Mark Rylance really is one of our unsung talents… “The Outfit” is the directorial debut of Graham Moore (who won the Oscar in 2014 for his “Imitation Game” screenplay), and follows a tailor in 1950s Chicago (Mark Rylance) who gets caught-up in the aftermath of a mob shootout. Zoey Deutch, Johnny Flynn, Dylan O’Brien, Nikki… Continue reading ‘The Outfit’ Review: A Simple but Effective Gangster Pic
Proof that just because you have an Oscar to your name and an A-List cast to work with, doesn’t mean you’re capable of making a genuine good film. “Don’t Look Up” is the third “serious” film from director Adam McKay, and stars Leonardo DiCaprio and Jennifer Lawrence as two scientists who discover a comet headed… Continue reading ‘Don’t Look Up’ Review: Adam McKay Misses the Mark Yet Again
If people worry about Disney creating every blockbuster film, they better at least get used to Netflix owning every Oscar contender, too. “The Trial of the Chicago 7” tells the tale of the group of protesters who in 1968 were charged with inciting a riot at the Democratic National Convention. The second directorial effort from… Continue reading ‘The Trial of the Chicago 7’ Is a Timely Courtroom Drama
Steven Spielberg has to be the busiest AARP member this side of Clint Eastwood… “Ready Player One” is the adaption of the popular 2011 book by Ernest Cline (who co-wrote the screenplay here with Zak Penn). Set in the year 2045 where humanity has become obsessed with a virtual reality game called the OASIS, a… Continue reading ‘Ready Player One’ is a Flawed Spectacle
Between this, “Churchill” last month and “Darkest Hour” in November, World War II Britain is getting a lot of cinematic visits this year… “Dunkirk” is the new film from writer/director Christopher Nolan, and follows the attempted evacuation of some 400,000 British soldiers off the French beach of the titular city in the early stages of… Continue reading ‘Dunkirk’ is an Overly-Ambitious but Still Pretty Good War Film
Tom Hanks starring in a Steven Spielberg period piece. Yup, Oscar Season is upon us. Based on a true story, “Bridge of Spies” stars Hanks as a New York lawyer who must organize a swap of a Soviet spy (Mark Rylance) and a captured American pilot (Austin Stowell) during the Cold War. Spielberg directs. The… Continue reading ‘Bridge of Spies’ Well-Crafted But Slow Cold War Thriller
The Reel Deal 