The concept is great, but the execution fumbles with its greatest asset, which is the comedic aspect of the story. It is far too silly to be serious, and far too serious to be funny.
The concept is great, but the execution fumbles with its greatest asset, which is the comedic aspect of the story. It is far too silly to be serious, and far too serious to be funny.
Next time someone tells you they’ve seen it all, show them this.
First Man is slow -too slow- which I am comfortable with, but it is also long -too long- which is harder to ignore. Hand in hand with its tranquil pace and its fixation to detail, though, comes a sense of upping the stakes, and when the flight comes, it is awe-inspiring.
Heartstone is tough, and unapologetically so, but there is a wounded beauty to it, in its dimly lit nights and its sparks of humanity between the sea and the rocks.
I don’t know what I expected from something titled “The Sisters Brothers”, but certainly not this movie. It is a Western through and through, but tonally it mixes drama with comedy and action with introspection.
Girl had the potential of being a deep, introspective discussion of trans acceptance and integration, but its extensive dance interludes bloat its runtime and its refusal to address many of its own open questions diminishes its emotional throughline.
A Star is Born is an unabashedly romantic look at music and stardom, and an amazing display of talent from its stars, Bradley Cooper (who also directs) and Lady Gaga. Both offer incredible musical and dramatic performances, and their chemistry pulls the film together.
Blindspotting is a total experience. When it often seems like the studios bankroll only sequels, remakes and reboots, it is a breath of fresh air to see talented artists blazing their own path to do something new and bold.
The pleasure in The Land of Steady Habits, written and directed by Nicole Holofcener, is in seeing Ben Mendelsohn unmoored, trying to signal ships that already sailed.
Thunder Road is heartbreaking in all the best ways, it is brutally honest, and it is compassionate. It is a frontal attack on the ideal of masculinity that doesn’t leave any room for vulnerability. It is a hand held out to those who are hurting.