Now In Theaters
The Assistant
Writer/director Kitty Green creates a day in the life expose of the substance behind #metoo. Why rock the boat? Why call attention to the protected system of verbal and psychological abuse which defines the office atmosphere? The Assistant stares at a recent college grad’s first real-world moral dilemma - what will you do when your black and white ethics lessons confront the gray areas of innuendo, the behavior of powerful men, and the inevitability of personal consequences should you challenge the system.
Drama - 85 Minutes
Writer/director Kitty Green creates a day in the life expose of the substance behind #metoo. Why rock the boat? Why call attention to the protected system of verbal and psychological abuse which defines the office atmosphere? The Assistant stares at a recent college grad’s first real-world moral dilemma - what will you do when your black and white ethics lessons confront the gray areas of innuendo, the behavior of powerful men, and the inevitability of personal consequences should you challenge the system.
Drama - 85 Minutes
The Traitor (Il Traditore)
Was the man who brought down the Sicilian mob a rat or a defender of the true mafia? Director Marco Bellocchio has a strong opinion, but The Traitor may be too nebulous for an audience uninitiated in the subject matter.
Biography/Crime/Drama - 145 Minutes
Was the man who brought down the Sicilian mob a rat or a defender of the true mafia? Director Marco Bellocchio has a strong opinion, but The Traitor may be too nebulous for an audience uninitiated in the subject matter.
Biography/Crime/Drama - 145 Minutes
2020 Oscar Nominated Documentary Short Films
This year's Doc Short nominees share common themes even though they range from skateboarding girls in Afghanistan to the South Korean ferry disaster and even a Ferguson, Missouri state legislator. Brush up for your Oscar pools as I rank order the five nominees.
This year's Doc Short nominees share common themes even though they range from skateboarding girls in Afghanistan to the South Korean ferry disaster and even a Ferguson, Missouri state legislator. Brush up for your Oscar pools as I rank order the five nominees.
The Rhythm Section
Director Reed Morano adeptly conveys grime and confronting a soul full of garbage, but the needlessly complicated plot does nothing to separate her film from any other ‘revenge is tricky’ story.
Action/Drama/Mystery - 109 Minutes
Director Reed Morano adeptly conveys grime and confronting a soul full of garbage, but the needlessly complicated plot does nothing to separate her film from any other ‘revenge is tricky’ story.
Action/Drama/Mystery - 109 Minutes
The Gentlemen
A playful Guy Ritchie slips back into his talky, gritty, gangster roots to show off a juicy screenplay, a sublime acting ensemble and enough profanity to murder the entire Downton Abbey cast.
Action/Comedy - 113 Minutes
A playful Guy Ritchie slips back into his talky, gritty, gangster roots to show off a juicy screenplay, a sublime acting ensemble and enough profanity to murder the entire Downton Abbey cast.
Action/Comedy - 113 Minutes
Bad Boys for Life
I have no idea if Bad Boys for Life is either the best or worst of all of them; they blend together. The characters never evolve and even though the scripts can switch up bad guys and introduce new action sequences you believe you’ve never seen before, you have.
Action/Comedy/Crime - 123 Minutes
I have no idea if Bad Boys for Life is either the best or worst of all of them; they blend together. The characters never evolve and even though the scripts can switch up bad guys and introduce new action sequences you believe you’ve never seen before, you have.
Action/Comedy/Crime - 123 Minutes
Underwater
Underwater stands on the shoulders of claustrophobic monster movie giants, liberally helping itself to ideas and themes, but it fails to give back or push the genre anywhere fresh - its major sin being how rote and episodic it all plays out.
Action/Drama/Horror - 95 Minutes
Underwater stands on the shoulders of claustrophobic monster movie giants, liberally helping itself to ideas and themes, but it fails to give back or push the genre anywhere fresh - its major sin being how rote and episodic it all plays out.
Action/Drama/Horror - 95 Minutes
1917
Sam Mendes takes us into the trenches with two low-ranking soldiers who epitomize an entire generation of boys lost for the sake of some 500 yards of muddy, barren, and cursed landscape. Shot to look like a single take to lock the audience in together with the characters in what seems like real time, 1917 is more ticking clock thriller than strategic battlefield analysis - the absurdity of it all will come later.
Drama/War - 119 Minutes
Sam Mendes takes us into the trenches with two low-ranking soldiers who epitomize an entire generation of boys lost for the sake of some 500 yards of muddy, barren, and cursed landscape. Shot to look like a single take to lock the audience in together with the characters in what seems like real time, 1917 is more ticking clock thriller than strategic battlefield analysis - the absurdity of it all will come later.
Drama/War - 119 Minutes
Uncut Gems
It’s like watching a line of cocaine try and walk, talk, and think. Movies are supposed to move you, but this is a different sort of movement. This is pushing and shoving - a rare kind of cinematic assault and battery on your senses.
Comedy/Crime/Drama - 135 Minutes
It’s like watching a line of cocaine try and walk, talk, and think. Movies are supposed to move you, but this is a different sort of movement. This is pushing and shoving - a rare kind of cinematic assault and battery on your senses.
Comedy/Crime/Drama - 135 Minutes
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker
While new secrets emerge from the dark and a couple new characters add their frames to the canon, The Rise of Skywalker is less cutting edge frontier and more “look where we’ve been” greatest hits.
Action/Adventure/Fantasy - 141 min
While new secrets emerge from the dark and a couple new characters add their frames to the canon, The Rise of Skywalker is less cutting edge frontier and more “look where we’ve been” greatest hits.
Action/Adventure/Fantasy - 141 min
Bombshell
Bombshell details the absurdity swirling around inside the conservative Fox News cabal and how three women brought down its omnipotent black hole center, Roger Ailes. Less a takedown of Fox News’s chicanery and deceptions, Jay Roach weaves a chronicle of its brief house-cleaning episode. Even though the film plays with recent history still somewhat fresh in our minds, it trots along at a brisk enough clip; however, all of its heft derives from the punchy performances of Charlize Theron, Nicole Kidman, and Margot Robbie.
Biography/Drama - 108 min
Bombshell details the absurdity swirling around inside the conservative Fox News cabal and how three women brought down its omnipotent black hole center, Roger Ailes. Less a takedown of Fox News’s chicanery and deceptions, Jay Roach weaves a chronicle of its brief house-cleaning episode. Even though the film plays with recent history still somewhat fresh in our minds, it trots along at a brisk enough clip; however, all of its heft derives from the punchy performances of Charlize Theron, Nicole Kidman, and Margot Robbie.
Biography/Drama - 108 min
Richard Jewell
Whether or not it is better for Richard Jewell’s legacy, his story is now intertwined with Eastwood’s. Eastwood brings his bag of vendettas and uses Jewell’s story to strengthen their narrative. Hopefully, you already knew Richard Jewell was innocent even though the 24-hour news cycle and the FBI told you he wasn’t. Now, you also must judge if Eastwood’s version tells you the whole truth.
Drama - 129 min
Whether or not it is better for Richard Jewell’s legacy, his story is now intertwined with Eastwood’s. Eastwood brings his bag of vendettas and uses Jewell’s story to strengthen their narrative. Hopefully, you already knew Richard Jewell was innocent even though the 24-hour news cycle and the FBI told you he wasn’t. Now, you also must judge if Eastwood’s version tells you the whole truth.
Drama - 129 min
The Aeronauts
The Aeronauts earns marks for authenticity in craftsmanship and production design; however, where it counts - story and narrative flow - the film crash lands with atrocious consequences.
Action/Adventure/Biography - 100 Minutes
The Aeronauts earns marks for authenticity in craftsmanship and production design; however, where it counts - story and narrative flow - the film crash lands with atrocious consequences.
Action/Adventure/Biography - 100 Minutes
Queen & Slim
Queen & Slim at times feels like a warning, a cause and effect piece, and an authentic mirror showcasing contemporary American society. Downright scary because how possible it all seems.
Drama - 132 Minutes
Queen & Slim at times feels like a warning, a cause and effect piece, and an authentic mirror showcasing contemporary American society. Downright scary because how possible it all seems.
Drama - 132 Minutes
Knives Out
Rian Johnson returns to his genre experiments with a juicy whodunnit. Even though he plays around in a genre not quite lost to history, but one certainly out of fashion with the times, none of it is pretentious; the project comes with a genuine atmosphere of conspiracy and even lunacy.
Comedy/Crime/Drama - 130 Minutes
Rian Johnson returns to his genre experiments with a juicy whodunnit. Even though he plays around in a genre not quite lost to history, but one certainly out of fashion with the times, none of it is pretentious; the project comes with a genuine atmosphere of conspiracy and even lunacy.
Comedy/Crime/Drama - 130 Minutes
Frozen II
An enchanted forest takes care of everyone's arc of discovery and self-actualization, but this sequel outshines the original - even though there is no "Let It Go" follow-on.
Animation/Adventure/Comedy - 103 Minutes
An enchanted forest takes care of everyone's arc of discovery and self-actualization, but this sequel outshines the original - even though there is no "Let It Go" follow-on.
Animation/Adventure/Comedy - 103 Minutes
Now On DVD
