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You may have heard on the last episode that we were planning on moving from Blogspot to Wordpress. Well, yeah, we're definitely doing that. I'm working on it at this very moment so if you want to read more of my reviews and articles or listen to more episodes of the podcast, you can move to the Wordpress account.

You can find it by click here.

Thanks to the 10 or 12 of you that follow our little blog. We love you all...especially you, Barnaby.

Looper Movie Review

[Looper
Written & Directed by Rian Johnson
Starring: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Bruce Willis, and Emily Blunt
MPAA: R - For Strong Violence, Language, Some Sexuality/Nudity, and Drug Content] 

What Makes Spec-Ops: The Line So Revolutionary

[Warning: The following analysis contains some mild spoilers. While you can still safely read this analysis without having played the game and still be surprised by its main twists and turns when you do decide to play it, there are still some things that I give away, most notably its message. So while it's not required that you play Spec-Ops: The Line before delving into this analysis, it's still recommended that you play through it first. Not just so you could read this post, but because it's an incredible, underrated game that should be experienced by anyone that thinks of the medium as an art form.]

2012 was a very interesting year for video games. Between fanboys complaining about Mass Effect 3's ending, games like The Secret World and Guild Wars 2 redefining the MMORPG, and tons of the usual independent works continuing to dominate Steam and XBLA/PSN and introduce stunning new visions, there's been a lot of incredibly fascinating stuff throughout this year to compensate for the boredom of waiting for the big games to come out, and the disappointment of many delays. 

There was so much interesting things, in fact, that I found there to be three games that I felt really did incredibly revolutionary things to the medium. Two of them, you most definitely heard of. One is a mainstream blockbuster and the end of a beloved trilogy, the other an astoundingly experimental indie game that was formed from a mod. Both have received tons of acclaim. However, there is a third game that I feel hasn't gotten enough attention from the gaming populace, which is especially undeserving because it is most likely to go down as one of the defining games of the medium 20 years from now.

I've decided to spotlight these three games and describe how each one offers something revolutionary and ground-breaking within this budding medium, starting with one of the most profoundly underrated games of this generation so far: Spec-Ops: The Line.

The Upstairs and Downstairs of The Cabin in the Woods

Cabin in the Woods is now out on Blu-Ray and DVD, meaning I finally have enough of a reason to splurge about it all over again without fear of spoiling people now that they all have a chance to see it. If you recall, I mentioned in my review that it was one of my favorite films of 2012, and it still is. However, due to the amount of secrets and surprises found in the film, I couldn't really explain "why" exactly it was so good without giving anything away. Well, now I can! Cue the maniacal laughter! This is my in-depth, insanely spoiler-filled analysis of Drew Goddard's The Cabin in the Woods!

CinEffect Podcast Episode 2 - The Master, VHS, and Spec-Ops: The Line

Episode 2: The Master, V/H/S, and Spec-Ops: The Line

Subscribe via iTunes.

Long hiatus aside, we finally come back to look at Paul Thomas Anderson's much hyped The Master and analyze it's many dense themes and concepts. Along the way, we also channel surf through the horror anthology V/H/S, debate the moral ambiguity of Spec-Ops: The Line, and take a brief look at the charming downloadable Steam title Tiny & Big, which features magical underwear. Also: Chris's weird story about a double feature gone horribly wrong.

The Master Movie Review

[The Master
Written & Directed by Paul Thomas Anderson
Starring: Joaquin Phoenix, Phillip Seymour Hofman, and Amy Adams
MPAA: R - For Sexual Content, Graphic Nudity and Language] 

The Paul Thomas Anderson Retrospective Part 5: There Will Be Blood

The Paul Thoms Anderson Retrospective concludes! Last time, I splurged about the stream-of-consciousness filmmaking techniques employed in Punch-Drunk Love. Now, we'll see Anderson, once again, going on a wildly different direction with his period-piece about oil tycoon Daniel Plainview: There Will Be Blood.

There will be spoilers in this There Will Be Blood analysis (heh), and I will go into some detail on the film's wild finale, so it's better suited if you've already seen the film (Which you should). If you haven't read the previous three installments of the retrospectives, you can do so by clicking these links for Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, and Part 4.

Also, a variety of clips will be employed, so be sure to have a good connection to see them all. And fair warning to the squeamish: There is some violence in one of the clips. It's off-screen, yet somehow remains brutal due to the sound-effects and the terrifying look on Daniel Day-Lewis's face.

With all that being said, let's drink some milkshakes as we dive right into There Will Be Blood.

The Paul Thomas Anderson Retrospective Part 4: Punch-Drunk Love

The Paul Thomas Anderson Retrospective continues! Last time, we looked at the interlinking narratives that connected in Magnolia, Paul Thomas Anderson's biggest, most ambitious film. Today, though, we'll see him scale back to make the quirky, surrealist "rom-com" (If you can call it that) Punch-Drunk Love.

As usual, there will be spoilers in this analysis. Nothing major, like in the Magnolia and Boogie Nights pieces, but it's still recommended that you see the film first. So if you haven't seen it yet, you can easily do so because it's the only Paul Thoms Anderson movie that's on Netflix Instant Watch, as of this writing. If you haven't read the previous three installments of the retrospectives, you can do so by clicking these links for Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3.

Also, much like the last installment, I'm going to be employing several clips as examples for the filmmaking techniques that Anderson uses throughout the film, so make sure your connection is good enough to be buffering plenty of videos. Plus, some of the clips contain some strong language, so if that's not your thing, you've been warned.

With all that being said, let's buy some pudding and take a closer look at Punch-Drunk Love.

The Paul Thomas Anderson Retrospective Part 3: Magnolia

The Paul Thomas Anderson Retrospective continues! Last time, we took a look at the film that put Paul Thomas Anderson on the map: the ambitious, epicly scoped Boogie Nights. Today, however, we see Anderson pushing the limits of ambition AND scope in his follow-up piece, 1999's Magnolia.

If you hadn't read the previous two installments of the Retrospective, I suggest clicking these links for Part 1 and Part 2. Plus, it must be made absolutely clear that it's impossible to discuss Magnolia without getting into serious detail on the character arcs and the insane finale. So be warned: There are major, MAJOR spoilers.

Also, unlike most of my retrospectives, instead of just showing a bunch of pictures from the movie, I'm going to be employing clips from the film. So make sure your internet connection is good enough to buffer some YouTube videos, if you want the full experience. Not required, but definitely a plus!

With that being said, it's time to analyze the web of coincidences that is Magnolia.

The Paul Thomas Anderson Retrospective Part 2: Boogie Nights

The Paul Thomas Anderson Retrospective continues! Last time, we took a look at Anderson's debut feature, Hard Eight (or Sydney, in some circles). Today, however, we're going to examine the film that put Paul Thomas Anderson on the map: the landmark Boogie Nights.

If you missed Part 1, you can read it here. Also keep in mind that while I managed to keep away from spoilers for my Hard Eight discussion, I will most definitely be spoiling a lot of the best scenes in Boogie Nights. You've been warned.

With that being said, it's time to get hard for Paul Thomas Anderson's look at the porn-industry of the '70s, Boogie Nights.

The Paul Thomas Anderson Retrospective Part 1: Hard Eight

In just a few weeks, the latest Paul Thomas Anderson film, The Master, is going to finally hit theaters after many years of waiting since There Will Be Blood in 2007, his last movie. While The Master may be under the radar for most audiences, it's one of the most highly anticipated movies amongst cinephiles, for good reason. Paul Thomas Anderson is one of the best and most important directors of our time, and any new film of his is a sure-fire event.

So much of an event, that I've decided that my second Director Retrospective will focus on him. Starting today, we'll look back at Paul Thomas Anderson's career and see his interesting evolution and maturation as a director and a screenwriter, starting with his first feature Hard Eight, and ending with my official review of The Master starring Joaquin Phoenix and Phillip Seymour Hoffman. Like my Christopher Nolan retrospective, I'll be looking at the themes and stylistic quirks that connect each film, and see how he grows and "learns" with each subsequent film.

Also worth noting: This review contains zero spoilers! Hooray!

With all that being said, let's begin with his debut: Hard Eight.

American Horror Story: Asylum Is Gonna Be Awesome

American Horror Story is awesome. It's also silly, stupid, ridiculous, lurid, cheesy, and a whole slew of adjectives that are popping in my head at random. But I fucking love it.

Cosmopolis Movie Review

[Cosmopolis
Written & Directed by David Cronenberg
Starring: Robert Pattinson, Paul Giamatti, and Sarah Gordon
MPAA: R - For Some Strong Sexual Content Including Graphic Nudity, Violence, and Language]

Paranorman Movie Review

[Paranorman
Directed by Chris Butler and Sam Fell
Starring: Kodi Smit-McPhee, Anna Kendrick, and Casey Affleck
MPAA: PG - For Scary Action and Images, Thematic Elements, Some Rude Humor, and Language]

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Detention Movie Review

[Detention
Written & Directed by Joseph Kahn
Starring: Josh Hutcherson, Shanley Caswell, and Dane Cook
MPAA: R - For Bloody Violence, Crude and Sexual Content, Nudity, Language, Some Teen Drinking and Drug Use]

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Margaret: The Masterpiece Mourned By No One

"Now no matter, child, the name:
Sorrow’s spríngs are the same.
Nor mouth had, no nor mind, expressed
What heart heard of, ghost guessed:
It ís the blight man was born for,
It is Margaret you mourn for."
~Gerard Manley Hopkins, Spring and Fall: To A Young Child

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The following is a review/analysis of the Extended 3-hour cut of Margaret. I still haven't seen the original theatrical cut, which is half an hour shorter, but upon reading some articles that explain the differences between the two, I concur that the Extended Cut is the definitive version of the film. I'm well aware that writer/director Kenneth Lonergan doesn't consider it so, since there was a much-longer Director's Cut that was 3 hours and 30 minutes if I remember correctly. But that was never released. The only versions you, the reader, are able to watch are the Theatrical and the Extended, and in my opinion, the Extended Cut is the definitive version. Just don't take my word for it 100% because I still haven't seen the Theatrical cut, but from my understanding, the Extended Cut has more dialogue and more scenes that truly express the psychological turmoil of its main character, so it is the definitive version in my book.

With all of that out of the way, let me tell you why a.) you've never heard of Margaret and b.) you need to rectify that.

The Christopher Nolan Retrospective Part 6: The Dark Knight Trilogy

The Christopher Nolan Retrospective continues! Last time, we delved into the many dream-layers of Inception to see how it provides insight into the director's mind itself. Today, in the final installment of the Christopher Nolan Retrospective, we take a look the trilogy that made Nolan an icon to thousands of movie fans: His Dark Knight Trilogy.

As always, I'm going to mention that there will be major spoilers in this discussion, except for The Dark Knight Rises since I know that not everybody has had a chance to see it yet. I will definitely be going into some plot details in The Dark Knight Rises that aren't necessarily spoilers, but I know that plenty of people have been trying to know as little about the film as possible so that they can have a clean experience with it, so be advised on that regard. If you haven't seen the other two movies (But seriously, who hasn't?) they're available wherever DVDs are sold or rentable.

With that being said, let's glide across Gothan to analyze Christopher Nolan's Dark Knight Trilogy...

The Dark Knight Rises Movie Review

[The Dark Knight Rises
Written & Directed by Christopher Nolan
Starring: Christian Bale, Anne Hathaway, and Tom Hardy
MPAA: PG-13 - For Intense Sequences of Violence and Action, Some Sensuality, And Language]

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[The following review is free of major spoilers, but I still discuss a few plot-points and details that can be considered spoilers to some, so if you still want to know absolutely nothing about the film then I'd still suggest not reading this review until after viewing the film.]

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[Also, this review was written before hearing of the news of the tragic Colorado shooting at a midnight screening in Century Theaters. The review is left unedited, but still worth noting that certain things have changed for some people's viewing habits because of the horrific incident. Please keep in mind that it shouldn't stop anyone from seeing the film. My thoughts go to the families and friends of the victims, and anyone else who was affected by the incident.]

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The Christopher Nolan Retrospective Part 5: Inception

The Christopher Nolan Retrospective continues! Last time, we examined how The Prestige was the key to understanding the films of Christopher Nolan. Today, we're skipping The Dark Knight to look at what many consider to be Christopher Nolan's magnum opus: Inception.

As always, I'm going to point out that the Batman films are being saved for a special Batman trilogy installment at the end of the retrospective; which, coincidentally, is going to be the next one. This will coincide with my review of The Dark Knight Rises, so that we get to look at the ways the three films work together as a trilogy. Another thing to point out is that there will be major spoilers in the following discussion, so if you haven't seen Inception (Which isn't really likely) then you can rent it anywhere discs can be rented, or even buy it anywhere on DVD or blu-ray.

If you would like to read the other installments of this retrospective, click on the following links for Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, and Part 4.

With that being said, let's dive right into the many different dream layers of Inception...

The Christopher Nolan Retrospective Part 4: The Prestige

The Christopher Nolan Retrospective continues! Last time, we analyzed what made Insomnia so very different from the rest of the Nolan filmography. Today, however, we skip Batman Begins (Saving it for a later installment) and move straight on to the exact opposite of Insomnia in what many people argue to be the Nolan-iest film in the Nolan catalogue: The Prestige.

As always, I'm going to point out that I'm skipping the Batman movies and saving them for a special Dark Knight Trilogy installment to close this series off with, which will coincide with my The Dark Knight Rises review; and I'm also going to warn you that this will contain some major spoilers. So if you haven't seen The Prestige yet, I'm sad to report that it's not on Netflix Instant, but you could still rent the disc wherever discs are available.

If you would like to read the other installments of this retrospective, click on the following links for Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3.

With that being said, let's dive right into The Prestige...

The Christopher Nolan Retrospective Part 3: Insomnia

The Christopher Nolan Retrospective continues! Last time, we examined the film that put Christopher Nolan on the map: Memento. Today, we look at his anticipated follow-up Insomnia and see how this one out of all of them seems to differ the most from the rest of Nolan's filmography.

Just as before, I have to mention that I will be skipping the Batman films for now and save them for a Dark Knight trilogy special (Which will include The Dark Knight Rises) at the end of the retrospective. Also worthy of note, this article will feature major spoilers of the film being discussed. Thankfully, Insomnia is on Netflix Watch Instantly at this very moment so if you'd like to catch up with this marathon, you can watch along.

And if you're just tuning in, you can read Part 1 on Following and Part 2 on Memento.

With that being said, it's time to see Christopher Nolan's first foray into Hollywood filmmaking...

The Christopher Nolan Retrospective Part 2: Memento

The Christopher Nolan Retrospective continues! Last time, we delved into the twisty potential in Nolan's debut feature Following and how it contains the themes that would eventually become benchmarks in all his work. Now, we move on to one of Nolan's most lauded films, said by many to be his masterpiece, Memento.

Before we begin, a few notes: Again, I'm going to be skipping the Batman movies for now and I'll be saving them for a special Dark Knight Trilogy special at the end of this retrospective that also ties into The Dark Knight Rises, so we'll get to those much later.

Secondly, I did my best to avoid spoilers in my analysis of Following but it's pretty much impossible to really delve into the themes and structure of Memento without getting into incredibly major spoilers. So if you, for some reason, haven't seen Memento yet and you're just delving into this marathon, do yourself a favor and see it before reading this.

With that being said, let's dive right into The Christopher Nolan Retrospective Part 2: Memento.

The Amazing Spider-Man Movie Review

[The Amazing Spider-Man

Directed by Marc Webb
Starring: Andrew Garfield, Emma Stone, and Rhys Ifans
MPAA: PG-13 - For Sequences of Action and Violence]

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The Christopher Nolan Retrospective Part 1 - Following

The Dark Knight Rises is coming in just about two weeks, and like everyone else on the internet, I'm getting more excited the closer it gets. Like it or not, Christopher Nolan's Batman films are one of the defining pictures of the superhero genre and having their grand finale is kind of a big deal. It's especially a big deal for Christopher Nolan himself, who has become one of the most influential and important filmmakers of our generation. The way he's able to get mainstream audiences into seeing some very dark, mature, and intellectual material in an age of whiz-bang pacing and fireworks is a testament to his propulsive pacing and imaginative storytelling.

Christopher Nolan pretty much has every director's dream trajectory: He started out with two very small independent films, got noticed, slowly got bigger and bigger actors and projects, built his reputation, and before you know it BAM, he's become one of the most lucrative auteurs in the business. It's fascinating to see such an evolution from his small thrillers to his epic blockbusters, and it's especially interesting to see all the themes that connect all of his work.

So interesting, in fact, that I've decided look back at that trajectory from the very beginning and go film by film viewing the evolution of Christopher Nolan. Starting today is my Christopher Nolan retrospective, where we analyze that evolution and see how his stamp starts to form over the course of his career, starting from his first indie films all the way up to my review of The Dark Knight Rises when it releases.

But do take note that I won't be doing the Batman films until after The Dark Knight Rises, mainly because it will be more interesting to compare those two films with the conclusion that they ultimately build up to. However, expect me to talk about the rest of your favorites, including Memento, The Prestige, Inception, etc.

Without further ado, our marathon starts with Nolan's debut, the black-and-white noir thriller Following.

Brave Movie Revew

[Brave
Directed by Mark Andrews and Brenda Chapman
Starring: Kelly Macdonald, Emma Thompson, and Billy Connolly
MPAA: PG - For Some Scary Action and Rude Humor]

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Beasts of the Southern Wild Movie Review

[Beasts of the Southern Wild
Written & Directed by Benh Zeitlin
Starring: Quvenzhané Wallis and Dwight Henry
MPAA: PG-13 - For Thematic Material Including Child Imperilment, Some Disturbing Images, Language, and Brief Sensuality]

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Moonrise Kingdom Movie Review

[Moonrise Kingdom
Written & Directed by Wes Anderson
Starring Jared Gilman, Kara Hayward, and Bruce Willis
MPAA: PG-13 - For Sexual Content and Smoking]

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The Podcast Returns! E3 and Prometheus

It's been a while, huh? Well, we're finally back with a new and improved, hopefully weekly version of the CinEffect podcast. If you're wondering what happened to us and why we had a hiatus, the answer could be shortened in two words: Mevio are a bunch of fucking sell-outs.

But yeah, you get the idea. Now we're under a new hosting site, Podomatic, which will hopefully work smoothly or us. Regardless, our new episode (which was split in two due to being overtly lengthy), discusses only two topics: E3 and Prometheus. So have a seat and listen to our ramblings as we discuss how disappointing every E3 press conference was and how totally not disappointing Prometheus was.

Prometheus Movie Review

[Prometheus
Directed by Ridley Scott
Starring: Noomi Rapace, Michael Fassbender, and Charlize Theron
MPAA: R - For Sci-Fi Violence Including Some Intense Images, and Brief Language]

[Warning: While this review contains no spoilers for the film itself, there are a few things I mention that might hint at some things that may be best left unread if you're planing on seeing this film with as little spoiled as possible. You've been warned.]

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Sound Of My Voice Movie Review

[Sound Of My Voice

Written & Directed by Zal Batmanglij
Starring: Christopher Denham, Brit Marling, and Nicole Vicius
MPAA: R - For Language Including Some Sexual References and Brief Drug Use]

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The Avengers Movie Review

[The Avengers
Written & Directed by Joss Whedon
Starring: Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo
MPAA: PG-13 - For Intense Sequences of Sci-Fi Violence & Action Throughout, and a Mild Drug Reference]

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God Bless America Movie Review

[God Bless America
Written & Directed by Bobcat Goldthwait
Starring: Joel Murray and Tara Lynne Barr
MPAA: R - For Strong Violence and Language, Including Some Sexual Sequences]

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The Raid: Redemption Movie Review

[The Raid: Redemption
Directed by Gareth Evans
Starring: Iko Uwais, Joe Taslim, and Doni Alamsyah
MPAA: R - For Strong Brutal Bloody Violence Throughout, and Language]

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The Cabin in the Woods Movie Review

[The Cabin in the Woods
Written & Directed by Drew Goddard
Starring: Kristen Connolly, Chris Hemsworth, and Fran Kranz
MPAA: R - For Strong Bloody Horror Violence & Gore, Language, Drug Use, and Some Sexuality/Nudity]

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Okay, here's the thing. I'm very adamant when it comes to refusing to spoil movies. But with all that being said, reviewing Cabin in the Woods is like the ultimate Catch-22. I can tell you that, as of now, it's my favorite movie of 2012, it's the most fun I've had in the theater in a long-ass time, and it's basically heaven for a guy who's seen countless horror movies such as myself. That being said, I can't tell you why I think all those things, because the thing that makes Cabin so very special is the element of surprise. There are movies with twists, that usually build up to one final twist ending that changes your perception of everything before such as The Sixth Sense and Citizen Kane; and then there are "twist movies" that slowly unravel twist after twist after twist consistently throughout the running time, such as Duncan Jones' modern sci-fi classic Moon. And I really can't think of a better movie that fits the latter category as well as Cabin in the Woods, which is so chock-full of surprises, critics all around the internet are practically castrating anyone that even dares to spoil the movie.

So here's what I'm going to do: I'm going to do the same thing that I did in my Catfish review, in which I'll go and just give you guys my Final Verdict early, and then dig deeper into some mild spoilers. Don't worry, I won't reveal anything that wasn't revealed in the trailer, but I still think that it's best to go into this movie as clean as you possibly can. You've been warned.

The Top 10 Found Footage Movies Of All Time

[The following blog post was found in the middle of the woods, corresponding the mysterious disappearance of Z-list internet blogger Enigma Bigglesworth VanNoLastNameInParticular. What you are about to read is entirely real.]

The found footage film has officially become a genre in and of itself. At first, it was a neat little gimmick employed to provide eerie realism to low-key horror films. Now however, we have comedies and action films joining the found footage bandwagon. With recent flicks like Chronicle and Project X expanding what a director can do with the gimmick, we also find that the gimmick is stretching itself thin. There are so many films claiming to be found footage now, that it is starting to get rather tired taking X genre but applying it to the found footage aesthetic. But I still do remember a time long ago where this gimmick was fresh, inventive, and clever. And today, I'm honoring those films that still feel fresh, inventive, and clever in its use of the found footage gimmick, even during a period of time where there's been a glut of this sort of movie. So without further ado, here are my picks for the top 10 found footage films of all time...

The Hunger Games Movie Review

[The Hunger Games
Directed by Gary Ross
Starring: Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Stanley Tucci
MPAA: PG-13 - For Intense Violent Thematic Material And Disturbing Images]

Yes, I know this review is late to the party.

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John Carter Movie Review

[John Carter
Directed by Andrew Stanton
Starring: Taylor Kitsch, Lynn Collins, and Willem Dafoe
MPAA: PG-13 - For Intense Sequences of Violence and Action]

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To give you a super brief, one-sentence summary on my thoughts on John Carter: I almost didn't want to review this film, but I did anyway because the film's backstory is more interesting than the actual movie itself. The movie itself is a serviceable and fun, but bland and generic sci-fi/fantasy yarn. The story in which it's based on, however, is...well...

Silent House Movie Review

[Silent House
Directed by Chris Kentis and Laura Lau
Starring: Elizabeth Olsen, Adam Trese, and Eric Sheffer Stevens
MPAA: R - For Disturbing Violent Content and Terror]

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Take Shelter Movie Review

[Take Shelter
Written & Directed By Jeff Nichols
Starring: Michael Shannon, Jessica Chastain, and Kathy Baker
MPAA: R - For Some Language]

"True! --nervous --very, very dreadfully nervous I had been and am; but why will you say that I am mad? The disease had sharpened my senses --not destroyed --not dulled them. Above all was the sense of hearing acute. I heard all things in the heaven and in the earth. I heard many things in hell. How, then, am I mad? Hearken! and observe how healthily --how calmly I can tell you the whole story." ~Edgar Allen Poe's Tell-Tale Heart

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Julia's Eyes Movie Review

[Julia's Eyes
Directed by Guillem Morales
Starring: Belén Rueda, Lluís Homar, and Pablo Derqui
MPAA: NR - Contains Violence, Brief Language & Nudity, and Some Disturbing Images]

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[This Review Contains Very Mild Spoilers]

A Separation Movie Review

[A Separation
Written & Directed by Asghar Farhadi
Starring: Peyman Maadi, Leila Hatami, and Sareh Bayat
MPAA: PG-13 - For Mature Thematic Material]

Even the most religious of all people sin. It's known fact because, well, everyone sins. Everyone usually tries their best to do good so that good will find them, but it's never that simple, isn't it? Even priests are frequently caught with underage sex offenses. How is it possible that even the most pious people could commit an atrocity? Because, as Roger Ebert put it in his excellent review of today's movie, "No list of rules can account for human feelings."

Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close Movie Review

[Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close
Written by Eric Roth & Directed by Stephen Daldry
Starring: Thomas Horn, Tom Hanks, and Sandra Bullock
MPAA: PG-13 - For Emotional Thematic Content, Some Disturbing Images, and Language]

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The Grey Movie Review

[The Grey
Written & Directed by Joe Carnahan
Starring: Liam Neeson, Frank Grillo, and Dallas Roberts
MPAA: R - For Violence/Disturbing Content Including Bloody Images, And Pervasive Language]

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We Need To Talk About Kevin Movie Review

[We Need To Talk About Kevin
Written & Directed by Lynne Ramsay
Starring: Tilda Swinton, John C. Reilly, and Ezra Miller
MPAA: R - For Disturbing Violence & Behavior, Some Sexuality, And Language]

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I am not a member of the female sex, nor am I a parent; but if I was a mother, then Lynne Ramsay's We Need To Talk About Kevin would've been something like my worst nightmares being manifested in front of my eyes in minute detail.

The 2012 Academy Awards Predictions - Round 2

Last week, I discussed my predictions for the Academy Awards for what would be nominated, what would be snubbed, and what could possibly win. Now, however, the nominations are finally out, the movie-geek community is running rampant with equal parts applause, surprise, and backlash, & all the world is waiting to see which film will win the most prestigious award in the movie industry: A golden, naked man holding a bunch of leaves for some reason.

Probably shouldn't waste any more time on an introduction since I already did so in Round 1 of the predictions list, so let's just get this out of the way...

With the nominations finally out, it's time to hear my thoughts on what will probably win, what I think should win, the big surprises that no one saw coming, and more of the delicious, delicious snubs. Put on your monocles, grab your most expensive bottle of chardonnay, and raise your brows & pinkie fingers as high as humanly possible: This is round 2 of my 2012 Academy Awards Predictions extravaganza.

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The 2012 Academy Awards Predictions - Round 1

Make fun of awards shows all you want, but without them, challenging works of art in the cinema landscape wouldn't nearly get the amount of mainstream recognition they would've gotten without a powerhouse award circuit like the Academy Awards. Think about it, in a day and age where Hollywood seems to only favor shallow fluff, the awards shows like the Oscars are the only ones who encourage challenging films that showcase emotion and artistry over mediocrity...to a point, at the very least, but that's another topic entirely. I mean, say what you will about the Academy, but only an awards show can single-handedly get millions of movie-goers lined up to see a contemporary silent film with The Artist just for the Oscar-hype alone. There are plenty of things about the Oscars to pick on, but that is something to be appreciated.

Still though, there seems to be a certain formula to the Academy in their nominations, to the point that it's gotten easy to predict what they'd pick and what they'd whole-heartedly avoid. Sure there'd be some surprises here and there, like last year's inclusion of Dogtooth in the Foreign Language Film list. But for the most part, it seems like there is always some sort of definite pick for biggest piece of "Oscar-bait" of the year.

So what should you expect from this year's Oscars? Well, there are some obvious things to cover, as well as some personal predictions from myself. Rather than going category by category (which we'll save for round 2, when the nominations are finally released), I'm just going to pick whatever random ones I think are worth mentioning, including snubs. Okay? Alright, so where to begin...

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CinEffect Podcast Episode #14

Episode #14: Top 10 Films of 2011

Welcome to the CinEffect Podcast. In this podcast of constant douchebaggery, me (Chris), Alex, and Brady discuss film, video games, and everything in between. This week, Chris & Alex countdown their top 10 films of 2011.

Subscribe via iTunes

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AfterEffects Bonus Episode

AfterEffects Bonus Episode: Our Top 10 Most Anticipated Films of 2012

Chris & Alex take some time on the side to discuss their top 10 most anticipated films of 2012. You can also read their lists, here and here.

CinEffect Podcast Episode #13

Episode #13: Super, War Horse, The Artist, Carnage, and Certified Copy

Welcome to the CinEffect Podcast. In this podcast of constant douchebaggery, me (Chris), Alex, and Brady discuss film, games, and everything in between. This week, Chris & Alex go through a smorgasboard of films including War Horse, Carnage, Tabloid, Certified Copy, The Artist, and conclude with an in-depth spoiler review of Super.

Subscribe via iTunes.

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Chris' Top 10 Most Anticipated Films of 2012

As is yearly tradition, January offers almost nothing of any significant note in the theatrical release landscape. And as such, all we movie-buffs are left to do is wait in masturbatory fury for the next big movies to pop out of the moist, quivery, studio-executive-sponsored womb. And that's exactly what I'm doing in this article; minus the moist, quivery wombs. Enjoy this little look at my 10 most anticipated films of 2012, and I swear if you tell me that a Roland Emmerich film should've been on here, I'll sue you simply for not being funny or clever at all.

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Alex's Top 10 Most Anticipated Films of 2012

2012 is definitely going to be a crazy and exciting year for film when I had to couldn’t even find room to put the next Coen bros. film, the next original Pixar flick, the next huge blockbuster of the summer, The Dark Knight Rises, or even Steven’s Spielberg’s new Lincoln bio-pic on my list. We all have a lot of movies ahead of us this year so pick wisely or just see them all like me! Here is my Top 10 Most Anticipated Films of 2012.