Zak Gottlieb

INTERVIEW: Jackass 3D, "Success Equals Failure."

Last weekend, I had the opportunity to watch a preview of Jackass 3D, released nationwide today. Having not seen any of the Jackass movies, I can flat out guarantee that this will dwarf the success of the group's previous cinematic... More »

By Zak Gottlieb

RESTREPO Review

"Restrepo" is a war film unlike any that you have seen before. Partly, because most war films you have seen were probably not documentaries; but mostly, because it plunges you deep into the heart of war in a way that... More »

By Zak Gottlieb

KOFFLA 2010: Interview with Ryoo Seung-Wan

This weekend I had the opportunity to sit down with Ryoo Seung-Wan, who was being honored with a retrospective of his work at the Korean Film Festival in L.A. One of the most impressive directors working in Korean cinema today,... More »

By Zak Gottlieb

Red Riding Trilogy REVIEW

Based on David Peace's recent quartet of crime novels, the Red Riding trilogy brings to life an ultra dark, relentlessly bleak depiction of a society riven by social decay; of characters battling with their conscience, and others for whom the battle never... More »

By Zak Gottlieb

THE BOOK OF ELI review

The Book Of Eli is almost a great movie, and I enjoyed watching it to ponder all that it could have been. With the stylized and hyper-violent underpinnings of The Matrix, it lacks that film's quasi-philosophical and narrative strengths, presenting instead some underdeveloped ideas... More »

By Zak Gottlieb

Leading Voices in Global Cinema

Todd Brown, Founder & Editor Toronto
Peter Martin, Managing Editor Dallas
Ryland Aldrich, Festivals Editor Los Angeles
James Marsh, Asian Editor Hong Kong
Brian Clark, European Editor Paris

China Beat: What did China See in IRON MAN 3?

Much has already been written, both on these pages and many others, about the landmark Hollywood-China co-production that is Marvel and DMG Entertainment's Iron Man 3. The film, directed by Shane Black, is the third solo outing for Robert Downey Jr's Tony Stark, and has proved a phenomenal success around... More »

FEAR & LOATHING AT CANNES, PART 2: I'M IN LOVE WITH EVERYBODY'S GIRL

CHAPTER 4: THE PHILOSOPHY OF ANNA KARINA AND BUTT PLUGSI'm sitting outside at a small Café that my editor told me to meet him at. I'm a 10 minute walk from the Marche Du Film convention hall and I'm still waiting for my editor to arrive so he take guide... More »

CINEMA HOLOCAUST ON THE FRENCH RIVIERA, PART 1: THOSE GOD DAMN FILM BLOGGERS

MIKE'S JOURNAL. MAY 13. MORNINGI wake up sometime around five AM. My flight to France doesn't leave until five PM. I should be there for security check in sometime around 3PM. There is no reason for me to be up this early but I'm feeling anxious. I have an itch... More »

FEAR & LOATHING AT CANNES, PART 1: A MAN'S HANDSHAKE SAYS EVERYTHING

CHAPTER ONE: THE BIGGER THE SIDEBURNS, THE BIGGER THE ASSHOLE. I've hit the big time now. I've finally made it. I'm in like Flint from here on out. I'm boarding a plane to France where I'll be attending the Cannes Film Festival for the first time.No more unpaid blogging from... More »

Destroy All Monsters: Leo DiCaprio and the Myth of the Chick Flick

I have a running argument about whether or not movie box office is a zero-sum game. I tend to attack film earning potential from the "mother of two" perspective - which is that while yes, it's nice to believe that if a film is good it has a theoretically unlimited... More »

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