Mrs. Palfrey at the Claremont

A charming and poignant film about the friendship of a elderly widowed woman and a young and impoverished writer. The recently widowed Mrs. Palfrey escapes her judgemental daughter and nursing home by living at the Claremont hotel in London that's filled with elderly patrons. Through an accident she befriends the young Ludovic Mayer and the friendship enhances their lonely lives. Joan Plowright and Rupert Friend make it work in this otherwise formulaic film. Friend makes his official screen debut and is on his way to stardom in the coming years. YRCinema's coverage of films on DVD.

Carne Trémula (Live Flesh)

The fantastic Pedro Almodóvar delivered another classic with this loose adaptation of a Ruth Rendell novel about a fateful night that changes the lives of five people. This films defies genre conventions from erotic thriller to romantic drama with Almodóvar signature all over it including a masterful story telling and a perfect cast including Javier Bardem, Francesca Neri, Penelope Cruz and Angela Molina in a heart breaking performance. Films like this are a rare treat and still holds up well. YRCinema's coverage of films on DVD.

Videodrome

Classic Cronenberg that still holds up and prophetic in some ways long before reality television. James Woods plays a TV executive looking for cutting edge programming when he finds Videodrome, a pirate reality show that changes those who watch it along other symptoms. Deborah Harry (Blondie) stands out in a supporting vamp role with a taste for S&M. The film is as edgy as you would expect from Cronenberg who went to make The Fly, Dead Ringers and Crash. Cronenberg currently enjoys a revival of his career thanks to the smashing success of A History of Violence and Eastern Promises. YRCinema's coverage of films on DVD.

Never Back Down

A Hollywood formula film that's updated every decade to reflect the generation's culture in music and fashion. Never-the-less the film delivers exactly what it promises, a lot of eye candy and potent fights. Sean Faris makes a credible hero and delivers a solid performance along with Djimon Hounsou who raises the film a few notches above the average. YRCinema's coverage of films on DVD.

Lucky Number Slevin

A stylish thriller that aspires to "The Usual Suspects" but fails miserably despite a great cast. The cast that includes Josh Hartnett, Ben Kingsley, Morgen Freeman and Bruce Willis amongst others must have gotten either a great script or paycheck to have committed to this lackluster of a film directed by Paul McGuigan (Gangster No1) who also made the terrible "Wicker Park" also with Hartnett which was the remake of the great French film "L'Appartement" by Gilles Mimouni. The whole film is uninspired and unbelievable from begin till end. An exercise in style without any substance. YRCinema's coverage of films on DVD.

Quinceañera

A rare glimpse of the real Los Angeles beyond what you see in Hollywood films. The film is set in the Hispanic community of Echo Park that's changing and joining other trendy neighborhoods.
The quinceañera is the coming of age ritual that welcomes girls into womanhood on their fifteenths birthday. While Magdalena and her family organize her upcoming party, she finds out that she's pregnant. In the weeks up to her birthday Magdalena matures into a young woman and leaving behind the innocence of her childhood. The writer and director duo of Richard Glatzer and Wash Westmoreland deliver a solid film that's fresh and poignant in the city of angels that rarely shown on the big screen. YRCinema's coverage of films on DVD.

The Wind That Shakes the Barley

Ken Loach's staggering and brilliant film about oppression and its consequences delves deeper into the psychology of the individuals whose lives are shattered by the casualties of war. It also points out that not every body's cut for war and the consequences go far behind the battlefield. The film is set in Ireland but could be set in Afghanistan or Iraq where families are torn apart and loyalties put to test. Cillian Murphy gives a powerful performance as the reluctant Damian who tries to stay out of trouble and planning to continues his studies as a doctor in London while brother Teddy (Padraic Delaney) has joined the IRA to fight the British occupation and oppression. When Damian joins Teddy, he takes matters further than Teddy and the brothers end up against each other when the nation goes into civil war over a peace treaty with the Brits. Ken Loach and writer Paul Laverty's film couldn't have come at a better time and deservedly won the Palme d'Or in Cannes. YRCinema's coverage of films on DVD.

Yella

Christian Petzold's cold and calculating psychological thriller about a woman who can't escape her ex-husband who tries to destroy her chance for a better future when she finds a new job in another town. The film goes beyond the genre conventions by delving into the supernatural and making a statement about unfilled potentials of lives cut short. Nina Hoss won the award for best actress at the Berlin Film Festival for her nuanced and haunting portrayal of the title character. YRCinema's coverage of upcoming releases.

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

It's good news that the series found its director in David Yates who has made the best film in the series so far. He cleans up a lot of the mess after "The Goblet of Fire" and brings the series on the right path towards its conclusion in the next three films. Yates brings the setting up to date and makes some satisfying changes by getting rid of the drab look of 1900 century England that should have been done in the first film. He also keeps a clear focus on the story and pace that adds up the tension until the satisfying conclusion that makes you want to see the next installment. YRCinema's coverage of films on DVD.

Becoming Jane

Director Julian Jarrold follows Joe Wright's lead to make a film about author Jane Austin a la "Shakespeare in Love" to gives us a behind the scenes of her life that have inspired her novels, specially "Pride & Prejudice". A solid cast and production should please most of fans of this kind of films, however it doesn't offer anything new or fresh in the way Wright's adaptation did of "Pride & Prejudice". YRCinema's coverage of films on DVD.

Hellboy II: The Golden Army

While Batman has gone serious, Hellboy remains true to its source and then some. The super hero with attitude gets some spectacular company thanks to the visionary bravado of Guillermo del Toro who's back for the second round. If Pan's Labyrinth left people hungry for more fantastic creatures, they won't be disappointed in this film. While the film will definitely please fan and aficionados, it's also interesting for others to see the superb work of Guillermo del Toro. YRCinema's coverage of current releases.

The Dark Knight

Christopher Nolan continues the tone that he set up with the first film reinventing the franchise for an older audience that shuts out all the kids under 10. This film is as serious as any drama released during the fall, cut away all the scenes with Batman and you have a serious crime drama like "The Departed" for example. A well written script with a superb cast is a rare sight for a summer blockbuster and credit is due to Nolan who makes his best film since "Memento". The ace without a doubt is Heath Ledger's portrayal of the Joker that steals every scene and then some. Ledger's tragic death cut short a brilliant career and his performance of the joker will be the one he will be remembered for in the years to come. The weakest link is Maggie Gyllenhaal replacement of Katie Holmes. While a great actress she feels out of place in a Batman film besides the lacking chemistry with Christian Bale. However the question remains for a summer blockbuster that's supposed to be a lot of fun. Why so serious? YRCinema's coverage of current releases.

1408

Mikael Håfström's film aspires to be"The Shining" which was also based on a story by Stephen King but it falls short. There are some scares but not enough to sustain a full feature. The problem lies with the script that doesn't know how to tie the story, therefore tries everything before giving up to a less plausible conclusion. John Cusack plays a writer who doesn't believe in haunted places and writes about them to discredit them till he finds about the room of the title where he gets more than he bargained for. There's nothing about special or outstanding about this film. YRCinema's coverage of films on DVD.

Running with Scissors

A great story and a stellar cast are gone to waste in this adaptation by writer and director Ryan Murphy (Nip/Tuck) whose mix of comedy and drama never adds up. The challenging material by Augusten Burroughs whose stranger than fiction life proves too much for Murphy too handle. The film should have been an outrageously dark comedy instead we get some drama and some comedy where one overwhelms the other. The fine cast tries their best but it's lost in the poor vision that's evident in entire film from the cinematography to editing and writing. It's a shame. YRCinema's coverage of films on DVD.

Bobby

A star studded cast can't save Emilio Estevez's well intentioned but uneven film about the events before the assassination of Robert F Kennedy at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles in 1968. Instead of going deeper about RFK or the time, Estevez line up of movie stars distracts instead of emphasis. There are some interesting parallels to current times that are never explored enough. Also some of the characters are redundant that were better left off screen. It seems Estevez had the burden to find some characters for the stars who wanted a cameo instead of focusing on what matters. YRCinema's coverage of films on DVD.

The Evil Dead

Sam Raimi's classic and controversial horror classic is one of the films that shouts for a remake. Raimi cleverly uses some of deepest phobias of human nature such as isolation, nature, and fear of the unknown to create a horror film that's effective despite an extremely low budget and cheap effects. The story about five friends who travel to a remote log cabin where they find a recording and a book that unravels some demons. Raimi also uses elements of previous horror classics such as "The Exorcist" and "Alien" to his advantage. However the effects are so poor by today's standards that turn the film into a comedy and takes away from the sheer horror. YRCinema's coverage of films on DVD.

Singin' in the Rain

One of the greatest musicals of all time if not the greatest. Gene Kelly and Debbie Reynolds are pitch perfect in this classic under the assured direction of Stanley Donen (Funny Face, Charade and Blame It On Rio). The rest of the cast is perfect as well. The film still holds up and features some of the best dance and song performances ever to graced on the silver screen, specially the title song. What a glorious feeling! Indeed. YRCinema's coverage of films on DVD.

Art School Confidential

To make a film about politics of the art world is never an easy task, neither it's about the fashion or film world. Only few films manage to pull it off. Unfortunately the talented Terry Zwigoff (Crumb, Ghost World) doesn't achieve to pull it off either. It's easier to make art than explain the politics of it. The film manages to makes some valid points but the problem lies in the script, while it has right mix of eccentric characters and actors, it never manages to rise up to the occasion. YRCinema's coverage of films on DVD.

The Secret Life of Words

Isabel Coixet reunites with Sarah Polley after the wonderful "My Life Without Me". However this film fails to live up to the expectations set by the former film. Despite a potent yet unusual love story and a superb cast including Polley, Tim Robbins, Javier Cámara and Julie Christie, the film never takes off as you root for it which is a shame. Never-the-less the film has some powerful moments. YRCinema's coverage of films on DVD.

Suspicion