Bitter Tears

'Tears of Gaza' is brutal, one-sided [ok]

It’s difficult to know what exactly to make of Tears of Gaza. It wants to be an indictment of war in general and also an indictment of a very specific war, the Gaza War of late December 2008.

Embrace This Wreck

'Wreck-it Ralph' is a blast [yay!]

Maybe it’s the 1980s and 1990s nostalgia for vintage video games. Maybe it’s John C Reilly’s and Sarah Silverman’s terrific performances as Ralph and Vanellope.

Worst. Siblings. Ever.

It’s rough going, but see 'Sister'

There’s a kid (Simon, played well by Kacey Mottet Klein) who’s been dealt a shitty hand; he exploits people around him by stealing—and not too smartly—at a ski resort. The adults aren’t much better than he is.

Hi Honey, Bye Honey!

You'll wish 'Hello I Must Be Going' stayed [ok]

Occasionally a movie gets to the guts of human emotion honestly. Hello I Must Be Going is one of those movies.

The Old Woman Down the Road

'Found Memories' is thoughtful and rewarding [ok]

Each morning, Madalena (Sonia Guedes) wakes before dawn to make bread in the dark. A single kerosene lamp lights her kitchen. She then trudges outside, slowly following a set of unused train tracks to Jotuomba, a fictional Brazilian village that seems to exist outside of time.

Portrait of the Artist as Enigma

What’s going on in Bel Borba Aqui? [meh]

When all the movie awards start popping up later this year, perhaps someone will recommend a new category: The film most like Seinfeld, the show that was about nothing. Bel Borba Aqui would certainly be among the nominees.

To the Battlements

How to Survive a Plague chronicles AIDS activism in the ’80s and ’90s [ok]

How one survives a plague (according to How to Survive a Plague) is to go on the offensive, relentlessly, until you get what you want (or really, deserve).

'Liberal Arts' is light and fun [OK]

At 35, Jesse Fisher (writer/director Josh Radnor) is single and bored with his job at a New York university as an admissions counselor.

Wanted: Unknown Singer-Songwriter

'Searching for Sugar Man' is quietly inviting [Yay!]

It sounds like the idea for a bad movie: Talented musician no one cares about disappears. A small group of overseas fans, knowing nothing of his life, endeavors to find him.

A Boy and His [Dead] Dog

'Frankenweenie' works despite weak spots [ok]

The great thing about animals—and this is corny and unoriginal—is their unconditional love. A scratch behind the ear, steady food and trips to the park go a long way for a dog, just as a comfy sofa arm goes a long way for a cat.