Clunky is the best word to describe Crime Story and despite its 17% Rotten Tomatoes, the two leads Mira Sorvino and Richard Dreyfuss are such beautiful actors (inside and out) that you’ll follow them anywhere. I did my due diligence to see what’s true about Crime Story (the first title card says ‘based on true… Continue reading Crime Story, How Great Actors Can Save a Film
Category: drama based on a true story
Swan Song, hopefully just an opening act
Udo Kier, star of Swan Song is a wonder. He’s been around and while and ashamedly I haven’t seen any of the highly acclaimed recent work he’s done: Bacurau and The Painted Bird, but I’m sure I’ve seen him in one of the many Von Trier movies. But I’ve now redeemed myself by being one… Continue reading Swan Song, hopefully just an opening act
Stillwater Runs Deep
I think the 70’s Rotten Tomatoes is unfair for the new film Stillwater, written by Oscar winner Tom McCarthy (Spotlight screenplay) as well as other awards for movies such as The Station Agent, Win Win and Up. Much like his previous films, McCarthy knows how to write a great story and here is one based… Continue reading Stillwater Runs Deep
Zola: O Ma!
Zola written and directed by Janicza Bravo (creator of past films like Lemon which starred her husband the fabulous Brett Gelman) proves that the wife in this case may eclipse her spouse. Meaning, Zola is original, memorable and upsetting which are all hallmarks of an important film. Sex trafficking is an important issue, but not… Continue reading Zola: O Ma!
Percy Vs. Goliath: part of a new Medicare Movie Cycle
Much what Billy Crystal’s “Happy Now” tried to do for dementia, Christopher Walken attempts to do in exposing agrochemical evils in “Percy Vs. Goliath”. While the former tried to humanize and add comedic nuances, Christoher’s screenwriters, Garfield Lindsay Miller (please pick some initials) and Hilary Pryor went for straight on courtroom and farmland saga. Fortunately,… Continue reading Percy Vs. Goliath: part of a new Medicare Movie Cycle
City of Lies, in this film: LA, but applicable to many
I wish I had one of those wrong answer sound effects I could add to this blog as I point out the untruths in Jeannette Catsoulis’s NYT review of City of Lies. Wrong answer buzzer one: ‘the latest attempt to monetize the unsolved 1990’s murder of Christopher Wallace”? Really Jeannette? You think Brad Furman actually… Continue reading City of Lies, in this film: LA, but applicable to many
Hunger (2008), Beware the Yikes of March
The lovely ladies at Burns Court Theater (part of the Sarasota Film Society) were wonderful hostesses to a pre-St Patty’s Day event showing Steve McQueen’s Hunger from 2008. But let me tell you something…this was realism in all caps, like this: REALISM! Attending this film is as close to being in the Maze Prison in… Continue reading Hunger (2008), Beware the Yikes of March
Ammonite, see it and ignore the critics!
I’m a lover, not a fighter and if you still disregard me because I think people can have different opinions without the need for cancellation, so be it. Addio, arriverderci, thank you next. Same with the critics of Ammonite, who were NOT accurate in these complaints: “The ocean drowned out the dialogue.” What? Nope! “It… Continue reading Ammonite, see it and ignore the critics!
The Trial of the Chicago 7
Aaron Sorkin’s prolific and still relatively young. As I perused his filmography, here are my top five of his films: 1. Steve Jobs 2. Social Network 3. Moneyball 4. Molly’s Game 5. Tie: Charlie Wilson’s War and today’s specialty The Trial of the Chicago 7 Aaron’s forte is his snappy storytelling and The Trial of… Continue reading The Trial of the Chicago 7
Seberg, A Worthy Attempt
Seberg, directed by Benedict Andrews, is a worthy effort that could have been more effective had the pacing been sped up. Watching the film was like playing a record on a speed too slow. Editing of one scene would have quickened its stride; a totally superfluous NYC scene in which Jean Seberg, portrayed expertly by… Continue reading Seberg, A Worthy Attempt