The SunBreak » Andrew Hamlin

“Upstream Color” Ups the Dose but Not Much Else

Andrew Hamlin — Fri, 12 Apr 2013 15:23:42 +0000

What I got, over the first thirty minutes, anyway: A woman abducted, electrically shocked into unconsciousness, drugged through being forcefed a worm, woken into a worm-induced state of acquiescence, forced through said state to sign over money she doesn’t really have, and then dumped,a discarded cheeseburger wrapper from a buffet of bizarre crime.

Malick’s “To The Wonder” Demonstrates Power in the Union

Andrew Hamlin — Fri, 12 Apr 2013 03:14:00 +0000

In To the Wonder, Terrence Malick tilts his camera so the scenery outside the train’s window tilts -- a jet caught right at takeoff -- and the two people don’t seem to tilt at all. Malick plays with perception to catch giddiness, those arms-thrown-back-eyes-closed moments where you splash in your own absurdity.

Sub Pop Band Low Goes Where Country Should Go

Andrew Hamlin — Fri, 05 Apr 2013 00:08:34 +0000

“On My Own,” the penultimate track, drops into a half-time drag-and-pound guitar-twitchfest making you hear what Robert Plant heard in this bunch when he covered two of their songs.

“Like Someone In Love” Has Wings, Doesn’t Bump Into Things

Andrew Hamlin — Fri, 15 Mar 2013 14:49:42 +0000

Kiraostami’s one of the few directors (try finding one inside Hollywood) who trusts his viewers to have a brain: It’s as gobsmacking as that. Kiraostami likes to cut cross-sections into people’s lives, but he doesn’t like to backtrack or future-trip. He wants you to figure things out for yourself and if you have to surmount that to make your own meanings, that’s okay too.

Beware Of Mr. Baker (Never Mind About the Dogs)

Andrew Hamlin — Sat, 02 Mar 2013 02:13:46 +0000

Ginger Baker is a member of that very special club: Things that kill ordinary people, don't kill him [...] But he just keeps muttering, cursing, and tossing off bon mots.

Now Is The Barrymore Of Our Discontent…

Andrew Hamlin — Sun, 02 Dec 2012 23:25:23 +0000

I caught Denzel Washington in Flight this weekend, another powerful story of an out-of-control addict. But Washington’s struggle, by the end, was the struggle to become honest. Barrymore, at least in Barrymore, struggles to stay alive. Don’t expect honesty from him, except accidentally.