Large scale intimacy may seem like a contradiction, but Sam Mendes achieves that rare blend in 1917. The director saturates his film's audience in the horrors of World War One using a rare single-shot narrative. Because of this choice, 1917 is more of a psychological thriller than a traditional war movie. It is also the best epic to emerge from a year of instant classic tales like The Irishman and Once Upon A Time In Hollywood.
Strip clubs and Wall Street are different worlds, but the two converge in the movie Hustlers. The crime flick starring Constance Wu and Jennifer Lopez is much more compelling than a glance at a movie trailer would indicate. It is a smart, compact film with dynamic leads and a unique premise.
Despite what box office numbers show, a film can make an impact without having a hero, archvillain, or CGI. Bo Burnham’s Eighth Grade is one of these movies. The piece drops its audience into the everyday life of a middle schooler. Viewing preteen experiences in modern times is revelatory despite the unappealing concept of reliving adolescence.
The movie Yesterday imagines the unthinkable: a world without The Beatles. Starring Himesh Patel and Lily James, the Danny Boyle film just asks that you consider a world sans the Fab Four for two hours. Watching the removal of the band's immeasurable contribution to culture is a tough ask. They have been everywhere for over 50 years. It turns out that it is a fun way to appreciate John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr.
Late Night tackles the rare big screen subject of a prime time talk show. A queen of comedy is playing out the string as her long-running chat series continues a ratings slump. Even the comedian's husband acknowledges that the show is bad. The threat of cancellation forces the host to shake up her writing staff with a little diversity.
Booksmart is a hilarious high school comedy that will fly under the radar as one of the underappreciated releases of the summer. That is unfortunate. It wields razor sharp wit and features great performances from leads and supporting cast alike. The writing is flat-out funny and squeezes every ounce of adult humor from its R rating.
With a historic Thanksgiving weekend in the books, the Fall cinema season is unofficially over. Despite strong showings by Creed 2, Green Book, and A Star Is Born, the Oscar race is still wide open. Here are five movies that will wrap up 2018 and create serious awards chatter.
Bad Times at the El Royale has all the trappings of a cool movie. An eye-catching set, an A-list cast, and a mysterious premise. Despite this promising foundation, the flick lacks a story that elevates noir films to must-see movies.
This review contains spoilers about BlacKkKlansman (2018) BlacKkKlansman is based on an incredible feat. African-American police officer Ron Stallworth became a Ku Klux Klan member in 1979 to gain intelligence on the organization. The film details these events, but also goes a step further. Director Spike Lee used Stallworth’s story to squeeze two different movies... Continue Reading →
One year after a terrible summer box office, Hollywood rallied for a decent blockbuster season. The summer of 2018 was not packed with intriguing titles, but produced a few movies that did very well. Despite the rebound, this summer was a meh box office that did not leave a lasting impression. Many of the movies... Continue Reading →
Long After Dark 