Reviews

Find some examples of reviews in the following handout.

We Steal Secrets

Here's an NPR review of 'We Steal Secrets' (interview to be found here). According to the interviewee Alex Gibney

What were the effects of the US military leaks on the invasion of Iraq?

What is revealed about Private Bradley Manning in the course of the interview?

Julian Assange is said to undergo a transformation throughout the film and an interpretation is put forward as to why he took the decisions he did, do you have any views on this?

Only God Forgives - the Guardian Film Show review

Only God Forgives is reviewed by Peter Bradshaw. You might also want to watch the review on The Guardian Film Show review. Have you watched 'Only God Forgives'? If so, you might want to check your impression with that of the reviewers. Here's some of the expressions they use to discuss it:

In a way one has to applaud the extraordinarily audacious sense in which this is a progression

What it is is an unexpurgated release of everything that’s in Refn’s soul

I think it’s brilliantly brave

I wish I could say I wholeheartedly say I enjoyed watching it

I think what he’s saying is that God metes out this stuff, the God character is very well defined in this, and he doesn’t let anyone off the hook

You try to dig around in the sort of plot of this and you’re going to get something biblical

What impression have you gotten of the film from this review? If you haven't watched it, do you think you'd like to?

2012 in Review: 10 Outstanding Bay Area Art Experiences

The strength of the Bay Area arts community lies in its willingness to embrace experimental ideas. No other community in the world has as many alternative spaces and experimental platforms for contemporary art, combined with a healthy number of museums and institutions. Though the list often changes -- sometimes sadly and sometimes for the better -- what doesn't change is the spirit of risk-taking and an incredible ability to realize projects that would be logistically impossible elsewhere. This year had no shortage of great art experiences and next year promises more. Here is a summation, in no particular order, of projects and exhibitions that were compelling and still resonate strongly in memory.Want to go on reading about the exhibitions? Click on this link.