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THE ITHACAN

The Student News Site of Ithaca College

THE ITHACAN

The Student News Site of Ithaca College

THE ITHACAN

Bloody and funny, film parodies big budget action

By Harry Shuldman, Staff Writer April 26, 2007
Edgar Wright and Simon Pegg are learned disciples of the Quentin Tarantino/Robert Rodriguez school of filmmaking. Their two feature films, “Shaun of the Dead” and “Hot Fuzz,” are as much parodies as they are loving tributes to the zombie and cop genres, respectively. The latter of the two films earned Wright the street cred to…

Fast food trio satisfies fans on big screen

By Harry Shuldman, Staff Writer April 20, 2007
A critic would have an easier time summarizing “War and Peace” in 600 words than trying to fill that same space with a review of “Aqua Teen Hunger Force Colon Movie Film for Theaters.” This isn’t because the film is especially dense or complicated, or that its plot is intricate. Come to think of it,…

Richard Gere dramatizes deceitful writer in ‘The Hoax’

By Ben Tietz, Staff Writer April 20, 2007
After being inundated with the constant misrepresentation of the truth, whether it be from James Frey, Michael Moore or the Bush administration, it isn’t surprising to see that people in the U.S. have an innate skepticism about the media and those who control and shape them. The lines between escapist entertainment and exploitation have blurred…

Double feature draws from directors’ talents

By Harry Shuldman, Staff Writer April 13, 2007
For 10 seasons, the guys and robots at “Mystery Science Theater 3000” made their bread and butter off the type of movies “Grindhouse” so expertly pays homage to. Cinematic travesties like “Manos: The Hands of Fate” or “Devil Fish” were perfect for MST3K’s patented riffs and snide observations on the innumerable mistakes, errors and outright…

Director breathes life into cultural novel

By Miranda K. Pennington, Senior Writer April 13, 2007
In her vivid film adaptation of Jhumpa Lahiri’s “The Namesake,” director Mira Nair returns to her country of origin for the first time since 2001’s “Monsoon Wedding.” As in her earlier works, Nair depicts the U.S. and India without glamorizing or giving in to exoticism, while still finding the beauty inherent in both cultures. Nair…

Disney moves forward with ‘Meet the Robinsons’

By Shaun Semanyk, Contributing Writer April 12, 2007
A fast-paced plot, witty humor and technical brilliance are the ingredients that bring together Disney’s newest animated comedy, “Meet the Robinsons.” The movie’s creative salvation lies within the digital 3-D presentation available at most movie theaters. Moviegoers get the added excitement of keeping the 3-D glasses given to them at the front door. “Meet the…

Comedian continues sports parody crusade

By Harry Shuldman, Staff Writer April 6, 2007
Abbott and Costello met monsters, Ernest went places, Chevy Chase took his family on vacations. And now it’s official: the Will Ferrell formula for comedy success is parodying strange occupations. Following in the footsteps of “Anchorman” and “Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby,” Ferrell’s newest comedy knows better than to mess with a good…

Sandler makes dramatic strides as post-9/11 widower

By Miranda K. Pennington, Senior Writer April 6, 2007
“Reign Over Me” is one of the first films to be able to examine the aftereffects of Sept. 11 without depicting the actual events or responding patriotically. Written and directed by Mike Binder, despite any associations attached to the usual frivolity of Adam Sandler, the film is nothing less than a portrait of the breadth…

Film humanizes sexual deviants

By Garrett Stiger, Staff Writer March 29, 2007
“You did a bad thing,” an elderly mother tells her son who has been released from prison after exposing himself to a minor. “That doesn’t mean you’re a bad person.” Director Todd Field’s satiric yet brooding “Little Children” has the audacity to make three-dimensional human beings out of pedophiles and adulterers. The film, based on…

Foreign film critically analyzes German government

By Ben Tietz, Staff Writer March 29, 2007
The voyeuristic nature of a powerful government is a theme rarely tackled in film. Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck, director of the elegant and powerfully subdued “The Lives of Others,” should be commended on making a film that has timely themes without resorting to the hysterics and self-importance other directors think are the benchmarks of good…

Ninja Turtles defend their big screen honor

By Andy Swift, Assistant Accent Editor March 29, 2007
Since their initial inception in 1984, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles have managed to reinvent themselves more times than Madonna. And still, after a comic book series, three live-action theatrical films and three TV series, the turtles have once again achieved new life on the silver screen. Their latest incarnation, an all-CGI film titled “TMNT,”…

Sequel looks at horror with gruesome eyes

By Harry Shuldman, Staff Writer March 29, 2007
Emerging in the wake of a string of dismal horror remakes, last year’s “The Hills Have Eyes” didn’t seem like it had much hope of setting itself apart from schlock like “The Fog” or the craptacular Paris Hilton vehicle, “House of Wax.” Yet the film’s unexpected mix of great casting, cheesily gruesome makeup effects and…
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