The new film from directors Anthony and Joe Russo, begins with the title character, Cherry, relating his story to someone. This is done via voiceover and we don’t see where Cherry is or to whom he’s speaking. Although other movies… Read More ›
reviews
Movie Review: Crisis (2021)
There are excellent, in-depth, incredible cinematic takes on the drug war. When one watches writer/director/producer Nicholas Jarecki’s “Crisis” it is easy to see exactly how it attempts to fit in the pantheon. Unfortunately, even if one ignores the rest of… Read More ›
Movie Review: “I Care a Lot”
Generally speaking, movies give us someone(s) to root for. Whether that’s two people getting together or folks saving the world or cops catching a killer or any number of other scenarios, when we sit down to watch a movie we… Read More ›
Movie Review: “Nomadland”
Is it a happy movie or a sad one? That might feel like a pretty silly question, but it was the one that kept swirling around in my head as I watched Chloé Zhao’s latest film, “Nomadland.” Written and directed… Read More ›
Movie Review: “Fear of Rain”
“Rear Window” is a great movie. Books have literally been written about its brilliance. One of the other interesting (and not always accurate) metrics of its greatness are the number of films which borrow some of the ideas of the… Read More ›
Movie Review: “Barb and Star go to Vista Del Mar”
Comedy can be subjective. What one person finds funny, another will not. I have no doubt that it is possible to go out and read many reviews which describe “Barb & Star go to Vista Del Mar” as a “comedic… Read More ›
Movie Review: “The World to Come”
It is perhaps too obvious a statement to say that the way in which a story unfolds is crucial. Still, obvious or not, it remains true. I am thinking here, specifically, of a tale’s point of view. Whether it offers… Read More ›
Movie Review: “Land” (2021)
We all know that dialogue is crucial in movies. The right words, said in the right way can make all the difference. What is often overlooked in such a discussion, however, is that the right bit of silence can matter… Read More ›
Movie Review: “The Mauritanian”
We, as a nation, would choose to believe that we are, for lack of a better term, the chosen people. It is a notion that exists in much of our pomp and circumstance, much of the way we talk about… Read More ›
Movie Review: “Bliss” (2021)
***I’m sure I’m going to spoil something for someone here. Don’t read if you want to go in without knowing anything at all.*** I am not quite sure how to start this review… On the one hand, I enjoyed writer-director… Read More ›
Movie Review: “The Little Things”
When we meet John “Deke” Deacon in writer-director John Lee Hancock’s “The Little Things,” he is working as a patrol deputy in part of California’s Central Valley. We soon learn that he took that job after leaving Los Angeles, where… Read More ›
Movie Review: “Supernova” (2021)
The power of a movie doesn’t necessarily have to be in its offering a new idea. That can be a part of it, certainly, but execution is also crucial. The best ideas amount to nothing if they’re carried out badly… Read More ›
Movie Review: “Saint Maud”
editor’s note: the below was originally written last year, as the film had been set for US release at that time. It is coming out, instead, this Friday and we are publishing the review to coincide with this new release… Read More ›
Movie Review: “The White Tiger” (2021)
At one point in writer-director Ramin Bahrani’s “The White Tiger,” which is out on Netflix today, the main character makes an oblique reference to “Slumdog Millionaire.” The point of it is to contrast one film with the other. This movie,… Read More ›
Movie Review: “Penguin Bloom”
Any number of films exist seemingly with the goal of making the audience cry. Whether the tears come from upset or joy or one leading to the other or vice versa, all too often we get stories that seem to… Read More ›
Movie Review: “Outside the Wire”
There is unquestionably an argument to be made that we don’t need another movie telling us that building sentient robots—especially robots to fight wars—is a bad idea. We have seen the notion play out multiple times, and so often with… Read More ›
Movie Review: “The Marksman” (2021)
There are a large number of things which I don’t understand about the new Liam Neeson movie, “The Marksman.” I have questions about the number of roads that lead from Arizona to Chicago, the time traveling it would take to… Read More ›
Movie Review: “One Night in Miami…”
At the end of last year, much was made of whether or not the TV series “The Crown” should put a disclaimer before episodes which, essentially, explain that the series is not a documentary. Yes, the show may feature real… Read More ›
Movie Review: “Skyfire”
Human beings have blind spots and movies are a result of the work of human beings, so it’s probably not terribly surprising that they have blind spots as well. We should expect them, but perhaps not forgive them. They are… Read More ›
Movie Review: “Wonder Woman 1984”
The 1980s, we are often told, was a decade of excess, a decade of nonstop movement centered around a push for more; for bigger, which is always better. That ethos seems to be the guiding principle of Patty Jenkins’ new… Read More ›
