Grace (Abby Quinn) is getting married. She’s young, probably too young to marry, but her parents don’t have much of an option. If they say no, they’ll alienate her. If they say yes, then they’ll seem complicit when the inevitable … Continue reading AFTER THE WEDDING
On its surface, The Nightingale is a by-the-numbers revenge tale: A woman is wronged, and she vows to hunt the perpetrated to the ends of the Earth and exact justice. But in execution, The Nightingale is anything but routine. Yes, … Continue reading THE NIGHTINGALE
Bernadette Fox (Cate Blanchett) can’t sleep. She can’t focus either. She once was an architect, an incredible one, some called her “genius,” but she gave that up 15 years ago. Now, with no outlet for her energy, it explodes out … Continue reading WHERE’D YOU GO, BERNADETTE
Piranhas (La paranza dei bambini) opens with a theft; a battle between two rival gangs and a government building Christmas tree. Who are these battling gangs? Don’t know. Why do they want it? We have our suspicions, but they are … Continue reading PIRANHAS
Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw is bananas. Not that you’d expect anything less from a title sporting two ampersands and one colon. Depending on how you look at it, Hobbs & Shaw is either the eight-and-a-half installment in … Continue reading FAST & FURIOUS PRESENTS: HOBBS & SHAW
Filmed in 1967 and released in 1968, The Queen is reportedly the first cinematic documentation of a drag pageant. Using a cinéma vérité approach, filmmaker Frank Simon presents his story simply and succinctly. From conception to execution; including finding a … Continue reading THE QUEEN
Once Upon a Time in… Hollywood is a fairy tale of two houses. Inside one lives Rick Dalton (Leonardo DiCaprio, magnificent), a TV star cut from the Steve McQueen fold. Simultaneously in his prime and all washed up, Dalton spends most of his time around Cliff Booth (Brad Pitt), Dalton’s one-time stunt double, now driver/gopher/drinking buddy; a close friend who is “more than a brother, less than a wife,” according to the movie’s narrator. Continue reading ONCE UPON A TIME IN… HOLLYWOOD
We all have a story inside us. Lynn Shelton knows. She also knows that we want to tell our story, and we don’t need a ton of space or an encouraging audience begging to hear more. Give anyone just enough room, and they’ll tell you everything. Continue reading SWORD OF TRUST
There seems to be no end to the fascination of the 1950s, ‘60s, ‘70s. Especially when it comes to classic rock and especially when those musicians feel as familiar as childhood friends; unfortunately, there is an end to the exciting stories to be told and material to be mined.
The Quiet One isn’t a bad documentary on Bill Wyman, the bassists for The Rolling Stones from 1962 to 1993, or a bad documentary in general. It just suffers from arriving too late to the party to add much to a well-worn story. Continue reading “THE QUIET ONE”
Yesterday is a trifle of a movie: a light, sugary sweet confection that is delicious and satisfying. It’s kind of like an early era Beatles song: bouncy, energetic, and consumed by puppy dog love. Sure, The Beatles also wrote “Don’t Let Me Down” and “A Day in the Life,” but Yesterday — written by Richard Curtis and directed by Danny Boyle — isn’t concerned with the entirety of the Fab Four’s discography, just the silly love songs they need to tell their story. And to tell it well. The premise is as preposterous as it is magical: Jack Malik (Himesh … Continue reading YESTERDAY
