Figures that the least Coen-y films are the ones by Coen Brothers I like the most. “The Tragedy of Macbeth” is an adaptation of the famed William Shakespeare play by Joel Coen, his first credited solo directing effort without his brother Ethan. Denzel Washington stars in the titular role, with Frances McDormand (also a producer… Continue reading ‘The Tragedy of Macbeth’ Review: A Hypnotic, Haunting Shakespearean Tale
Hey Aaron Sorkin, buddy, maybe we give the directing thing a break for a while, huh? “Being the Ricardos” follows a fictionalized week in the life of “I Love Lucy” star Lucille Ball, including her discovering she is pregnant and being accused of being a communist. Javier Bardem also stars as Ball’s husband and co-star… Continue reading ‘Being the Ricardos’ Review: I Didn’t Love This Lucy Biopic
There really is not a more hot-and-cold director than Ridley Scott. “House of Gucci” depicts Maurizo Gucci and his wife Patrizia Reggiani (Adam Driver and Lady Gaga) as they fight for control of the Gucci fashion brand in the 1980s; Jared Leto, Jeremy Irons, Salma Hayek, and Al Pacino also star as Ridley Scott directs.… Continue reading ‘House of Gucci’ Review: A Criminal Waste of Talent and Time
You know what they say: fool me once, shame on you. Fool me three times, you’re the Ghostbusters sequels. “Ghostbusters: Afterlife” is the fourth installment of the franchise, and serves as a direct sequel to the first two films. Directed by Jason Reitman, son of the original film’s director Ivan, the plot follows two young… Continue reading ‘Ghostbusters: Afterlife’ Review: Big on Fan-Service, Low on Fun
Lin-Manuel Miranda really said “I am going to make 2021 the year of the stage musical adaptation.” “Tick, Tick… Boom!” is based off the semi-biographical stage play of the same name by Jonathan Larson. The film stars Andrew Garfield as Larson, a 29-year-old aspiring playwright, and his quest to get the musical that he has… Continue reading ‘Tick, Tick… Boom!’ Review: A Love-Letter to the Creative Struggle
You know what hey say: when in doubt, shoot it in black and white. “Belfast” is the passion project of director Kenneth Branagh, loosely based on his own experiences growing up in 1960s Northern Ireland. The film stars Caitríona Balfe, Judi Dench, Jamie Dornan, Ciarán Hinds, Colin Morgan, and Jude Hill, and follows a family… Continue reading ‘Belfast’ Review: A Personal Story Without Much to Set It Apart
Who would’ve thought that the stoic and blank-stared teens from “Twilight” would grow up to become two of the best actors working today? “Spencer” is set over the Christmas weekend of 1991 in which Princess Diana (Kristen Stewart) decides that her place in life is not with the royal family. Jack Farthing, Timothy Spall, Sean… Continue reading ‘Spencer’ Review: A Hypnotic Glimpse Behind the Royal Curtain
Someone in Hollywood give Jim Cummings control of a mainstream movie already! “The Beta Test” follows an up-and-coming Hollywood agent (Jim Cummings) who receives an invitation to an “Eyes Wide Shut”-type meetup, only for him to become paranoid about the fallout. Cummings also directs and co-writes with PJ McCabe. I was a big fan of… Continue reading ‘The Beta Test’ Review: A Dark Comedy That Further Raises Jim Cummings’ Stock
Maybe not *everything* in theaters deserves our support… “Antlers” follows a schoolteacher (Keri Russell) who begins to notice one of her young students (Jeremy T. Thomas) is acting strangely, and recruits her sheriff brother (Jesse Plemons) to look into his home life, only to discover a disturbing secret. Scott Cooper directs and Guillermo del Toro… Continue reading ‘Antlers’ Review: A Horror Film With More Snooze Than Scares
There’s a running joke that the Marvel movies are just expensive commercials for future Marvel movies, but this is literally a commercial for future “Dune” movies… “Dune” is the second adaptation of the 1965 novel by Frank Herbert, following David Lynch’s 1984 film. Directed by Denis Villeneuve, the film stars Timothée Chalamet as a young… Continue reading ‘Dune’ Review: It Looks Great, But Is That Enough?
The Reel Deal 