Rashida Jones & Bill Murray shine in On The Rocks
Writer and director Sofia Coppola takes a break from serious films and gives audiences something lighthearted in A24’s On the Rocks. Murray portrays Felix, an aging playboy whose daughter Laura (Rashida Jones) has just jumped the broom with the laid back Dean (Marlon Wayans). As the years go by, the couple has two daughters, and Dean becomes a successful businessman and entrepreneur while Laura has regrets that she has yet to follow up on her first successful novel.
Bad Hair mixes eighties R&B and social satire
Filmmaking auteur Justin Simien takes on the horror genre for sophomore directorial effort in Hulu’s Bad Hair. The film is set in 1989 and centers on Anna (Elle Lorraine). As a child, she had a traumatic experience with a relaxer and has sworn off the hair care product. Anna has spent the last four years working as a production assistant at a Culture (a creative take on the heydays of BET).
Friendship & Turkey Day collide in Friendsgiving
Actress Nicol Paone puts a different spin on a traditional holiday for her directorial debut in Saban Film’s Friendsgiving. Hollywood actress Molly (Malin Akerman) is looking forward to a laid-back Thanksgiving with her best friend Abby (Kat Dennings).
Honest Thief finds Liam Neeson back in action
Liam Neeson returns to the action genre in Open Road Films, Honest Thief from director Mark Williams. Tom Carter (Neeson) has just moved to a new city when he meets Annie Stumpter (Kate Walsh) while purchasing a storage unit.
Walton Goggins is a hoot in Hulu’s short film, John Bronco
Walton Goggins shadows his inner “Texan” in director Jake Szymanski’s short film, John Bronco. A mockumentary about the history of the Ford Bronco is a hilarious look at the world of advertising and celebrities.
Radha Black shines in The Forty Year-Old Version
Playwright Radha Black makes an excellent feature film debut in Netflix’s The Forty-Year-Old Version. Black portrays Radha, a down-on-her-luck NY playwright, who is desperate for a breakthrough before 40. She’s currently writing a new play titled Harlem Ave., which she hopes will be her breakthrough.
Latest entry in American Pie focuses on heart and not nudity
Sex comedy franchise American Pie delivers its latest franchise entry in Universal Studios Home Entertainment American Pie Presents: Girls Rule. Director Mike Elliot helms the ninth film
Aaron Sorkin delivers an awards contender in The Trial of the Chicago 7
Aaron Sorkin brings his trademark fast-paced dialogue to Netflix in The Trial of the Chicago 7. In development since 2007 and a passion project for the writer, the film serves as Sorkin’s sophomore directorial effort. Featuring an ensemble cast, The Trial of the Chicago 7
Harmless action thrills in Welcome to Sudden Death
The 1995 action flick Sudden Death gets a sequel in Welcome to Sudden Death from director Dallas Jackson. Stepping in for Jean Claude Van Damme in the sequel is Michael Jai White, who happens to be one of my favorite action stars.
Afterschool School Specials go to hell in Sno Babies
Director Bridget Smith makes a component and gritty debut in Better Noise Films Sno Babies. A gripping and emotive tale, Sno Babies depicts the grim realities of addiction and its effects on a middle-class suburban town.
One Shortcut you can skip
Director Alessio Liguori attempts to put a different spin on the creature feature in Shortcut from Gravitas Ventures. The film follows a group of five classmates trapped inside their school bus after a mysterious creature invades the road. Every passing minute decreases their survival chances against the constant threats of that unknown entity.
Rent-A-Pal navigates the dark side of friendship
IFC Midnight and director Jon Stevenson highlight the dark side of alienation in Rent-A-Pal. Set in the year 1990, a lonely bachelor named David (Brian Landis Folkins) searches for an escape from the day-to-day drudgery of caring for his aging mother (Kathleen Brady). While seeking a partner through a video dating service, he discovers a strange VHS tape called Rent-A-Pal.