The audience was virtually silent when this comedy debuted at the Toronto International Film Festival last September, and initially no distributor was interested in releasing it. Eventually it was picked up by IFC films. It is often difficult to market such obtuse films as this historical slapstick comedy. “I’ve had nightmares that made more sense […]
Director Paolo Virzì doesn’t know quite how to turn his latest comedy/drama into something substantial. It’s not the only cathartic road trip movie of the season, nor is it the only recent film dealing with Alzheimer’s. The draw here are iconic actors Helen Mirren (Collateral Beauty) and Donald Sutherland (The Hunger Games), reuniting for the
Joel Edgerton’s brother Nash is the director of Gringo, his sophomore effort behind the camera. Both Edgerton’s have found success in various roles of filmmaking, but Gringo doesn’t showcase either of their skills. The second consecutive miscast role for Joel Edgerton (Red Sparrow) who began as a poor man’s Aussie heartthrob but, but now quite
It’s a play, Sally Potter’s latest film. Or at least it’s written and shot like one. The writer/director behind such diverse films as Ginger & Rose or The Man Who Cried, delivers a wildly eccentric and capable ensemble cast. This black and white staged cinema takes place in one single location, in real time during
From the writers and directors of slapstick comedy “Vacation”, comes another ridiculous film in the vein of Steve Carell/Tina Fey’s “Date Night”. Misunderstanding is the backbone of modern day comedies. Jason Bateman himself, the king of that very concept. “Game Night” embraces its own ridiculousness by discussing Liam Neeson action films, calling out superhero movies,
What might look like another film about the world of an autistic individual struggling with the everyday norms of life, is actually a love letter to Star Trek fans. Please Stand By (the title is explained within the film) offers Dakota Fanning (American Pastoral) a role reversal from I Am Sam, the film that introduced
Hawkes (Everest) performance is the selling point of Small Town Crime, a movie that can’t really put its finger on a genre. From a marketing stand point, Small Town Crime with it’s common, non-descriptive title, is ideal films for SXSW. Outside the festival, I am not sure who or where the audience for a film
Despite being nominated for three Golden Globe awards (Picture comedy, actor comedy, song), The Greatest Showman isn’t the spectacle it thinks it is. Following in the wake of La La Land, this musical history of PT Barnum lacks large set pieces and emotional punch found within the genre. While Jackman is electric on screen, The
The Tonya Harding biopic / mockumentary came into the Toronto Film Festival as an “also showing” flick. Yet after the first screening, it became one of the most buzzed about films and now was just nominated for five Critics Choice Awards. It was also one of the highest profile acquisitions during TIFF, and will be
What the trailer makes look like a comedy is surprisingly very sad. From writer/director Martin McDonagh (In Bruges, Seven Psychopaths) comes another ambitiously vulgar, sarcastically brilliant script that audience’s familiar with his work will admire. His screenplays are always the highlight of the film, due to their provocative language, and I don’t just mean curse