JoJo Rabbit directed and adapted to screenplay by Taika Waititi is like a good friend who you love dearly, but always goes too far with a joke. Charlie Chaplin knew the fine art of subtlety in the Great Dictator. Sure, mock the Fuhrer, but do so in such a way that it doesn’t make mockery… Continue reading JoJo Rabbit: An Overly Frosted Carrot Cake
Month: November 2019
“Saint Frances” Blesses Us On Many Levels
As satisfyingly ‘fun’ Parasite was, what a refreshing change Saint Frances is to the violence of current cinema. St. Frances is also a shining light in a predominately moody selection currently showing at the Cine-World Film Fest (not counting A Faithful Man, but sorry Frenchies, you’re silly, not moving). Saint Frances written by its star… Continue reading “Saint Frances” Blesses Us On Many Levels
A Worthy Contemplative Afternoon: The Chambermid
I can’t imagine being first time full length film director Lila Aviles, when she realized The Chambermaid was in competition with Roma. Both movies follow the life of a servant; the former domestic, the latter, hotel. A tennis analogy might be best: like Coco playing Venus this year, yet with the opposite ending result. As… Continue reading A Worthy Contemplative Afternoon: The Chambermid
Motherless Brooklyn; an orphan in this year’s films
I love Ed Norton. My admiration began in 1996 with “Primal Fear”, where his performance and shockingly cool twist ending made me say, ‘Wow’. From there, in Spike Lee’s super hip “25th Hour” with Philip Seymour Hoffman, moving on to his many Wes Anderson film performances. But the real affection began watching his roast speech… Continue reading Motherless Brooklyn; an orphan in this year’s films
“Leaving Home, Coming Home” Doc: Tribute to Robert Frank
Another find at the Cine-World Film Fest at the Sarasota Film Society’s Burns Court Theater was the rare gem (as far as big screen showings) from 2004 “Leaving Home, Coming Home”. While the doc seemed on the home made side, cinema verite the fancier terminology, the depth of the doc really shone in its second… Continue reading “Leaving Home, Coming Home” Doc: Tribute to Robert Frank
“Parasite”: Impressive Korean New Wave But Will it Be Oscar’s Fave?
Bong Joon Ho, is part of the Korean New Wave and writer and director of what some say is ‘Picture of the Year”. But what makes a film worthy of such a moniker? It all comes down to story (and scene moments), acting and cinematography. Let’s take story first. Like Joker, Parasite tackles class and… Continue reading “Parasite”: Impressive Korean New Wave But Will it Be Oscar’s Fave?
A Faithful Man, More Passivity Proof
I’m wringing my hands together like Columbo did when he was on the brink of cracking a case, because if A Faithful Man does not prove my theory* that men stay too long in dysfunctional relationships, then I’ll eat my NFL hat (see the Columbo NFL hat trivia at https://m.imdb.com/review/rw4400766/). *I’ve written an essay detailing… Continue reading A Faithful Man, More Passivity Proof