Right away I almost feel that I have to dock this film half a letter grade because of its release date. We literally had May the Fourth on a Friday this year, and this movie was held for another three weeks. Yes, May 25th is the actual anniversary of the release of the original Star Wars, … Continue reading When We Were Less Scruffy-Looking Nerf-Herders – Solo: A Star Wars Story
Like I said in my last review, there are a ton of single-subject biographical documentaries so far this year, but this one is the best yet. Some 50 years on from 2001: A Space Odyssey, director Tony Zierra brings us Filmworker, about the magnificent journey of Leon Vitali, the man behind the curtain of Stanley Kubrick's mystique … Continue reading Below the Line and Above it All – Filmworker
There have been a fair few documentaries so far this year focusing on singular figures who have made a difference in the world. Some are joyous, some are depressing, some are downright silly. However, by definition, Pope Francis - A Man of His Word, can best be described as "incomplete," because given the access granted to … Continue reading Il Papa’s Got a Brand New Vatican – Pope Francis – A Man of His Word
Like Avengers: Infinity War, I was fairly confident that if you - the reader - felt any inkling to see Deadpool 2, you'd do so no matter what I say here. As it turns out, I was right, as the "second coming," as it's advertised on billboards, has taken the top spot at the weekend box office, … Continue reading Bigger, Funnier, Maximum Effort… er – Deadpool 2
Released in Japan almost a year ago to the day, American audiences finally get to see the award-winning Lu Over the Wall, the second film released (though first produced) by Science Saru Studios, directed by Masaaki Yuasa. It tells a relatively simple story of friendship and affection between a boy and an aquatic creature. And thankfully, since … Continue reading Music Makes You Shake Your Tail Fin – Lu Over the Wall
Ruth Bader Ginsburg is one of the most important Americans in modern history. She's a crusader for women's and minority rights. She's a brilliant legal mind. She's a success story worthy of the title of "American Dream." She inspires hatred in her detractors as much as she does hope in her admirers. She also inspires … Continue reading Revolutionary Life Story Played for Hashtags – RBG
I'll admit up front that I'm a bit biased on this one, as I've been a fan of Diablo Cody and Jason Reitman as a collaborative pair since Juno, which is among my all-time favorite films. I also really enjoyed Young Adult. We do not speak of Jennifer's Body. Suffice to say, I was predisposed to like their … Continue reading Charlize Theron, You ARE the Mother! – Tully
First off, I must apologize for the lateness of this review. The whole point of this blog is to get reviews out as quickly as possible, so you the consumer can decide the best use of your movie-going dollars. That said, there are two major reasons for the delay, which I think excuse it. For … Continue reading We Finally Got to the Fireworks Factory! – Avengers: Infinity War
One of the oldest proverbs of the entertainment industry is, "Leave them wanting more." That's what the boys at Broken Lizard did with their cult hit, Super Troopers some 17 years ago. After an unprecedented crowdsourced funding effort, we now have the long awaited sequel. Let's just get this out of the way. As a piece … Continue reading Happiness In Your Household – Super Troopers 2
Sebastián Lelio is having himself quite a year. A couple of months ago he won an Oscar for A Fantastic Woman, and now he comes out with his first English-language film, Disobedience, an achingly beautiful look at love and choice, without taking the easy road and vilifying a single person or establishment. After a beloved rabbi in … Continue reading All Good, No Bad, Love Wins – Disobedience
I Actually Paid To See This 