Adam Sandler Shines In “Uncut Gems”
Adam Sandler teams up with visionary filmmakers, the Safdie brothers for the tense and taut thriller Uncut Gems from A24. Opening with a glorious interior shot of a gem, from legendary cinematographer Darius Khondji, Uncut Gems is set in 2012 and follows New York City jewelry store owner Howard Ratner (Adam Sandler). From the outside […]
Just Mercy
Social activist and lawyer, Bryan Stevenson’s memoir, “Just Mercy, A Story of Justice and Redemption” is adapted for the big screen with Warner Bros. Pictures, Just Mercy from director Destin Daniel Cretton. The movie opens with the wrongful and heartbreaking arrest of Walter McMillian (Jamie Foxx) for the murder of a young white woman. With […]
The Rise of Skywalker plays it safe
Director J.J. Abrams makes a return to the world of cinematic space operas in Walt Disney Studios Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. Following the events of The Last Jedi, Kylo Ren (Adam Driver) is still seeking domination of the galaxy. Kylo made the shocking discovery that long-dead Sith Dark Lord Palpatine (Ian McDiarmid) has […]
“6 Underground” should stay buried
Director Michael Bay teams with Ryan Reynolds for the Netflix film, 6 Underground. A vigilante squad called “Ghosts” each specialize in a particular skill. The team was recruited for dangerous missions across the globe by a nameless billionaire philanthropist who faked his own death to take down the criminals that the government refuses to go […]
Another fun time in Jumanji
Director Jake Kasdan reunites with his cast from 2017’s Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle in Columbia Picture’s Jumanji: The Next Level. Three years have passed since Spencer Gilpin (Alex Wolff), Anthony “Fridge” Johnson (Ser’Darius Blain), Martha Kaply (Morgan Turner), and Bethany Walker (Madison Iseman) had their adventure in the world of Jumanji. As it often […]
The pain of divorce is highlighted in the excellent “Marriage Story”
The ups and downs of divorce serve as the backdrop in director Noah Baumbach’ s Netflix film, Marriage Story. We first meet New York stage director Charlie Barber (Adan Driver) and his actress wife Nicole (Scarlett Johansson) during a marriage therapy session. As both Charlie and Nicole describe their issues to their therapist, it’s apparent […]
Hanks Shines as Fred Rogers in “A Beautiful Day In The Neighborhood “
A beautiful homage to an iconic television personality, Tom Hanks is Fred Rogers in Tri Star Pictures’ A Beautiful Day in The Neighborhood. Fresh off last year’s Oscar-nominated Can You Ever Forgive Me?, director Marielle Heller once again shows a comfortable niche with the biopic film genre. Screenwriters Micah Fitzerman-Blue and Noah Harpster open the […]
Frozen II melts away the joys of its predecessor
Co-directors Chris Buck and Jennifer Lee, transport viewers back to the kingdom of Arendelle in Walt Disney Pictures Frozen II. It opens with a flashback of King Agnarr (Alfred Molina) telling a bedtime story to a young Anna & Elsa, which figures into the sequel’s plot later in the film. Frozen II finds Elsa (Idina […]
21 Bridges succeeds a gritty police drama
Chadwick Boseman takes a break from the superhero genre to fight corruption in director Brian Kirk’s police thriller, 21 Bridges from STXfilms. As a child, Andre Davis (Chadwick Boseman) attended the funeral of his father, a policeman who was murdered in the line of duty. Following in his father’s footsteps, Andre Davis decided to become a cop. […]
Knives Out
Director Rian Johnson returns to the mystery genre in the delightful Knives Out from Lionsgate. Crime novelist Harlan Thormbey is hosting his own eighty fifth birthday with all of his family in attendance. His relatives include his grandson Hugh (Chris Evans), daughter Linda (Jamie Lee Curtis), son Walter (Michael Shannon) as well as Linda’s husband […]
Welcome Back Angels
Elizabeth Banks directs a crowd-pleasing girl power flick in Columbia Pictures Charlie’s Angels. The second big-screen adaptation of Aaron Spelling’s iconic crime drama television series, Charlie’s Angels, serves as both a sequel to the original seventies television series as well as the McG directed films from the early 2000s. The new version opens up with loose cannon angel […]
Waves is aesthetically beautiful
Award-winning director Trey Edward Shults once again explores family dynamics in Waves from A24. The Williams’ are an affluent black family residing in South Florida who appear to have it all. Son Tyler (Kelvin Harrison Jr.) is a popular senior on his school’s wrestling team on his way to college. His parents, dad Ronald (Sterling K. Brown) […]