2016 New York Film Festival: The mark of a true auteur is when you watch a film of theirs and revel at how only they could have executed it in just that way. A prime example of this is Pablo Larraín‘s latest film, the pseudo biopic “Neruda.” As much a low-key thriller as a true look […]
This weekend, an Oscar hopeful biopic and a surprise horror sequel highlight the new releases. Both are hitting theaters along with a small collection of other titles, making for an interesting grouping. Considering how it’s the middle of September, the change in the air is palpable – not just weather wise, either. The movies are […]
Folks, Oliver Stone is back. “Snowden” is not only the filmmaker’s best work in some time, it manages to do something fairly difficult. It maintains Stone’s righteous indignation and love of conspiracy while still focusing solely on telling a compelling story. Stone isn’t preaching to the choir or yelling on a soapbox, but merely delivering […]
There’s a fine line to be walked when a film attempts to capture the cultural, political, and societal zeitgeist while also telling a genre story. When it doesn’t work, you wind up with something that just rings completely false through and through. When it works though, you get something special, a bit of cinema that […]
Usually, when a title also sums up a movie, it’s in a negative or at least overtly punny way. Not so with Captain Fantastic, since the word fantastic is right at the tip of your tongue when the film ends. I had almost no expectations going in to this one, which made it even more […]
Growing up, I would parrot lines of dialogue from movies, comedy records, and stand up routines. It was a way to connect with adults, while just being fun. I’m sure I’m not alone in doing this, either. Imagine though, that it was your only way of communicating, or if you’re a parent, that it’s the […]
I try to avoid hyperbole whenever possible, but I sincerely believe that Anthony Weiner is one of the most enthralling subjects of a political documentary that I’ve ever seen. He’s a classical tragic character, only thrust into shame due to modern technology. Weiner is a doc that leans into this, almost by accident, making for […]
Legendary filmmaker Woody Allen is often cited, both positively and negatively, for cribbing liberally from his own back catalogue. With his latest outing Café Society, which just debuted at the Cannes Film Festival, he’s instead opted to utilize the feel of his prior works, with fantastic results. Not only is this just a supremely entertaining […]
Comedian Demetri Martin has tried his hand at acting before, but not only does his debut filmmaking feature Dean show a whole new side of him in that regard, it also puts him forward as a writer and director well worth watching. This is an accomplished, funny, and surprisingly emotional dramedy that sneaks up on […]
Welcome to the 2016 Awards Profiles series, where we talk about high and low-profile films coming to a theater near you at some point this year. We will analyze the potential for these films to be players for the Academy Awards, and while many of these have the potential to be recognized, many will not […]
Welcome to the 2016 Awards Profiles series, where we talk about high and low-profile films coming to a theater near you at some point this year. We will analyze the potential for these films to be players for the Academy Awards, and while many of these have the potential to be recognized, many will not […]
At this point, whenever filmmaker John Carney puts out a new musically themed movie, you should just assume that an absolute delight is coming your way. He first came on to our radar with the Academy Award winning Once, before fading away for a bit until 2013’s delightful Oscar nominee Begin Again. Now, he’s once […]
Welcome to the 2016 Awards Profiles series, where we talk about high and low-profile films coming to a theater near you at some point this year. We will analyze the potential for these films to be players for the Academy Awards, and while many of these have the potential to be recognized, many will not […]
Conversation, or the lack thereof in many cases, hangs over almost all of Demolition, the new film from director Jean-Marc Vallee opening this weekend. Whether it’s star Jake Gyllenhaal or supporting players like Chris Cooper, Judah Lewis, and Naomi Watts, the characters in this Bryan Sipe penned movie struggle to explain themselves and what’s going […]
Welcome to the 2016 Awards Profiles series, where we talk about high and low-profile films coming to a theater near you at some point this year. We will analyze the potential for these films to be players for the Academy Awards, and while many of these have the potential to be recognized, many will not […]
