Reviews, interviews, and festival coverage courtesy Boulder’s only independent newspaper.
Cinematically speaking, this weekend is a welcome relief. A relief from sequels, remakes, and franchise expansion. And while the lion share of attention and ticket sales will no doubt head Quentin Tarantino’s way with Once Upon a Time In… Hollywood, … Continue reading This week in Film — THE FAREWELL
A bad movie is one thing, but a bad remake? Deflating, frustrating, infuriating. So much wasted talent, so much money misspent, and for what? Well, probably hundreds of millions of dollars… At least the 1994 animated classic still exists and … Continue reading The week in Film — THE LION KING
There’s no shortage of musical drama out there these days, but Scottish Wild Rose deserves to be in a class on its own. With an outstanding performance from Jessie Buckley and a couple of catchy earworms — one written by Mary Steenburgen — Wild Rose is one that will stick with you. It’s playing in selected cities, and as David Letterman would say, “I hope to God your city was selected!” Continue reading This week in Film — WILD ROSE
Midsommar is the much-anticipated horror sequel to writer/director Ari Aster’s breakout hit, Hereditary, and with his sophomore effort, Aster swaps a Satanist cult for Swedish pagans but ends up with similarly uneven results. It’s far from a failure, but the movie’s final third left me wanting. Also at Boulder Weekly, the first annual Boulder Environmental/Nature/Outdoor Film Festival takes over the Dairy Arts Center’s Gordon Gamm Theatre July 10–13. I spoke with programmer Richard Paradise about the festival and previewed a few movies here. BoulderENOFF isn’t the only film festival/film series coming to the Front Range in January. On this week’s edition of … Continue reading This week in Film — MIDSOMMAR
Her first film, La Pointe Courte debuted in 1955; her final, Varda by Agnès, has yet to make its U.S. release, and in between, the incomparable Agnès Varda re-envisioned what cinema could do and say. She has several masterworks under her belt, none more so than her 1985 story of a drifter, Vagabond. For those in the Denver metropolitan area, Vagabond will screen on Wednesday, July 3, 7:15 p.m. at the Alamo Drafthouse Sloans Lake. For those of you with subscriptions to The Criterion Channel, Vagabond is currently streaming alongside a bevy of Varda features and shorts. And speaking of masters, GKIDS and … Continue reading This week in Film — VAGABOND, Studio Ghibli Fest 2019, and more
Funny thing, movies. Some of them hit you right up front, but then fizzle out in your mind quicker than flat soda. Others, quietly crawl into bed with you, curl up, and stay awhile. For me, Toy Story 4 is firmly in the latter. Watching it was enjoyable and, at times, quite moving. But, the past two weeks since I’ve seen it have been kind. What seemed understated at the time now seems quietly profound. Its development is deep, its ideas are full, and I’m eager to re-visit it again. Until then, this review will have to do. Naturally, I discussed … Continue reading This week in Film — TOY STORY 4
The John DeLorean story has it all: Cars, cocaine, supermodels, countries at war, political scuffles on both sides of the Atlantic, an FBI sting of ridiculous proportions, secret off-shore bank accounts, deception, avarice, opulence, and ego. And like most stories, what’s true and what isn’t depends on your perspective. IFC Films releases Framing John DeLorean at the Sie Film Center on June 28. Review at BoulderWeekly.com. Continue reading This week in Film — FRAMING JOHN DELOREAN
Looking for an alternative to the mass destruction of the Hollywood summer blockbuster? Zen For Nothing is a small documentary; an immersion into stillness, quiet, and meditation. For those living in the Denver/Boulder area, it will be screening at the Dairy Art Center’s Boedecker Theatre June 12–15. Over at KGNU, I discuss Zen for Nothing, as well as the disappointing Dark Phoenix, the mellow The Dead Don’t Die, a couple to see for Pride Month, and the kick-off movie for this season’s Chautauqua Silent Summer Series, Hot Water, with Veronica Straight-Lingo on this week’s episode of After Image. Continue reading This week in Film — ZEN FOR NOTHING
Many consider Rudolf Nureyev to be the greatest dancer of the 20th century, a challenge filmmakers David and Jacqui Morris gleeful take on in their excellent documentary, Nureyev. And if the written word wasn’t enough, then here I am talking with Metro Arts producer Veronica Straight-Lingo about my love for Nureyev, my distaste for Rocketman, her infatuation with Biggest Little Farm, and a few more to check out this week in Front Range theaters. Continue reading This week in Film — NUREYEV
Two in the paper, one on the radio this week. First, I sing the praises of Long Day’s Journey Into Night, an impressive piece of work from Chinese filmmaker Bi Gan. It’s currently playing on one screen ’round these parts, so if it comes to your neck of the woods, don’t sleep on it. Second, I spoke with Faye Lamb and Tracy Cravens about Longmont’s recently re-opened New Trojan Movie House & Art Cinema and dug a little bit into the history of theater. And finally, KGNU’s weekly Friday show, Metro Arts, has invited me to stop by and give … Continue reading This week in Film — LONG DAY’S JOURNEY INTO NIGHT, Movies on Main & KGNU
