It’s possible that the indie film Never Rarely Sometimes Always slipped your radar last year. It had the unfortunate timing of being released at the beginning of the pandemic-related shutdown, and played in limited theatres before being available on VOD (and now, on HBO) — as is common with films these days.
Review: Promising Young Woman (2020)
How do I review a film that I unabashedly adore, and one that receives a rare perfect score from yours truly? It’s my favorite film of 2020 so far — there’s still more to see, but I highly doubt anything will be able to top this. Promising Young Woman marked my first time at a theater in person in several months…I’d heard amazing reviews from critics lucky enough to get to see the film a year ago, at Sundance; some even praised it as the best film of the year, and even though I was excited to see it, I doubted it could possibly be that good.
Review: Soul (2020)
Soul has had to deal with multiple delays; first, it was meant to be released last summer, about six months after Pixar’s previous film, Onward. Then, it was pushed until late fall, and finally, it was decided to release it solely (sorry for the pun!) on Disney+.
Review: 1917 (2019)
Writer-director Sam Mendes (Skyfall, American Beauty) has crafted a war film that, on the surface — and from the trailers — doesn’t seem like anything all that original or different from others of the genre; the story centers on two British soldiers who traverse through no-man’s land to deliver an important message that can save thousands of lives.
2021 Golden Globes: Winners, Losers, and Zoom
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-a4zH0kmPFo Yesterday, the Golden Globe winners were announced and presented in a hybrid virtual and in-person format — presenters and hosts Tina Fey and Amy Poehler (on separate coasts) were in person, while winners and nominees were all virtual (with the exception of Cecil B. DeMille winner Jane Fonda). All Read More
Review: Judas and the Black Messiah (2021)
The long-anticipated Judas and the Black Messiah only opened last month, at the [mostly virtual] Sundance Film Festival. I was busy working and, besides, high-profile movies such as this became sold out very quickly.
Review: The Little Things (2021)
For a movie that features three Oscar-winning actors — Denzel Washington, Rami Malek, and Jared Leto — you’d expect a movie to have some substance, or to at least be far less boring and more interesting than the exceedingly dull and unoriginal The Little Things, recently released simultaneously in limited theatres and on HBO Max. Writer-director John Lee Hancock’s story not only takes place in the 1990s (which has no real effect on the story), but was supposedly written then, and doesn’t appeared to have been updated. I
Review: Another Round (2020)
Mads Mikkelsen has become a sort of international treasure, having starred in both Danish-centered films and others, including as villains in Doctor Strange and the NBC series Hannibal. He was excellent in The Hunt, released several years ago and nominated for the International Feature Film Oscar — formerly known as the Foreign Language Oscar — so it was great to see him once again in a juicy role that allows him to flex his acting muscles in a film that takes place in his native Denmark.
Review: Malcolm & Marie (2021)
Malcolm & Marie is the first film to be filmed, produced, and released during the pandemic. It was filmed with a very limited crew and only two actors — new Emmy winner Zendaya and Tenet star John David washington — and everyone followed proper COVID-19 regulations.
Review: EMMA. (2020)
When I heard that there was going to be yet another adaptation of Jane Austen’s beloved Emma, I was skeptical and thought this remake was unnecessary (despite the recent success of the Little Women remake). I’d seen the ’90s version starring Gwyneth Paltrow, and believed it to be just fine, while not revelatory.
Review: The Assistant (2020)
I was interested in watching The Assistant, because it seemed like the type of post-Weinstein/#metoo era film that would be relevant today. Unfortunately, it’s too slight and not daring enough to make a real impact.
Review: Over the Moon (2020)
Over the Moon is one film that is competing for the Best Animated Feature Film Oscar this year, although it doesn’t stand a chance against Pixar films Soul and Onward, as well as the acclaimed Wolfwalkers. And, that’s not just because it’s a Netflix animation production, but mainly due to the fact that it’s not a good film.
Review: The White Tiger (2021)
The White Tiger is sort of like the anti-Slumdog Millionaire, as I’ve heard other film critics call it. It’s also similar to the Oscar-winning Parasite, and aspires to reach the mastery of tone of Bong Joon Ho’s film but never quite gets there.
Review: News of the World (2020)
With such talent behind and in front of a camera, you’d expect News of the World to have more of a lasting impact and to cause viewers to be invested in the story. That’s not to say that it’s completely devoid of talent and emotion; rather, with the one and only Tom Hanks as the lead, and acclaimed director Paul Greengrass (United 93) directing and co-writing the adaptation, you’d expect more.