Movie Review: "Spotlight"
Honest journalism at its finest
Directed by Tom McCarthy, Spotlight was released in November of 2015 by Open Road Films. It features performances from Mark Ruffalo, Michael Keaton, Rachel McAdams, Liev Schreiber, and Stanley Tucci.
Movie Review -- Top Gun: Maverick
A high-octane, high flying sequel
Directed by Joseph Kosinski, “Top Gun: Maverick” is the long-awaited sequel to the first film released in 1986. This film is produced by Skydance Media, in collaboration with Don Simpson/Jerry Bruckheimer Films, and it is distributed by Paramount Pictures. Apart from Tom Cruise, the cast also includes Miles Teller, Jennifer Connelly, and Jon Hamm, including a cameo from Val Kilmer as Iceman.
Movie Review: "The Bad Guys"
A family-friendly ‘Reservoir Dogs’
Directed by Pierre Perifel and based on the book series by Aaron Blabey, “The Bad Guys” is produced by DreamWorks Animation and distributed by Universal Pictures. The story follows a group of infamous criminals as they try to become good people to avoid imprisonment. Along the way, hijinks ensue as they attempt to steal the Golden Dolphin, an award for Good Samaritans.
Belfast - a fork in the road
Directed and written by Kenneth Branagh, “Belfast” is produced by Focus Pictures and distributed by Universal Pictures. Released in November of 2021, it has garnered a positive reception, has won the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay, and it has made a little under $50 million in the box office.
"The Adam Project"
The past and future collide
Directed by “Free Guy” creator Shawn Levy, “The Adam Project” is a Netflix original film produced in association with Skydance Media and 21 Laps Entertainment. The story is that a pilot from the future ends up in 2022 while on a time travel mission, and he meets his younger self. Once they meet, they work together to save the future by destroying the secret to time travel to prevent it from getting into the wrong hands.
“¡Three Amigos!”
A humorous Western by John Landis
Directed by John Landis, “¡Three Amigos!” was released in December of 1986 through HBO and Orion Pictures. The film stars Steve Martin (who also served as a writer for the story), Chevy Chase, and Martin Short as the titular Amigos. It had a budget of about $25 million, and it made nearly $40 million at the box office.
Movie Review - Western Month: ‘The Ox Bow Incident’
Finding justice in the Wild West
Released in May of 1943 and directed by William A. Wellman, “The Ox Bow Incident” is a classic Western film featuring the acting talents of Henry Fonda, Henry Morgan, Dana Andrews and Mary Beth Hughes. Based on the titular novel by Walter Van Tilburg Clark, the film had gained positive reception at the time, and it was even nominated for Best Picture at the 1944 Academy Awards.
Movie Review (Western Month): “The Power of the Dog”
Finding compassion in a harsh land
Written and directed by Jane Campion, “The Power of the Dog” was released on Netflix on November 17, 2021. Based on the titular novel by Thomas Savage, this film tells the story of a stern cowboy named Phil Burbank who learns compassion while bonding with a mother and son. Since the film’s release, it has been nominated for 12 Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Director.
Groundhog Day: ‘What if there is no tomorrow?’
Directed by Harold Ramis and co-written with Danny Rubin, “Groundhog Day” is the quintessential film to watch around the time of the titular holiday. It was released in February 1993, and it was distributed by Columbia Pictures. It features performances from Bill Murray, Andie MacDowell, and Chris Elliott, as well as appearances from Brian Doyle-Murray and Stephen Tobolowsky.
‘The Matrix Resurrections’: A decent revival to a beloved series
Directed by Lana Wachowski of the Wachowski Sisters, “The Matrix Resurrections” was released on Dec. 22. It is the fourth film in the “Matrix” film series, and it can be seen as a revival after the release of “The Matrix Revolutions” in 2003. The film is distributed by Warner Brothers and produced by Village Roadshow Pictures.
‘The Guilty’: A multi-layered dispatch call
Released on Netflix in September of 2021, “The Guilty” tells the story of a 911 operator who struggles to assist a woman who is involved in an abduction at the hands of her abusive husband. The film is directed by Antoine Fuqua, and it is a remake of a Danish film of the same name that was released in 2018. It features a cast consisting of Jake Gyllenhaal, Christina Vidal, and Adrian Martinez.
‘The Last Duel’: Three perspectives, two men, one woman
Directed by Ridley Scott and released on Oct. 15, “The Last Duel” follows two knights named Sir Jean de Carrouges and Jacques Le Gris, who are destined to face each other in a duel after Le Gris sexually assaults Jean de Carrouges’ wife, Marguerite. The film attaches Matt Damon and Ben Affleck as producers and writers in addition to their acting roles in the film.
‘Free Guy’: Press ‘Start’ to Laugh
‘The Truman Show’ meets ‘Grand Theft Auto’
Directed by Shawn Levy and distributed by 20th Century Studios, “Free Guy” was released in theaters on August 13. The plot revolves around an NPC (non-playable character) named Guy, who is a part of a fictional video game named “Free City.” One day, he crosses paths with a woman that he believes is his dream girl, and this kicks off a series of events where he gains sentience and makes a significant impact on his world. Meanwhile, in the real world, a couple of indie game developers attempt to take down Soonami, the company behind “Free City,” to prove that their code for their own game was stolen by its CEO, Antwan.
United 93: Never Forget
Directed by Paul Greengrass, “United 93” tells the story of the titular United Airlines flight on September 11, 2001, and the passengers who attempted to stop the hijackers from attacking Washington D.C. It was released in April of 2006, and it made over $76 million at the box office, with 10% of the profits going to the Flight 93 National Memorial Fund. The film has also received two Academy Award nominations, along with Greengrass being nominated for Best Director.
I Lost My Body: A surreal yet beautiful experience
Before you ask, no, this is not a horror film. This is an adult animated film directed by Jérémy Clapin and released on Netflix. It was developed by the French animation studio Xilam Animation, and it features the voices of Dev Patel and Alia Shawkat in the English dub. It premiered at the Cannes Film Festival in 2019, and it went on to be nominated for Best Animated Feature at the Academy Awards.
‘Vegas Vacation’: bust or jackpot?
“Vegas Vacation,” the fourth entry in the National Lampoon’s Vacation series, was released in 1997. The film had a budget of $25 million, earning $36 million in box office revenue. The film has a 13% score on the online aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, based on 30 professional reviews, against a 51% audience score from over 50,000 ratings. While it may not be a cinematic masterpiece like the other entries in the series, I feel that there is plenty to enjoy with this film.
Northwoods Film Festival
A taste of independent cinema
I’ve had the pleasure of attending the Northwoods Film Festival at the Lakeland Cinema 6 in Woodruff this past weekend. Organized by Bess Donoghue, this annual film festival is designed to bring independent films to the northern Wisconsin area. There were very few people in attendance, likely because of the pandemic affecting movie theater attendance, but it did not diminish the experience for me. The films in this line-up included the following feature films: "Gunda", "The Climb", "The Oxy Kingpins", "Farewell Amor", and "Olympic Dreams."
Wish Dragon: A magical Chinese tale
Wish Dragon is a Chinese/American 3D animated film created by Sony Pictures Animation, in cooperation with Base FX and Tencent Pictures. The basic premise is that a young Chinese man named Din, finds a teapot one day, containing a magical dragon that can grant him three wishes. As a result, he uses this opportunity to reconnect with his childhood friend, Li Na, while fending off a group of henchmen who are also looking for the teapot. It is directed by Chris Applehans, and it was released as a Netflix original film on June 11, after its premiere in China back in January.
Luca: An Unforgettable Summer Adventure
Directed by Enrico Casarosa in his feature film debut, "Luca" is a Disney/Pixar film released on Disney+ on June 18. Casarosa had previously directed the Pixar short "La Luna", and for this film, he wanted to tell a story about childhood friendships, reminiscent of his childhood in Genoa, Italy. The film has received positive reviews from critics and audiences, with 90% on Rotten Tomatoes and a 7.5 rating on IMDB.
‘Trading Places’: a comedy classic
Released in June of 1983, Trading Places tells the story of a managing director for a commodities firm and a homeless man who, as the title implies, have their livelihoods completely switched around, as part of a “nature versus nurture” experiment by the Duke brothers. This film stars Dan Aykroyd, Eddie Murphy, and Jamie Lee Curtis, featuring performances by Ralph Bellamy and Don Ameche as Randolph and Mortimer Duke.
‘Mad Max’: an Australian western
Released in April 1979 and directed by George Miller, “Mad Max” revolves around Max Rockatansky, an officer in a dystopian Australia, who must deal with a notorious biker gang after he gets involved in an incident resulting in the death of the gang’s leader, Nightrider. “Mad Max” was the first in the eponymous film series, and Miller would later go on to make future entries like “Road Warrior”, “Thunderdome”, and most recently, “Fury Road”. Although “Mad Max’ was made for about $300,000 it went on to hit $100 million in world wide box office.
‘Nomadland’: Less is more
Directed by Chloé Zhao, “Nomadland” tells the story of a woman who becomes a nomad, someone who lives in a van and travels across the country looking for work, after the shutdown of a power plant in Empire, Nevada, in 2011. On top of its Golden Lion win at the Venice Film Festival, the film has garnered six Academy Awards and it won three of them, including Best Picture.
‘Mank’: An unsung screenwriter
Directed by David Fincher and written by his father, Jack Fincher, "Mank" tells the story of Herman J. Mankiewicz and his race to write the screenplay for "Citizen Kane" in 60 days. It features performances from Gary Oldman, Amanda Seyfried, and Lily Collins. The film is nominated for 10 Academy Awards, including Best Picture, as well as Best Actor and Best Supporting Actress for Oldman and Seyfried's respective performances.
‘The Trial of the Chicago 7’: The Trial of a Generation
Written and directed by Aaron Sorkin, "The Trial of the Chicago 7' follows the true story of the titular seven protesters who are placed on trial for rioting after attempting to protest against the Vietnam War at the 1968 Democratic National Convention. This is Sorkin's second film as director, his first being "Molly's Game." If you plan on seeing this film, I do have to warn you -- since it deals with scenes of riots, it can and will get violent and messy.
‘The Post’: a battle for truth
Now more than ever, integrity in journalism has become a high commodity. With news sources becoming increasingly harder to trust, it begs the question: what does and does not constitute genuine truth? This issue is especially apparent in the Steven Spielberg film, "The Post."
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