We're but a few weeks away from Oscar nominations, and since the shortlists were released last month, I haven't been able to make any further progress on the 15 semifinalists for International Feature. I saw 10 of the films before the announcements were made, but nothing since. That ends today, as the first of three … Continue reading Bovine Intervention – Lunana: A Yak in the Classroom
It's amazing to me that it's been 12 years since the acclaimed Jane Campion has directed a film. Until now, her most recent work was the well-received but barely seen Bright Star, about poet John Keats. It's been nearly 20 years since her last mainstream film, the underwhelming In the Cut. While her output has … Continue reading The Sheep’s Clothing – The Power of the Dog
I'd wager that most people know the concept of the Uncanny Valley, where the brain triggers a negative response to something artificial that's made to look human but comes up short somewhere in the middle. It played over and over in my mind while watching Mamoru Hosoda's latest film, Belle (originally titled The Dragon and … Continue reading Lend Me Your Voice – Belle
Welcome to the third part in our miniseries on the 2021 Documentary Feature shortlist. You can find the recaps for Part 1 and Part 2 in their accompanying links, and as previously mentioned, I have individual reviews for Summer of Soul, The Rescue, and Flee. Today's installment will bring us up to 12 on this … Continue reading Back Row Thoughts – I’ve Got a Little List, Part 3
"I'm scared," gasps Penélope Cruz while on a stakeout for a terrorist spy around the start of Act II in Simon Kinberg's The 355. "That's good," replies Diane Kruger. "Only idiots aren't scared." Well, if that's the case, I must be an idiot, because I certainly wasn't scared at all during this overlong parade of … Continue reading Spy Lame – The 355
The "Best Actress Showcase" film is a common thing during Awards Season, typically in the form of a story uniquely suited to a female lead character, and often cast and shot in a way that heavily features the top line actress in an attempt to garner some hardware at the expense of everything else. It's … Continue reading The Parent Trap – The Lost Daughter
Tis a tale oft told, that makers hath rolled,One twelfth of a gross, through celluloid's Globe,By Welles and Roman, nearly of Laurence,Now a Coen alone doth enter the fray.To speak evermore of the killer Thane,Who's play is too superstitious to name,The Tragedy of Macbeth goes to screen.But what more can be said? What news? What … Continue reading A Soliloquy – The Tragedy of Macbeth
When I reviewed The Trial of the Chicago 7 last year, I made note of a lot of the creative hallmarks of Aaron Sorkin's career, both positive and negative. But there was one element I left out of the equation, mostly because it wasn't relevant to that particular film. He has a somewhat elitist penchant … Continue reading WAAAAHHHH! – Being the Ricardos
The history of the Matrix franchise is a fraught one, with tremendous highs and cavernous lows. In a series that delighted in how much its story could be bathed in biblical overtones, it in itself became a cautionary tale hewing closer to Greek tragedy due to the Wachowski (then) Brothers' unchecked ambition, trying to cram … Continue reading You Have No Choice – The Matrix Resurrections
The coming-of-age film is certainly nothing new. It's a well-worn bit of storytelling that can very easily fall into the trappings of cliché, but depending on your sensibilities, even the most tired moments can work because they ring true for the audience either hitting that point in their lives or reminiscing about bygone eras. Even … Continue reading I’m Gonna Run to You – Licorice Pizza
I Actually Paid To See This 