If you have ever wondered what would happen if someone combined the investigative journalism seen in best picture winner “Spotlight,” with the controversial story behind “Zero Dark Thirty,” “The Report” will satisfy that curiosity. Written and directed by Scott Z. Burns (“Contagion,” “The Bourne Ultimatum”), with a producing credit from frequent collaborator Steven Soderbergh, this […]
I have serious questions about the critical reactions coming from the Telluride Film Festival. Numerous times recently critics there, who got the first crack at some of the most anticipated fall season films, oversold expectations. All that to say that James Mangold is the kind of director you can usually count on. His films “Walk
“Waves” first act is a roller coaster of emotion. It’s the editing that lifts you very high on this ride as you wait for the inevitable fall. Houston filmmaker Trey Edward Shults (“Krisha,” “It Comes At Night”), returns in his most solid film yet. The trailer is selling you “Moonlight,” but “Waves” is offering you
In Edward Norton’s sophomore feature as director (his first official writing credit), he takes the audience back to the early 1990s where lite mobster movies were a dime a dozen. The saxophone led original score by Daniel Pemberton (Steve Jobs) transports the viewer back to a different era of filmmaking. The cinematography, editing, and leisurely
The first major motion picture to explore the life of Harriet Tubman comes with a lot of expectations. Transferring the life and courage of the most famous conductor on the Underground Railroad is about finding a way to tell the complete story while balancing it with entertainment and engagement. Kasi Lemmons admitted during the world
“Heil me,” says Adolf Hitler played by writer/director Taika Waititi in his new film “Jojo Rabbit.” It’s a comedy and a total farce, but does the genuine goodwill at the end of the film justify the means in which the Kiwi director gets there? “Jojo Rabbit” isn’t the first director to poke fun at one
A fascinating part of history, hypothetically a good movie, cast all wrong and handed to the wrong filmmakers. Jake Gyllenhaal was originally cast as George Westinghouse, which would have balanced the star power of Cumberbatch. Going out on a limb here and suggesting why the film feels so lopsided and told from all the wrong
Academy Award winning filmmaker Pedro Almodóvar has a divisive range of films that include an Oscar-nominated performance from Penelope Cruz in “Volver”, to airplane orgies in “I’m So Excited“. His latest “Pain and Glory” premiered at Cannes earlier this year to rave reviews and awards buzz, especially for frequent collaborator Antonio Banderas. Almodóvar turns the
Director Noah Hawley’s new film “Lucy in the Sky,” based on the astronaut who’s nervous breakdown made headlines a decade ago, is more complicated than it needs to be. The most disappointing element of the film which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival was that there was no diaper scene. Most reading this will
You would never look at Todd Phillips filmography of “The Hangover” trilogy and “War Dogs,” and think to yourself, this guy could make one of the most controversial comic book adaptations of the year. There are many elements to “Joker” that work in unison to create a unique experience. The idea of creating an entirely