“On the Rocks” Review
Bill Murray has such an enduring nature that even when he’s playing the antagonist it’s hard not to dig on his appeal. Director Sophia Coppola takes advantage of this by posing him in On the Rocks as a believable misanthrope. He seems charming when around his grandkids but get in Continue Reading
“Radioactive” Review
There’s a fascination with the Curie’s and their discovery of radioactivity that seems to favor more of the influence than the people. Marie Curie is given the spotlight here, but the focus is so clearly on her work and drive more than herself as a person. Her tragic marriage and Continue Reading
“Mighty Oak” Review
The bland rock drama of Mighty Oak might’ve had some kick if it could settle on its core theme. Aspects of getting the band back together are muddied when reincarnation is thrown into the mix. Bereft of either spirituality or a genuine love for music, this melodramtic mess comes off Continue Reading
“Next Door Spy” Review
Despite a premise that sounds ripe with twists and turns, Next Door Spy feels very much like a quiet-time movie for the kids. As a counter to the manic and mile-a-minute animated movies, there’s a bit of a simpler splendor to the film’s indie-styling and gentle tone to its drama. Continue Reading
“Cats” Review
Halfway through Cats, my brain broke. I can’t recall if it was when Ian McKellen started hissing like a cat or when Judi Dench started rubbing her whiskers on other cats. I thought about picking my brain back up but then realized something; this is a musical called Cats with Continue Reading
“Bombshell” Review
You don’t even have to look up the credits to know this film was by one of the co-writers of The Big Short. Within the first few minutes, we’re given a crash course on the Fox News beast that brewed the scandal of Roger Ailes. We meet a few people Continue Reading
“Parasite” Review
While Bong Joon-ho’s filmography boasts much of the fantastic, most of them carry a scathing criticism of the class structure that damages futures and society. There’s no missing that commentary in Parasite, shoving it into our faces with uncomfortable catharsis. Blindsiding the audience as a dark comedy, this story takes Continue Reading
“Knives Out” Review
Rian Johnson’s whodunnit of Knives Out is a love-letter of a murder mystery that broadcasts an affinity for the genre while still holding a sharp edge all it’s own. While it plays with the material and finds some of the dark humor within such a scenario, there’s a real sense Continue Reading
“A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood” Review
While there are plenty of nostalgic stings for Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood present within this emotional journey, there’s one moment that is exceptionally powerful. While out to lunch, Rogers recommends a break from the conversation to have a moment of silence to think of those who loved us and brought us Continue Reading
“Ford v Ferrari” Review
As the triumphant tale of how Ford won the Le Mans race, I wasn’t all that enthralled to hop into the passenger seat of such a story. This was especially concerning for a picture that runs 2 1/2 hours that I fully expected to be bogged down in its checklist Continue Reading