Peter (Schoenaerts) and Michael (Kinnaman) are certainly brothers by blood (and it could be brothers inblood), because not much else connects them. They are very different people with different values. We see them growing up in Philadelphia in families involved in gangs and crime. Peter is the logical one, trying desperately—all his life—to escape the violence surrounding him. Michael insists […]
Shot back in 2016, Terrence Malick’s latest film is also his longest. Based on a true story, “A Hidden Life” is his first linear narrative since “The New World.” With so many flashbacks and “visions,” it certainly does not follow a traditional linear path. Taking over for Malick’s frequent collaborator Emmanuel Lubezki, Jörg Widmer’s opening
Steven Soderbergh makes any subject or genre interesting. More so than most he can find unusual hooks into stories that most filmmakers wouldn’t be able to transform into compelling cinema. His latest is derived from a novel based on the Panama Papers scandal. Taking cues from “The Big Short,” Soderberg uses actors from his previous
Don’t go to see Danish filmmaker Thomas Vinterberg’s submarine thriller “Kursk” expecting something another “U-571” or “Crimson Tide.” You’ll want to lower your expectations, very low, for this flick starring Matthias Schoenaerts (“Red Sparrow”). Interestingly, the story behind Russian submarine Kursk has been told many times in various mediums to be such a recent tragedy. Robert Rodat’s
First time feature film director Laure de Clermont-Tonnerre is taking the same route as Chloé Zhao did last year with The Rider. She takes us into an unusual location for a modern day western, behind the bars of a prison cell. Produced by Robert Redford, The Mustang revives the notion of rehabilitation through animals, specifically
Oscar winner Jennifer Lawrence (“Silver Linings Playbook”) reunites with her “Hunger Games” director Francis Lawrence in “Red Sparrow”. My expectations for this film were low due the March release date, and the Hollywood star’s last project was nominated for a Razzie. It begins with one heck of an opening sequence, the first indication this film
Sometimes you just need a vacation from summer blockbusters and special effects. Rare is there a film that can offer sexy scenery and bodies combined with great performances and a compelling narrative. Yet, Italian film A Bigger Splash offers all that. Director Luca Guadagnino has worked with Oscar winner Swinton (Michael Clayton, Snowpiercer) many times,
Alan Rickman’s sophomore directing project doesn’t come together quite as I had hoped. A Little Chaos does have some seriously stunning ingredients, including, but not limited to, the costumes, cinematography, makeup, and set design. Besides the look of the film, it was Peter Gregson’s original score that left me most satisfied. So often, a score
Danish director Thomas Vinterberg’s follow-up to The Hunt, isn’t as comprehensively impressive or haunting. Yet Far From the Madding Crowd is one summer remake I can get behind. Oscar nominee Carey Mulligan (Drive, An Education) returns to her natural element in the latest period piece revival. Far From the Madding Crowd is one of many