Topping last years, A Bigger Splash, Italian director Luca Guadagnino has created nothing short of a masterpiece in adapting André Aciman’s novel of the same name. In a screenplay by James Ivory, Call Me By Your Name is one of the most honest coming of age stories I’ve ever witnessed. The entire film is anchored […]
Justin Timberlake’s character describes himself as “poetic by nature”. He is of course taking on the Woody Allen persona in the filmmaker’s new flick. The poetry fades quickly in Wonder Wheel as it opens on the most beautiful images of 1950’s Coney Island. A smorgasbord of color for the eyeballs, you don’t know where to
Blake Lively might be the new Cameron Diaz, both actors either have the worst taste in scripts, or simply little to no talent when movie must stand on their shoulders. In what sounds like a cheesy grocery checkout novel, All I See Is You is tailor made for the Lifetime channel. There is more drama
Andy Serkis has an interesting career and trajectory. He’s changed cinema with his motion capture expertise on The Lord of the Rings and The Planet of the Apes series. He is one of the most versatile filmmakers behind the scenes, even working as assistant director on The Hobbit trilogy. That experience has culminated in his
I will be the first to admit the filmmaking on Te Ata (pronounced Tay Ott-Ha )is a bit elementary. It plays like a historical instructional video at times, funded by a church or educational group. The most jarring introduction is the title card of 1906, yet the characters speak modern English dialect. After a slow
Israeli director Hany Abu-Assad might have missed more romance survivor films than he should, before undertaking The Mountain Between Us. There’s a lot of good work in the middle of this film, particularly thanks to Oscar winner Winslet (Steve Jobs, The Dressmaker) and Idris Elba (The Dark Tower, Beasts of No Nation). The remote isolation
I’m surprised it’s taken three years for a film to embody the ideas presented in mega summer teen hit The Fault in Our Stars. Both films are based on best-selling novels, tugging at audiences and reader’s heartstrings, as young lovers deal with devastating medical issues. The similarities end there, as Everything, Everything is a gimmick
An Education (2009) was a great film, nominated for best picture and solidifying the career of Carey Mulligan. However, that’s no reason to use that movies structure in a different plot like director Lone Scherfig does here. Their Finest has a solid starting point, focusing on women’s increased role during WWII, specifically at London’s major
Actor/Director Joe Swanberg’s latest comedy Win It All, reunites him with producing and co-writer Jake Johnson (Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates). If you know their collaborations like Happy Christmas and Drinking Buddies, you already know the tone you’re getting into. Thankfully sans Anna Kendrick, Win It All feels less ridiculous than some of their
The Forgotten (bad 2004 thriller starring Julianne Moore) director Joseph Ruben’s latest film follows the fictional, historical romance archetype genre too closely. The Ottoman Lieutenant works like a cinema launching vehicle for new stars Hera Hilmar (Anna Karenina) and Game of Thrones star Michiel Huisman. Throw in respected Oscar winner Kingsley (Gandhi) in one of