Not My Winterbottom

221) Trishna (2011) Dir: Michael Winterbottom Date Released: July 13, 2012 Date Seen: July 10, 2012 Rating: 2/5

I consider myself to be one of Michael Winterbottom's biggest cheerleaders. But this movie was, like his recent Shock Doctrine adaptation, flat-out lousy. See my review for Press Play.

431) The Shock Doctrine (2009)

431) The Shock Doctrine (2009) Dir: Mat Whitecross and Michael Winterbottom Date Released: XX ???? Date Seen: October 17, 2011 Rating: 1.75/5

Ill-conceived on a number of levels. See my piece for Slant Magazine.

246) The Trip (2010)

246) The Trip (2010) Dir: Michael Winterbottom Date Released: June 10, 2011 Date Seen: June 12, 2011 Rating: 4/5

Um, no idea what some of my compeers were on about when they said this one is "formless" or "not a movie." The 2-hour cut of the film is nothing if not meticulously structured around Steve Coogan's character arc. The insertion and selective use of dinner-time banter was impeccable. And while I could have done without a heavy-handed aside or two, I was totally engaged throughout, especially by the way that Winterbottom valorized the art of food preparation in the pre-meal restaurant scenes. Very funny and often very sharp. I may catch up with the mini-series version of this. But for now, I'm sated.

153) Gainsbourg (Vie heroique) (2010), 154) The Killer Inside Me (2010) and 155) The Arbor

153) Gainsbourg (Vie heroique) (2010) Dir: Joann Sfar Not Yet Released Date Seen: April 27, 2010 Rating: 3.75/5

154) The Killer Inside Me (2010) Dir: Michael Winterbottom Date Released: June 2010 Date Seen: April 28, 2010 Rating: 4/5

155) The Arbor (2010) Dir: Clio Barnard Not Yet Released Date Seen: April 28, 2010 Rating: 4/5

My favorite batch of capsule reviews at Tribeca. Maybe. For the New York Press.