in new book

By Miranda K. Pennington, Senior Writer • May 4, 2007

Any discussion of what women “should” do is fraught with sexism, classism, ageism and even “parent-ism.” It is impossible to examine women’s lives without wading through a complex web of judgments and opinion-riddled research. In “The Feminine Mistake,” Leslie Bennetts, a contributing editor for Vanity Fair, attempts to educate (and terrify) women about the dangers…

South Korean film combines comedy and horror

By Garrett Stiger, Staff Writer • April 27, 2007

Joon-ho Bong’s “The Host” successfully mixes a monster with family drama, comedy and political satire. In a South Korean laboratory, an American scientist orders dirty formaldehyde bottles to be dumped into the Han River, ignoring his assistant’s objections. In a salute to the monster genre, the formaldehyde creates a giant mutant tadpole. Gone are the…

‘Rear Window’ remake boasts talented cast

By Miranda K. Pennington, Senior Writer • April 27, 2007

The key to a remake, particularly when the inspiration is a Hitchcock masterwork like “Rear Window,” is to pay just the right amount of homage to the original without replicating it frame by frame. “Disturbia,” which replaces a suffocating apartment complex with the lush dysfunction of suburbia, manages to do justice to the 1954 classic,…