THE ITHACAN

Action film delivers beauty and suspense

By Miranda K. Pennington, Senior Writer • January 25, 2007

Zhang Yimou’s latest Chinese epic “Curse of the Golden Flower” is on an even greater scale than “House of Flying Daggers” and “Hero,” pitting imperial egos against internal family politics. As the impassive Emperor Ping (Chow Yun Fat) and his family prepare for the annual Chrysanthemum festival, conspiracies run rampant and treachery is more prevalent…

‘Freedom Writers’ stays true to 1990s race conflicts

By Ben Tietz, Contributing Writer • January 25, 2007

The “teacher with a heart of gold” has become such a cliché in American pop culture that it’s amazing most kids aren’t idolizing their remedial English teachers instead of movie stars and musicians. Richard LaGravenese’s “Freedom Writers” manages to transcend any hint of condescension these “inspiring” tales are often full of. “Freedom Writers” is based…

Spy film fails

By Ben Tietz, Contributing Writer • January 24, 2007

“The Good Shepherd” is a fictionalized account of the beginnings of the CIA and its founders. The film hops across five continents and spans more than 30 years in the life of the (largely fictional) Edward Wilson (Matt Damon), without generating any excitement or coherency. This ambitious attempt to dissect the spy genre is built…

Stunning science fiction film visualizes the future

By Garrett Stiger, Contributing Writer • January 24, 2007

Alfonso Cuarón’s “Children of Men,” an electrifying and impassioned topical tale, begins with a bang, grabbing its audience by the collar and dragging it through a disturbingly resonant dystopia. Like the best of science fiction, “Children of Men” draws upon the familiar and relevant. The year is 2027, and women can no longer give birth.…

‘The Fountain’ eternalizes quest for love

By Miranda K. Pennington, Senior Writer • December 14, 2006

Darren Aronofsky’s “The Fountain” is a vast, insightful and weird drama. Aronofsky’s works (including “Pi” and “Requiem for a Dream”), like those of Michel Gondry (“The Science of Sleep”), linger and haunt the mind long after credits roll. “The Fountain” is no exception. With its constantly evolving characters, vivid settings and philosophy-meets-science-fiction tone, Aronofsky’s latest…

CGI penguins put important global issues to music

By Katie O'Driscoll, Staff Writer • December 14, 2006

What begins as a musically animated “March of the Penguins” ends like an after-school special edition of “An Inconvenient Truth.” Audiences going to “Happy Feet” can expect a cute story about a penguin who, though different from all the other penguins, is eventually accepted by his peers and lives happily ever after. But the audience…

Comedy rock duo establishes itself on the big screen

By Harry Shuldman, Staff Writer • December 7, 2006

Though the faces and places have changed, the stoner comedy template hasn’t altered much in the past 30 years. The best ones require two things: lots of smoking, and an impossible trek to complete. Whether it’s halting studio production of “Bluntman and Chronic” (“Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back”), or just heading to White Castle,…

Estevez film personalizes national tragedy

By Miranda K. Pennington, Senior Writer • December 7, 2006

After Senator Robert F. Kennedy’s assassination in 1968, the nation mourned the loss of a brilliant, charismatic politician. The era’s struggles feel sharply relevant to today’s national issues: involvement in an unpopular war, error-prone voting mechanisms and immigration tensions. As politically timely as “Bobby” is, what resonates most from the film is the personal impact…

‘Best In Show’ director takes on the indie film industry

By Miranda K. Pennington, Senior Writer • November 30, 2006

Christopher Guest and his usual cast of cohorts discover what happens to even the most mediocre independent film cast when some blogger throws out the word “Oscar” in “For Your Consideration,” a hysterical send-up of independent filmmaking’s conventions and character actors. Writer/director Guest is best known for his mockumentaries like “This is Spinal Tap” and…

Latest Bond film stays faithful to classics

By Harry Shuldman, Staff Writer • November 30, 2006

James Bond walks over to the bar at Le Casino Royale in Montenegro. Frustrated, perhaps about to lose millions in a high- stakes poker game, the world’s most famous secret agent orders his signature drink. A bartender asks Bond if he would like his vodka martini shaken or stirred. As the audience is about to…

Comedian gives off-color guidelines for etiquette

By Olivia Rebert, Chief Copy Editor • November 16, 2006

There really is no better way to make money than by taking advantage of unsuspecting house guests. This seems to be Amy Sedaris’ mantra in her book, “I Like You: Hospitality Under the Influence” ($27.99). As the title suggests, Sedaris dedicates the better portion of her words to drug and alcohol references, but also informs…

‘The Return’ digs up roots of classic horror

By Douglas Evasick, Staff Writer • November 16, 2006

Unlike the slew of disappointing horror releases this fall, including Sarah Michelle Gellar’s other release, “The Grudge 2,” “The Return” brings back traditional elements of quality horror. The film begins with a flashback, the first of many, in which Joanna (Gellar) remembers a traumatizing experience at a carnival. The film flashes forward to the present,…