I feel the amount of anticipation and pressure on this film and David Fincher to deliver can’t be understated. “Mank” is the latest film from director David Fincher, and his first since 2014’s “Gone Girl.” Written by his father Jack Fincher, the film follows writer Herman Mankiewicz (Gary Oldman) and his development of the script… Continue reading ‘Mank’ Review: A Witty and Meticulous Hollywood Homage
Chadwick Boseman, man, gone way too soon… “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom” is based on the play of the same name by August Wilson, and follows “Mother of the Blues” singer Ma Rainey (Viola Davis) amid a stressful recording session one summer afternoon in 1927 Chicago. Chadwick Boseman also stars (in his final film appearance), with… Continue reading Chadwick Boseman Gives a Touching Swansong Performance in ‘Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom’
Sometimes it is wonderful when a movie is exactly what its trailer made it out to look like. “Freaky” puts a twist on the body-swap tale, when a notorious serial killer (Vince Vaughn) switches places with one of his teenage victims (Kathryn Newton). Katie Finneran, Celeste O’Connor, Misha Osherovich, and Alan Ruck also star as… Continue reading ‘Freaky’ Review: Vince Vaughn Is Having a Bloody Good Time and You Will Too
See, this is what happens when you don’t give people their Oscars when they deserve them; they put on a bunch of makeup and take on heavy-handed family dramas. “Hillbilly Elegy” is based on the memoir of the same name by J.D. Vance about his upbringing in rural Ohio, and the struggles he faces with… Continue reading ‘Hillbilly Elegy’ Is a Contrived Family Drama
If Zack Snyder’s DCEU got anything right, it was creating the Costner-Lane power couple. “Let Him Go” stars Kevin Costner and Diane Lane as a husband and wife who, after the death of their own son, set out to retrieve their grandchild from their new abusive father. Thomas Bezucha writes and directs. In recent years… Continue reading ‘Let Him Go’ Review: A Bit Uneven, but Wrangles Up Some Solid Adult Drama
“The Climb” stars Michael Angelo Covino and Kyle Marvin as two lifelong friends, and glimpses into their lives over several year. Covino and Marvin also wrote the script, as Covino directs and Gayle Rankin, Talia Balsam, George Wendt, and Judith Godrèche also star. I hadn’t heard much about this film until recently (it premiered at… Continue reading ‘The Climb’ Is Simple, Funny, and Honest
Someone needs to get to the suits in Hollywood and tell them that not every classic film needs to be reimagined. “Rebecca” is based on the 1938 book of the same name, which was famously adapted by Alfred Hitchcock in 1940 (his only Best Picture winner). The plot follows a newlywed couple (Armie Hammer and… Continue reading ‘Rebecca’ Is a Beautiful-Looking Bore
Even in a year as weird as 2020, there’s something comforting about still having a “Liam Neeson with a gun” movie. “Honest Thief” stars Liam Neeson in the titular role as a former bank robber who wants to trade the $9 million he stole over the years for a reduced sentence after meeting a woman… Continue reading ‘Honest Thief’ a Pretty Standard Thriller
If Woody Allen and Wes Anderson had a lovechild, it would be this movie. “French Exit” is based on the book of the same name by Patrick deWitt, who also wrote the screenplay here. The film stars Michelle Pfeiffer as a New York City socialite who moves with her disaffected son (Lucas Hedges) and cat… Continue reading ‘French Exit’ Is a Surreal Comedy That Only Kind of Works | NYFF 2020
It’s a shame the Academy Awards aren’t being held until April 25 next year, because that’s just longer until Anthony Hopkins can start polishing his second Oscar. “The Father” stars Sir Anthony Hopkins as an aging man with dementia, and Olivia Colman as his daughter. Mark Gatiss, Imogen Poots, Rufus Sewell, and Olivia Williams also… Continue reading ‘The Father’ Review: A Heart-Wrenching Actors’ Showcase | HIFF 2020
The Reel Deal 