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
“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 […]
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It’s Been a Long Time…
… 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 […]
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Review: Django Unchained
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 […]
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2012 Academy Award Nominations Announced
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 […]
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WGA Nominees Announced
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 […]
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The Real Reel’s Top 10 of 2011
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. […]
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69th Annual Golden Globe Nominations
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 […]
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17th Critics’ Choice Awards Nominations
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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