Andrew Gutman

Halftime Leisure

Whiplash is a Traumatic Reward

There’s a certain set of neuroses associated with playing music that will resonate with anyone who’s ever picked up an instrument: that during practice you’ll out yourself as incompetent to... Read more

By October 1, 2014

Halftime Leisure

A Case for the Classics: 12 Angry Men

Courtroom dramas, in film and elsewhere, are generally concerned with lawyers. This makes sense–after all, lawyers are the main actors in the courts, presenting arguments and making cases, locked in... Read more

By September 26, 2014

Halftime Leisure

Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby  Overcomes Limitations

One thing that needs to be understood about The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby is that it was originally conceived and screened as two films: Him and Her. These films, which... Read more

By September 18, 2014

Halftime Leisure

Dispatch from the DC Chinese Film Festival

he DC Chinese Film Festival, founded in 2011, finished its 2014 run last Sunday. Dedicated to making Chinese-language cinema more visible in the US, the festival ran for four days,... Read more

By September 9, 2014

Halftime Leisure

A Case for the Classics:Seven Samurai

A small village, barely surviving on its meager rice and barley fields, is beset by bandits. Given a promise of another raid after the harvest season, the villagers desperately plan... Read more

By September 3, 2014

Halftime Leisure

Cannes Film Festival Spotlights Art Films

At the end of last month, the world watched as one of the most prestigious events in cinema unfolded in the south of France. The 68th Cannes Film Festival was... Read more

By June 5, 2014

Halftime Leisure

Only Lovers Left Alive  is "cool"

Pale-skinned, blood-sucking creatures of the night, spend their time listening to obscure music and traipsing around the ruins of Detroit. No, this isn’t a documentary about Midtown, but you can... Read more

By April 19, 2014

Halftime Leisure

Draft Day Dissapoints

Ah, Draft Day. One of the most exciting times of the year for football fans, filled with expectations and hopes for a new year of athletic excellence. This is a... Read more

By April 11, 2014

Leisure

Glazer’s Under the Skin out of this world

A black screen. Odd sounds, slowly becoming louder. Suddenly, a spot of light appears and gradually moves a little closer… This scene is how Under the Skin begins. A creepy,... Read more

By April 9, 2014

Halftime Leisure

Are remakes really that bad?

Every couple of years, there seems to be a rush of articles written about Hollywood’s remake culture, most recently brought on by the upcoming (and totally baffling) Teenage Mutant Ninja... Read more

By April 5, 2014