Although not one of the “founding fathers,” Abraham Lincoln was always promoted as one of the icons of American history in my early years, right alongside George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and Ben Franklin. In retrospect, it’s not hard to see why: Lincoln epitomizes the American Dream. Coming from humble beginnings, Lincoln took responsibility for his own education and eventually... 

The following review for Martha Marcy May Marlene contains minor spoilers. While it does not reveal any key plot points or story elements, it does discuss the ending of the film. Martha Marcy May Marlene is a film that shows you everything but explains very little. The film’s only exposition is in defining the lead character’s four names, and that too is provided in puzzle pieces only partially... 

Steven Soderbergh might have harnessed the scariest movie concept yet: a scientific-based piece that tracks the evolution of (and the attempts to counter) a new virus. It’s a film that could have been ripped from the headlines of the past few years, as H1N1, Bird Flu, and West Nile virus have captured the imagination of the general public and terrified germaphobes everywhere. Unfortunately, while... 

Winter’s Bone isn’t a new movie or even new to DVD, coming out midyear in 2010 with a fourth quarter DVD release. It is, however, an Oscar contender, which makes it worth examining despite not being a new release. It’s also an impressive piece of cinematic art, and I can’t recommend it highly enough for any cinema-phile who may have inadvertently and unknowingly missed the opportunity to see...