Cinema Scope 48 Preview: Miss Bala (Gerardo Naranjo, Mexico) – Contemporary World Cinema By Adam Nayman The opening sequence of Miss Bala clings closely to its main character while coyly denying us a look at her face for as long as possible. This is partly because the build-up is worth it—star Stephanie Sigman is as…

By John Semley The idea of parallel worlds is familiar to anyone even casually acquainted with such science-fiction perennials as Star Trek and The Twilight Zone or other pop culture staples. (Comic books especially have minted the conceit for all it’s worth as a means to shake up their heroes’ histories, with both Marvel and…

By John Semley Midway through Michael Winterbottom’s The Trip, an enticing bit of trivia tumbles out of Rob Brydon’s Welsh mouth: apparently, co-star Steve Coogan (like Brydon, playing “himself”) was in the running for the eponymous role in HBO’s The Life and Death of Peter Sellers (2004), edged out by Geoffrey Rush. Like plenty of…