Is this really a Spike Lee Joint? That was one of many questions¹ posed during the first two minutes of Spike Lee’s “Red Hook Summer,” a coming of age story that chronicles a young boy’s summer vacation inside the Brooklyn housing projects with his gravely religious grandfather. As the sixth film in Lee’s “Chronicles of […]
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Review: Beasts of The Southern Wild
January 7, 2013 
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“Once there was a Hushpuppy and she lived with her daddy in a bathtub,” is the bold line uttered by ingenue Quvenzhane Wallis – a line so simple yet so piercing that it resonates throughout the film and makes for a very triumphant culmination. Loosely based on Lucy Alibar’s play “Juicy and Delicious,” Benh Zeitlin’s […]
Continue reading It’s Been a Long Time…
January 3, 2013 2 Comments
… I shouldn’t have left you (left you) without a dope beat to step to. *insert some fancy dance break here for added effect* Did 2012 even exist on this blog? It’s almost embarrassing to say that it has been nearly a year since my last post, largely due in part to the fact that […]
Continue reading Review: Django Unchained
January 3, 2013 1 Comment
At a recent Museum of Modern Art benefit honoring Quentin Tarantino, Peter Bogdonavich (“Last Picture Show,” “Paper Moon”) introduced him as “the single most influential director of his generation,” and with his latest revenge fantasy ‘Django Unchained,’ the follow-up to his 2009 epic ‘Inglorious Basterds,’ he’s more than earned that stamp of approval. Inspired by […]
Continue reading 2012 Academy Award Nominations Announced
January 24, 2012 1 Comment
Once upon a time, when the Oscars weren’t so predictable, it used to be common fare around here to break down each category in anticipation of the big night. Now, there’s really no need to break down what you already know. Instead, lets focus on the surprises, shockers and snubs! Surprise Number 1: The Tree […]
Continue reading WGA Nominees Announced
January 6, 2012 1 Comment
The Writer’s Guild of America announced their nominees yesterday, and continued to narrow down the awards season playing field. On the rise – The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, which also picked up a Producer’s Guild nomination to add to yesterday’s WGA nod for Best Adapted Screenplay. On the outs – War Horse, the long […]
Continue reading The Real Reel’s Top 10 of 2011
December 31, 2011 2 Comments
What an interesting year in movies! With 2012 less than 12 hours away, it was impossible to let the year-end without recapping some of The Real Reel’s favorite films a 2011. Per usual, the year started with a few duds but surprisingly picked up in the summertime and continued into the fall and winter months. […]
Continue reading 69th Annual Golden Globe Nominations
December 15, 2011 0 Comments
The Hollywood Foreign Press Association closed out a week-long spectacle of awards season precursors with their announcement of the 69th Annual Golden Globe nominations. While they’ve never been subtle in their attempts to score big names for the ceremony, this year’s nominations took pandering to the Hollywood elite to a completely new level, starting with […]
Continue reading 18th Screen Actors Guild Nominations
December 14, 2011 0 Comments
The Screen Actors Guild announced their nominees bright and early this morning and as expected they’re boring, predictable and leave little to be desired. Granted there are a lot of late entries this season (yet both Meryl Streep and Glenn Close managed to sneak their way in), this year’s nominations are nothing to write home […]
Continue reading 17th Critics’ Choice Awards Nominations
December 13, 2011 0 Comments
The Broadcast Film Critics Association announced their nominees this morning, kicking off what’s sure to be a week-long event of predictable nominations and subsequent outrage. This. Is. Awards.Season! Take a good look at the following nominees, especially in the major categories, and consider this the norm for what’s to come, give or take a few […]
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