The Avenue: Movies and TV - The Independent Florida Alligator

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Film 'As We Forgive' screened on Tuesday

By ALLISON BANKO | Mar. 18, 2010

Large brown eyes never packed so much emotion. Veined with burst blood vessels stained from tears and anger, just two women of the many affected by the 1994 genocide in Rwanda are portrayed in the documentary, "As We Forgive." AIM For Africa and Reitz Union Board Entertainment presented the film, directed by Laura Waters Hinson, Tuesday evening as the first part of An African Film Series in order to raise awareness to issues in foreign nations.

The Avenue

Eighties babies will love “Hot Tub”

By ASHLEY ROSS | Mar. 17, 2010

Admit it. Although your birth date falls in the late eighties or (gasp!) nineties, you still love the puffy-bright-tracksuit-side-ponytail-wearing-“Breakfast Club”-loving generation.

The Avenue

Sundance film "Bass Ackwards" released

By Joey Flechas | Feb. 3, 2010

With the Sundance Film Festival closing out Sunday, many of the screened films have a few months before hitting theaters.

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MTV show “shore” fire win with fist pumps

By REBEKAH SHEPPARD | Jan. 27, 2010

Remember when MTV aired shows that didn’t render its acronym a complete misnomer? If you, like me, were still in diapers when the “Real World’s” first season rocked the world of television, my guess is that you can’t. But today, what the network lacks in substance it compensates for with its remarkable ability to repackage the utterly talentless among us as entertainment. The ratings ploy of the season is the show that everyone loves to make fun of: Of course I’m referring to our orange-and-proud friends on “The Jersey Shore.”

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Ledger’s last film hits theaters despite untimely death

By GABRIELLE FALCONEIRI | Jan. 27, 2010

Heath Ledger’s first on-screen appearance in “The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus” shocks the audience as his shadow reflects over London’s Thames River. Clad in white, he dangles from a noose as the camera pans toward his seemingly lifeless body.

The Avenue

The 67th Golden Globes awards

By MICHELLE PROFIS | Jan. 20, 2010

Although the 67th Golden Globes awards aired last Sunday, people are still ranting and raving about them. The Globes, most known for setting the bar for the Oscars, are unique because they not only honor both movies and television, but also differentiate between comedy/musical and drama genres. They are supposed to be known as the most fun and spontaneous awards show for the simple fact that attendees sit at circular tables and wine and dine throughout the ceremony. It's not unheard of for some of the later winners to trip up the stage and slur through their acceptance speeches. This year was no exception. Let's go back, yearbook style, and check out some superlatives of the night.

The Avenue

New Hippodrome movie humanizes Iraq war

By Joey Flechas | Jan. 18, 2010

Ben Foster stars as Staff Sgt. Will Montgomery whose responsibility is to notify dead soldiers’ next of kin of their loss.

The Avenue

Many shoes, little plot in Sex and the City 2 trailer.

By ASHLEY ROSS | Jan. 6, 2010

When you’re wearing metallic gold Christian Louboutin pumps, who needs a plot line?

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Michael Cera gets dangerous for ‘Youth In Revolt’ film

By Jon Silman | Jan. 6, 2010

What do Michael Cera, sex-crazed teenagers and gratuitous violence have in common? They are all mashed up in the new film “Youth in Revolt,” a teen sex comedy opening nationwide in theaters tomorrow. You may have, by now, been exposed to the subtly salacious trailer or seen the posters with Cera’s boyish face around campus.

The Avenue

Two cast members of "Greek" push volunteering at UF

By KIRK WILLIAMS | Oct. 28, 2009

Last weekend, two of the lead cast members in ABC Family’s “Greek” rushed the UF campus to celebrate homecoming and promote their partnership with the “Pledge Yourself to Do Something” campaign.

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Q & A with the cast of “Secret Girlfriend”

By Jon Silman | Oct. 21, 2009

The cast of the new Comedy Central show "Secret Girlfriend" want to be your best friends, literally. The show is shot in an unheard of first-person view, and you are the main character.

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Derrick Comedy's 'Mystery Team' guarantees laughs

By Jon Silman | Sep. 16, 2009

"Mystery Team" is the story of three high school virgins stuck as their 7-year-old Encyclopedia Brown-type personalities. Kind of like my life, but with actual cases to solve and not just wishful thinking. The three friends ride matching bikes and harass 6-year-olds. In fact, they get in trouble for forcefully removing a kid from the playground and teaching him a lesson about putting his fingers in things.

The Avenue

First glance at new Wonderland trailer

By Jon Silman | Aug. 26, 2009

At the intersection of expectation and reality you can sometimes end up at disappointment street. You can look forward to something so much that it will never live up to the idea you had in your brain. A shame, really.

The Avenue

Bruno is a "straight kick to the balls"

By KIRK WILLIAMS | July 22, 2009

The first 10 minutes of Bruno, featuring an outrageous and distasteful anal sex scene, is a straight kick to the balls. And no, the rest of the movie isn't about to pull any punches either.

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Band-based films find balance between music, plotlines

By GREG FINK | July 15, 2009

Music and film don't always synch up. While some try to hard to push the entertainment factor with forced tour bus orgies and unlimited profanity, others come up dry. But among the failed attempts, some music-related films mesh both genres of entertainment in perfect harmony.

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Director shows films, scouts talent at local festival

By Jon Silman | July 8, 2009

There are some people who strive for greatness. Ken Edwards, of England, ate 36 cockroaches in one minute. Jackie Bibby, "The Texas Snake Man," sat in a bathtub with 87 rattlesnakes. Director Jon Russell Cring shot 12 movies in 20 months with equipment his wife won in a student filmmaking contest.

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Movies making jump to third dimension

By JONATHAN SILMAN | July 1, 2009

Superman may be bulletproof, submarines may be waterproof, but Hollywood is recession proof.

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‘Taken’ musters conversation

By ERIK VOSS | June 3, 2009

In an effort to improve my conversation skills, I've searched for a "universal ice breaker" - a topic so engaging it transcends barriers of age, class and gender.

The Avenue

Local video store lassoes in customers with indie flicks

By Branti Downing | May 27, 2009

While most people are still renting movies from stores like Blockbuster and Movie Gallery, a small local video store is thriving in the shadow of these corporate giants cast.

The Avenue

Watching quirky movies helps mother and son to bond

By ERIK VOSS | May 27, 2009

For me, there's no better way to spend those long, summer afternoons than with a matinee. Especially when mom's paying.