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Showing posts from October, 2017

Review: "Thor: Ragnarok"

I'll go ahead and admit that I turned off the DVD for the first Thor film less than halfway through. So it's safe to say that I walked into this third installment with little to no excitement (and this is coming from someone who actually enjoyed 2012's The Avengers ). It'll be to the relief of many Thor fans that Thor: Ragnarok maintains a welcome playfulness that more or less keeps it buzzing along for most of its running time. There are certainly some laughs to be had, but I don't know how I feel about a Marvel superhero movie depending on the DNA of a comedy as opposed to the DNA of an exciting and involving action epic. But that's an entirely different conversation for a different time. Taking a cue from this year's far superior Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 , Thor :  Ragnaro k banks on the nostalgic appeal of everything retro, from using  Led Zeppelin 's   "Immigrant Song" as its musical theme to the art direction of the planet Sa

Video Remix: "Beetlejuice" and "A Ghost Story" Mashup Trailer

Since it's Halloween weekend I went ahead and reimagined Tim Burton 's ghost-driven comedy classic Beetlejuice to the rhythm and style of David Lowery 's singular and masterful drama A Ghost Story (one of the very best films of 2017, hands down). For those who've seen both films, the parallels are clear; ghosts covered in bed sheets, spirits wandering between worlds and a house that carries significant emotional weight and resonance. I call this one A Ghost With The Most Story . Enjoy. And for reference, here goes the original trailer for A Ghost Story .

Review: "The Killing of a Sacred Deer"

Yorgos Lanthimos must associate diners with closure and inner peace. The diner has been the setting for the final scenes in his two most recent outings a director, The Lobster and his newest film The Killing of Sacred Deer . Lobster told a bleak (and often painfully funny) postmodern fable about finding love, yet you could really feel that Lanthimos cared for his two protagonists (even though they both endured some life-changing sacrifices). On the other hand, I can't say that Lanthimos cares for anyone in Sacred Deer . But maybe that's the point. Sacred Deer stars Colin Farrell and Nicole Kidman , as a textbook-happily-married-couple with two children (a young son and a teenage daughter) and a gorgeous mansion of a suburban home. Farrell's Steven Murphy is a doctor who spends a lot of his time at work, alongside his colleague Matthew (played by Bill Camp , who was superb in HBO's The Night Of ) but even MORE time acting as a surrogate paternal figure for the o

#FreeCinemaNow has a new look!

I started Free Cinema Now over six years ago and now that 2017 is quickly drawing to a close, I thought a makeover was in order. This blog will still feature content about the ever-changing new media landscape but it will also be a dedicated home to my upcoming video essays, mashups and remixes on cinema, along with exclusive film reviews by yours truly (unless otherwise noted). On a side note, what's everyone going to watch for Halloween weekend? Leave your answers in the comments below! - Nelson Carvajal

Video Remix: "The Killing of a Sacred Deer" Trailer (Ellie Goulding version)

Yorgos Lanthimos ' new film The Killing of a Sacred Deer tells a pretty serious and morbid tale. (The film review will follow on this site.) The original trailer featured an eerie cover of Ellie Goulding 's song "Burn" so I thought I'd lighten the mood a bit and remix it with the original -- and upbeat! -- number. Here goes the original trailer for comparison Happy Wednesday everyone. UPDATE : Ellie Goulding herself tweeted about this! Saw that last week- crazy... https://t.co/C3Lhqf51Lv — Ellie Goulding (@elliegoulding) October 25, 2017