MetaCritic Score: 82

Frozen River won 24 awards and was nominated for 16 others (including two Oscars). Still, I can pretty confidently say that even you — someone who has taken the time out of their day to read a completely unadvertised movie blog — didn’t see it in theaters. I can say this because Courtney Hunt’s brilliant film  had a criminally low domestic gross of $2.5 million.

Frozen River centers on part-time dollar store employee Ray Eddy’s seemingly futile efforts to keep her family’s head above water financially, despite being married to a gambling-addict who continually sabotages her plans. Ray and her two sons live on the New York-Quebec border, where the harsh weather and job market are equally unforgiving. The region is also home to a Mohawk Indian reservation, which happens to be the haven of a thriving human-smuggling operation.

When we meet Ray, her husband has just run off with the family car, as well as the down payment on their brand new double-wide. After finding the car in the possession of a Mohawk woman who claims that she found it next to a bus stop, Ray is coerced into carrying two immigrants over the border. Though she has serious moral qualms with the practice, her initial, involuntary run forces Ray to think seriously about how far she is willing to go to provide for her family.

Frozen River’s strength lies in the unbelievably honest, Oscar-nominated performance of star Melissa Leo (who has an IMDB resume a mile long, but you’ll likely only remember as Benicio del Toro’s wife in 21 Grams), as well as the directorial prowess of rookie filmmaker Courtney Hunt. Leo gives Eddy a balance and depth that is rarely seen on screen today. She conveys a great deal of emotion without ever crossing the line into caricature. Of course, her work on screen is supported by an exceptionally well written screenplay from Hunt, who does a great job of preventing her characters from feeling static. Each character responds to the crises that are presented in a way that feels very true to life.

I was also impressed with the film’s pacing. Low-budget indie movies have a tendency to drag, but Frozen River manages to avoid that through its taut 98-minute running time. Though this certainly isn’t the first film to discuss illegal immigration, it does present a fresh take on the issue — happily, one that doesn’t push an agenda or place the blame on one particular source.

Though its release was rather small, I do believe that Frozen River will appeal to a wide range of movie goers. If you’re in the mood for a well-acted, socially relevant drama, this film is worth every penny of a rental at Blockbuster.

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MetaCritic Score: 80

When Wendy and Lucy showed up on my radar a couple months ago, I was torn over whether or not I should bother renting it. The reviews were solid (80s are few and far between on MetaCritic), but what I had read/heard about the plot lead me to believe that it might be unbearably slow, even by artsy indie movie standards. On the other hand, the film’s star, Michelle Williams, has developed a reputation as one of our generation’s best young actresses over the past few years, so I decided to give it a shot.

Wendy and Lucy is incredibly small in scope. The film captures about a week in the life of Wendy, a seemingly aimless young woman drifting across the country on her way from Indiana to Alaska, with only the vague notion that she wants to spend the summer working in a fish cannery. We meet her as she’s already on her way and leave her before she has much of a chance to get any closer to her destination.  We’re given no real exposition or denouement, but the crazy thing is that it really works wonderfully.

The hosts of one of my favorite podcasts, Filmspotting, are constantly criticizing movies for awkwardly forcing back-story details into places where they don’t fit. One recent - and particularly egregious - example of this took place in Taken, Liam Neeson’s recent ode to badassery. In that film, Neeson sits around a poker table with several of his CIA buddies discussing the highlights of his career and his love for his daughter. Filmspotting’s Adam and Matty were spot on when they said that this sort of spoon feeding shouldn’t be necessary. We don’t need to be told Neeson’s character’s full history in order to understand why he’s so intense in pursuit of his daughter’s captors; we should be able to gather that ourselves through his actions, words, and emotions. This is one of the key reasons why I see Wendy and Lucy as such a success; director Kelly Reichardt doesn’t need to waste any time with flashbacks, because Williams’s incredible acting and Jonathan Raymond’s screenplay give us a deep understanding of the character as we progress through the film.

What’s most impressive about Williams’s performance is how much authentic emotion she is able to convey with such a sparse script. She controls her expressions with incredible skill and reflects a deep sadness, teetering on the edge of hopelessness without overplaying it for a moment. Her stoicism is really beautiful in that regard. The fact that she essentially carries the film by herself, as Wendy is the only character of real significance, is another testament to the quality of her work here.

Reichardt also deserves a lot of credit for shooting this film in a way that reflects the tone of the story and the atmosphere of the setting. The locations chosen couldn’t have been better, and the muted color scheme that permeates every scene reveals the general malaise that sits over the whole town in which the story takes place.

In whole, Wendy and Lucy is an excellent film. It’s worth seeing for Michelle Williams’s performance by itself, but I really think that it succeeds on a number of levels. It’s not fast paced, and the story isn’t grandiose, but, as Film Threat’s Don Lewis said in his review, “Unless you’re an antsy movie-goer or have a cold heart, by the end of Wendy and Lucy, you’ll be engrossed, hoping for the best possible outcome.” So, check it out; I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised.

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Located in the heart of Harleston Village, directly behind the Wentworth Mansion, Circa 1886 offers one of the most swanky, upscale dining experiences in the city. The atmosphere isn’t particularly romantic, but everything about the space screams “high class.” If you are trying to secure a more romantic setting, be sure to request one of Circa’s booths, which are set off in their own individual alcoves and lend a greater sense of privacy.

Like all great restaurants, Circa’s staff is exceptionally knowledgeable about its menu. However, the thoroughness of our server’s knowledge was particularly impressive given that the restaurant debuted its new, seasonal menu just a week before our meal. Circa’s menu is small, yet diverse, offering a variety of traditional Lowcountry flavors and ingredients. Prices fall in line with Charleston’s other high-end establishments, with appetizers ranging from $10-16, salad course options $9-12, entrees $20-30, and desserts $10-12.

To start, we couldn’t resist the 24-Hour Pork Belly ($11), because - come on - how do you expect me to say no to any meat that’s been slow cooked for a whole day? The pork belly was accompanied by Tupelo honey, Valencia orange slaw, and some delicious baked beans prepared with a mustard sauce. If they host barbecues in heaven, I’m pretty sure this dish would make the menu.

Next, we went with a Tomato Carpaccio Salad ($10). This dish combined slices of heirloom tomatoes, crispy fried green tomatoes, Clemson blue cheese, thin slivers of Bermuda onions, and a basil vinaigrette. If you’re not familiar with Clemson blue cheese, it has a big, sharp, tangy flavor that will blow that bottle of Hidden Valley in your fridge right out of the water. The plate had a nice balance, as the light, fresh flavors of the tomato, onion, and vinaigrette perfectly contrast the richness of the cheese.

For my entree, I went with the one permanent fixture on Chef Marc Collins menu, his trademark Antelope Loin ($30). Our server explained that Collins was introduced to antelope during his time in San Antonio and managed to convince his distributor to keep supplying it to him when he moved on to Charleston. The meat was tender - not gamey at all - and cooked to a perfect medium rare. The loin was served over a creamy Anson Mills grits sauce, topped with a roast tomato and merlot fondue, and served alongside a mildly spicy ragu of corn and leeks. I think antelope may have become my new favorite non-beef red meat.

My partner decided to go the seafood route, ordering the Wild American Salmon ($24). This may have been Circa’s only miss of the evening. As a whole, the dish was acceptable, but the salmon was simply way too salty. The fish was accompanied by diced pineapple, goat cheese, and a Vidalia onion sauce. The one way that the salmon became enjoyable was when it was combined in the same bite as the pineapple, which counteracted the salt with its citrusy sweetness. The plate also featured a spring roll filled with Carolina Gold rice and roasted red pepper. Circa’s take on the spring roll was tasty, but it seemed a bit out of place.

For dessert, we initially had our hearts set on the intriguing Wild Strawberry Float with house made soda, Tahitian vanilla bean ice cream, brown butter cake, Grand Marnier, and cookies ($10), but had to alter our plans when we were informed that they ran out of one of the key ingredients. We instead selected our server’s recommendation, the Blueberries and Cream Souffle ($12).

The souffle itself was delicious, but the item that generated the most conversation of anything that night was the “honeysuckle” ice cream that was served in a little poppy seed lace cup next to it. The flavor was unbelievable. My partner, who spent a lot of time on Sullivan’s Island growing up, was instantly transported back to the days of her youth spent squeezing the tiny drops of sweet nectar out of the ubiquitous flowers. While I didn’t have that same experience growing up (and have never even eaten honeysuckle straight from the plant), I could not believe how perfectly the flavor of the ice cream matched the scent that I know so well. We couldn’t convince our server to tell us what the secret ingredient was, but I’m holding out hope that Chef Collins eventually sells his recipe to Ben & Jerry’s.

Overall, our meal at Circa 1886 was a resounding success. The atmosphere is wonderful, the service was fantastic, and almost everything we ate was excellent. While Sean Brock, Mike Lata, and Bob Waggoner may get the lion’s share of the press in Charleston, Marc Collins is quietly leading a kitchen that’s putting out as good of food as you’ll find anywhere in the city. If you’re somehow flush with cash these days, take a chance and wander behind the Wentworth Mansion for a memorable dinner. I promise your money will be well spent.

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Somewhere along the line, though, I lost much of my desire to pick southern Italian restaurants for dates or other nights out. I think this must have been shortly after I moved out on my own and it sank in that, instead of spending $15 at a restaurant, I could buy a pound of pasta at the Harris Teeter for $1. And it’s not like I don’t appreciate good chicken parmigiana, but I find it really difficult to drop $20 on anything that I could pretty easily make myself at home for half as much.

This provides a lot of the explanation for why I hadn’t been to Mercato, one of Charleston’s most visually appealing restaurants, since it opened in 2006. Even from the outside, the space looks very impressive. The large windows that nearly make up the entirety of the restaurant’s front wall showcase the dark luxurious dining room, a site that’s especially striking at night. Still, regardless of the aesthetics, the restaurant is what it is, and I was nervous because you can only dress standard Italian fare up so much.

Despite Mercato’s expensive appearance, I think most diners will be pleasantly surprised to learn that its menu prices are pretty reasonable. Sure, you could find Italian food for a little less money elsewhere in town, but not by much, and certainly not in as romantic a setting with quality live jazz. Appetizers at Mercato (with the exception of the Antipasti Platter) fall between $6-10, pizzas (like the Spicy Sausage with caramelized onions, tomato, and fontina cheese - $12) and pastas can be had from $10 to $17, and entrees range from $16 all the way to $28.

Although we were tempted by the Crispy Fried Calamari ($10) that every table in the restaurant seemed to be ordering, we decided to start a little lighter with Beef Carpaccio ($10). The thinly sliced pieces of raw Wagyu were topped with roasted red peppers, arugula, and a light lemon-garlic aioli and served with crostini. If you’re hesitant about the prospect of eating raw beef, I urge you to give Mercato’s carpaccio a try. The meat tasted incredibly fresh and was well complimented by the flavors of the pepper and the aioli, neither of which overwhelmed the delicate flavor of the meat. I would suggest, however, avoiding eating the crostini with your Wagyu, because the meat tended to get lost amidst the thick, crunchy bread.

Next, we chose the classic Caprese Salad ($8), a wonderfully simple dish that is, in my mind, Italy’s second greatest contribution to the world, right after Da Vinci. It’s difficult to mess up a caprese salad (if you give me fresh mozzarella, tomatoes, and basil in any form, I’m almost certain to be happy) and Mercato’s version did nothing to disappoint. The only way the dish could have been improved was if tomatoes were a little better quality, but it’s still pretty early in the year, so I don’t think you can blame them for that.

For my entree, I opted for the Veal Marsala ($19), which was unquestionably the best dish of the night. Lightly breaded and sautéed with Porcini mushrooms, onions, and marsala wine, one bite of my veal was enough to make my partner jealous. The meat was perfectly tender, and the mildly sweet sauce was delicious. I was a little disappointed to learn that Mercato doesn’t make their own spaghetti in house (although I was told that they do make some pasta on-site), but I can’t complain because it tasted fine to me.

My partner settled on the Spaghetti Cabonara ($14), which struggled to match-up with the marsala. The dish was serviceable, but not particularly impressive in any way. The pancetta was tasty, but we wished there was more of it, and we both were left wishing that she had gone with her plan-B, the Wild Mushroom Risotto ($15) with mascarpone and white truffle oil.

For dessert, we considered the Tiramisu, before deciding on the Cioccolata e Vaniglia ($8), a flourless chocolate cake with a molten nutella center, topped with housemade gelato. Our opinions on the result were split. While I, as a confessed chocolate addict, was enjoyed how rich the cake was, my partner thought it was a bit much. The rich, creamy gelato was excellent, and the nutella was an interesting deviation from standard molten chocolate filled cakes.

There are two other things that I have to mention before I close this review (which City Paper’s Robert Moss also pointed out after his recent trip). First, the olive oil which accompanies your complimentary bread is out of this world. It’s got an outstanding, light fruity flavor that will make it very difficult not to fill up on bread. The good news about filling up on bread, however, is that you’ll have it in your stomach to soak up the vodka in your Mercato Martini, a combination of homemade limoncello and Firefly Sweet Tea vodka. I’m more of a rum guy, but my partner absolutely loved it.

In whole, I was pleasantly surprised with Mercato. The prices were better than I expected, the atmosphere was great for a couple, and for the most part, we really enjoyed the food. I still don’t see myself dropping this kind of money on southern Italian food very frequently, but my preconceptions about Mercato have been disproved. If you’re looking for this style of food in a classy, upscale atmosphere you should definitely consider heading down to the Market.

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Located, unsurprisingly, at 39 John St., Rue’s menu is largely composed of  classic French offerings, but also features a small selection of sushi. Appetizers fall mainly in the $7 to $14 range, entrees start at $18 (Chicken Francaise) and top out at $27 (Filet Roquefort), and sushi will run you around $5 for sashimi or $7 for a roll.

To start our meal, we opted for one traditional French item and one of the seemingly out of place sushi rolls. In retrospect, I wish we would have asked our server to stagger our appetizers’ arrivals. The two-person tables at Rue de Jean are almost comically small, compared to the size of the plates and the amount of other “stuff” we had on ours. Between the bread basket and plates, the water pitcher and glasses, and the two plates for our dishes, approximately 115 percent of our table’s surface area was accounted for.

Right off the bat, the Escargots ($8) was the high point of the meal. Though I’ve heard many people decry the texture of snails, I actually really enjoyed their tender, meaty consistency. They were served in a delicious garlic and parsley butter sauce, which had a nice tangy flavor.

As much as I thought the sushi seemed like an odd addition to the menu, I have to admit that I think it really works. Rue’s Spicy Tuna Roll ($7) was wonderfully fresh. However, I actually thought the roll could have used a bit more heat, as the sweet Asian chilli sauce they used didn’t provide much spice.

For my entree, I couldn’t resist the Braised Rabbit ($24) in a white wine, creme fraiche, and whole grain mustard sauce. While the flavors in the sauce were a nice combination and the meat was fall-off-the-bone tender, I wasn’t blown away like I had expected to be. The flavor of the meat must have been lost a bit in the braising, as it seemed a little bland. The potatoes dauphinoise which accompanied the rabbit, on the other hand, were incredible. The crisp cheesy crust and perfectly cooked potatoes made this one of the best versions of potatoes gratin I’ve had.

My partner opted for one of my absolute favorite French dishes, Coq au Vin ($20).  The dish has an outstanding aroma. When the red wine, mushrooms, bacon lardons and pearl onions all mingle together and meet your nostrils, you know you’re in for a treat. Like the rabbit, the chicken was unbelievably tender, literally falling apart at the touch of the fork. While Rue’s wasn’t the best version of this dish I’ve ever tasted, it was still definitely a success.

For desert, we went with the White Chocolate Raspberry Torte ($7), which ended up being one of the best plates of the night. White chocolate and raspberry are two of those flavors which seem to have been created with each other in mind. The torte was smooth and creamy, sweet without being too rich, and just undeniably delicious. This was the only item of the night to produce a “Wow” reaction from both of us.

Overall, while 39 Rue de Jean does meet the high standard Charleston residents have come to expect from Holy City Hospitality’s restaurants and its underhyped executive chef, Jason Murphy, I have to admit that I wasn’t as impressed as all the glowing reviews led me to believe I’d be. The food at Rue was good, but not great; service was fine, but perhaps a bit more casual than I’d like in that setting; and I didn’t really pick up any sort of a romantic vibe, as you would expect to find in a higher-end French restaurant. I would much prefer to dine at Coast or Virginia’s.  You could certainly do a whole lot worse in Charleston, but I don’t think I’ll rushing back to Rue de Jean in the near future.

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Don’t let Al di La’s humble location fool you into thinking you’ll be able to stroll up and grab a table any night of the week. In my only previous experience dining there, it took me three separate attempts to make a reservation before I was able to sneak in. On this occasion, however, we were able to grab a table right when the restaurant opened at 6 p.m.

Al di La’s menu is broken up into the four standard courses of Italian cuisine–antipasti ($4.50 to $10), primi ($5 to $13), secondi ($16 to $19.25), and dolci (~$7). If you’re looking for chicken parmigiana or lasagna, you’re looking to the wrong place. In fact, if that’s the only kind of Italian cuisine you’ve experienced, you’re not likely to consider most of Al di La’s menu to sound Italian at all. Northern Italian cuisine places less emphasis on olive oil, tomato-based sauces, and noodles, instead favoring butter, wine and broth-based sauces, risotto, and polenta.

For our first course, we decided to start light with a Shepherds Salad ($7.25). Offering a little bit of everything, this salad includes genoa salami, spicy sopressata, ubriaco cheese (which tastes similar to asiago), grapes, and walnuts, all served over a bed of mixed greens with a citrus vinaigrette. While I enjoyed the salad, in retrospect I wish we had opted for one of their more interesting offerings like the Smoked Beef Carpaccio ($8) or Oven-roasted Pears with Prosciutto and Gorgonzola ($8.50).

As much I’ve loved just about everything I’ve had in my two experiences at Al di La, I think the restaurant shines most with its primi offerings. On this night, we chose the Tagilatelle with Porcini mushrooms, duck confit, and truffle oil ($10.25). This was unquestionably the highlight of our meal. The rich, decadent flavors of the confit and truffle oil, the wonderful aroma of the mushrooms, and the texture of the noodles (which are freshly made in-house, daily) all combine to make this dish an undeniable success. However, I was happy that we chose this as only our second course, because I think it may have been too heavy for a much larger portion. Other tantalizing options in this section include Lobster and Shrimp Ravioli ($13) and Strangozzi Spolentina with Spicy Sausage, Pancetta, Nutmeg, and Lemon Zest ($11.25)

For my main course, I decided again on duck, but in a much different form. The Pan-roasted Duck Breast ($19.25) was cooked to a perfect, tender medium rare and served in a subtly sweet and tangy sauce of apple cider and brown stock. The mashed potatoes and root vegetables were simple and well prepared. There isn’t really a lot I can say about this dish, other than the fact that it was really well executed. I enjoyed having two opposite preparations of duck back to back. Shows you how versatile an ingredient it is.

My partner chose the Prosciutto-wrapped Chicken Breast stuffed with fontina cheese, pine nuts and golden raisins ($16). My general opinion is that anything wrapped in prosciutto is always better than something not wrapped in prosciutto, and this dish did nothing to prove otherwise. The mildly salty flavor of the prosciutto and juicy chicken breast were good on their own, but the creamy, flavorful filling made the dish.

For dessert, we selected the Lemon-Olive Oil Cake ($7) with macerated strawberries and mascarpone cheese. This was a simple, delicious offering that put a nice cap on the meal.

Overall, Al di La fully lived up to my lofty expectations. The food was excellent, the service was friendly and attentive, and the atmosphere lends itself perfectly to a quiet dinner for two. If you’re looking for somewhere new to take a date and want to avoid the peninsula, you’re doing yourself a disservice if you don’t check out what very well may be Charleston’s best Italian restaurant. For a little lighter way to start your evening, be sure to check out Al di La’s bar menu which features small plates, wood-fired pizzettes, charcuterie, and cheeses, all for about $8 or less.

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As much as I love horror (even awesomely-bad horror), I’ve never really developed much of an affinity for vampire movies. Most of the time they are too cliched and ridiculous for even my forgiving tastes. Even so, I couldn’t resist checking out the unbelievably well-received Swedish vampire flick, Let the Right One In.

Set in 1982 and based on John Ajvide Lindqvist’s best selling novel, the story centers on Oskar, a small, quiet boy who is recipient of frequent bullying by his classmates. One night, while hanging out in the courtyard of his apartment complex, Oskar encounters a young girl, Eli, with pale skin and a wardrobe that seems woefully inappropriate for Sweden’s frigid winter climate. Though their initial encounters are standoffish (Eli repeatedly questions Oskar about his motives, “If I weren’t a girl, would you like me anyway?”), the two eventually form a bond.

I don’t think I’m spoiling anything when I tell you that we quickly learn that Eli is in fact a vampire. The older man she lives with–who we are initially led to believe is her father–seems to be little more than her glorified errand boy, “hunting” when she is thirsty and disposing of her “leftovers” when she must catch her own food. Although she is obviously a very deadly creature whose very existence depends on the death of others, we almost never feel like Oskar is in danger around her. That dynamic represents a good part of where the beauty of Let the Right One In comes from, this bizarre, yet touching friendship that forms between Oskar and Eli, who both are unable to make any other significant connections in their lives.

To classify Let The Right One In as just another horror movie really doesn’t do it justice. There are elements of horror (and Tomas Alfredson does a nice job using the bleak, muted Scandinavian setting to create suspense), but the main questions of the work don’t center on who will survive and who won’t–as in most horror films. Instead, we wonder about the possible outcomes of this relationship between a young boy and a vampire who has looked 12-years old for God knows how long. This ties in to one of my favorite things about Alfredson’s work here, which is that he leaves the ending open to interpretation. In fact, in the “Behind the Scenes” feature on the DVD, he discusses how the film’s ending can be justifiably seen as either happy or quite depressing.

Outside of Alfredson, I think both stars of the film deserve a great deal of credit. Kåre Hedebrant (don’t ask me to pronounce that) shows great emotional depth as Oskar, a pretty typical 12-year old boy thrown into a bizarre situation. His counterpart, Lina Leandersson, is similarly excellent as Eli, managing to simultaneously convey both the natural innocence associated with her character’s appearance and a subtle menace which hides just below the surface.

Overall, Let the Right One In is a outstandingly crafted film that will be enjoyed by most audiences. If you’re squeamish and concerned about gore, be aware that there are a few somewhat graphic scenes, but nothing too bad. If you’re willing to turn your head away for a few seconds every once in a while, you should still really enjoy this film. One final recommendation: Before you start watching the movie, make sure you adjust the settings to Swedish audio with English subtitles. My girlfriend and I just selected “Play movie” and were subjected to some unsurprisingly terrible English dubbing.

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I usually like quirky movies. Most of the time, when a film is a little too out there for my friends, I just get more excited to see it. That being said, there is still a point where my attention can be lost. Unfortunately, Guy Maddin’s My Winnipeg was one of those films that lost me.

Though I had never actually seen any of Maddin’s other work (he’s much more popular in Canada than the U.S.), I had gathered that he had a unique style and was some what of an acquired taste. True to the rumors, My Winnipeg was unlike anything I had ever seen.

The film is presented entirely in low-lit black and white. The scenes are divided with shots of falling snow, and they all visually reflect the dream motif that permeates My Winnipeg’s story.

Speaking of the story, Maddin categorizes his film as a “docu-fantasia.” The general premise is that Maddin wants to finally escape Winnipeg’s air-tight grip on its residents, but in order to do that he must first take a deeper look at his past, reimagining how things might have gone differently. The film includes scenes covering everything from the time Maddin’s sister hit a deer (and may have had inappropriate “relations” with a boy) to the bizarre “man pageants” that used to be presided over by the mayor.

Maddin narrates My Winnipeg in a semi-poetic fashion. Some scenes are almost completely lyrical, while others drift more toward traditional documentary narration.

Overall, while the film is definitely visually interesting and creative, I just didn’t find it to be entertaining. Though I don’t need a movie to be action packed, I do need to be engaged in the story in order to give it a positive recommendation. With that said, I can’t recommend My Winnipeg to most viewers. Unless you’re a fan of Maddin’s other work, or are seriously interested in bizarre arthouse cinema, I’d probably leave this one on the shelf.

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