Dustin Jansick's Movie Reviews
All movie reviews written by Dustin Jansick
-
They Came Together
Writers David Wain and Michael Showalter won over audiences (though not critics) with their 2001 nostalgic summer-camp satire Wet Hot American Summer and attempt to repeat their success with their new rom-com parody They Came Together. The film pokes...
-
The Internet’s Own Boy: The Story of Aaron Swartz
Documentarian Brian Knappenberger chronologizes the tragic story of Aaron Swartz, one of the Internet’s most important figures, who spent his life fighting to make information publicly accessible. Instead of using his prodigy computer programming talents for monetary gain, Swartz...
-
Happy Christmas
No one makes indie improvisational comedies fixated on placid relationship observations better than Joe Swanberg. He spent his career producing loosely outlined scripts that trade complicated plots for light storytelling with naturalistic tendencies. And he has made a lot...
-
Some Velvet Morning
Considering Neil LaBute has a theatrical background as a former playwright, it’s no surprise that Some Velvet Morning feels like a filmed stage play. The production consists of a single location with just two cast members who do little more than...
-
In Your Eyes
I’m not going to lie, the primary reason In Your Eyes caught my attention is that Joss Whedon wrote and produced the film. And I’m guessing I’m not alone. Whedon began earning fans many years ago with his high-concept...
-
Blue Ruin
Blue Ruin‘s originality doesn’t lie within the story, revenge thrillers are a dime a dozen, it’s the moody presentation and powerful lead performance that sets it apart. This dark indie thriller pulls off the difficult combination of bone-chilling terror...
-
Ilo Ilo
Singapore born director Anthony Chen makes an impressive feature debut with Ilo Ilo, which not only received the Camera d’Or award at Cannes, but it was also Singapore’s official Foreign Language submission to the Oscars. Set during the late-90s...
-
Life Itself
I will never forget the day Roger Ebert passed away. As a film critic, I was left with a feeling of dreadful hopelessness as one of the most prominent film critics of all time was no longer with us....
-
Hateship Loveship
2013 was the year for Saturday Night Live alums to break out of their comedic roles to star in smaller indie dramas. First there was Will Forte who set aside his MacGruber impersonations for a more serious father and...
-
Mistaken for Strangers
Considering Mistaken for Strangers centers around the well-known indie rock band The National (the title of the documentary comes from one of their songs), it would be safe to assume that fans of the band will get the most...