Fickle critics who panned Golda (written by Nicholas Martin and directed by Guy Nattiv) must be a literal bunch as I really enjoyed the atmospheric slice of life biopic. Speaking for myself, I’m done with war carnage scenes and feel just as moved by the music and human screams invoked in Golda. So I applaud… Continue reading Golda: Nerves of Steel, Worth the Reel
Tag: Sarasota Film Society
Passages: Hey Mikey, She Likes It!
Stop the presses, for once I like a movie more than the New York Times. In fact, Amy Nicholson was downright harsh. Don’t get me wrong, I didn’t LOVE Passages. But I did appreciate and even knowingly shake my head in understanding and remembering my second marriage which had an eerily similar dynamic of a… Continue reading Passages: Hey Mikey, She Likes It!
Afire: Pentagon on Sadness
Much like Triangle of Sadness, (an Oscar 2023 nominated film), Afire, written and directed by Christian Petzold (Undine and Transit being his other most recent and popular), deals in part with the breakdown of relationships caused by sexual power dynamics. What begins as a trio thrown together, two men on a working vacation with a… Continue reading Afire: Pentagon on Sadness
Shortcomings, a discussion provoking film
Randall Parks full length directorial debut, Shortcomings (based on a graphic novel by Adrian Tomine was a fine, intriguing watch for me. Listening to a podcast this morning unpacking the film, the trio kept referring to the main character, played by After Yang’s Justin H. Min as an incel. Like a healthy Buddhist, I’m not… Continue reading Shortcomings, a discussion provoking film
Theater Camp, Fire Comedy (as the kids say)
Theater Camp was a perfect comedic film. Molly Gordon, Nick Lieberman and Noah Galvin have written a model script with deadpan humor and heart. The former two directed the film and let’s hope this trio will be the next Christopher Guest in creating a string of mockumentary style comedies. In this case, the title explains… Continue reading Theater Camp, Fire Comedy (as the kids say)
Filling in the Film Holes re. Two Past Mammoth Films
Time Magazine just released another of their polls, “the best movies from every decade”. I had some holes in my film files, so just like summer construction, it was time to fill in some potholes. I rented Brian De Palma’s Blowout with John Travolta and a very young and too believably creepy John Lithgow. Dennis… Continue reading Filling in the Film Holes re. Two Past Mammoth Films
Past Lives, Present Jives, Imbalance Thrives
*Fair Warning: Spoilers are here, breaking my promise, but just this once: Day Two of ponderings (with gratitude toward @Filmspotting for helping nudge me to my current feeling for the film). My reaction and thought process about the film Past Lives has changed like phases of the moon. So it’s appropriate that today’s Super Moon… Continue reading Past Lives, Present Jives, Imbalance Thrives
It Ain’t Over; I Sure Hope Not
It Ain’t Over is a touching documentary written and directed by Sean Mullin. I fought back tears several times and credit Yogi Berra’s gorgeous life story most, but Sean Mullin assuredly spun the tale in a very entertaining way. Mostly through excellent old films and news clippings, Mullin uses Berra’s beautiful granddaughter as the springboard… Continue reading It Ain’t Over; I Sure Hope Not
Master Gardener: Suffocating the Seeds
I really wanted to love Master Gardener, Paul Schrader’s third film of the ‘man in a room trilogy’, primarily because of my polar opposite experiences of the first two. I ADORED First Reformed and was fully on board with his messaging of environmental concerns, religious hypocrisy and oppression and of course the phenomenal performances of… Continue reading Master Gardener: Suffocating the Seeds
Madame: Collette & Keitel
Madame is a homework movie I watched for my upcoming talk on Mafia Mamma on April 14th at Burns Court Theater. Madame is written and directed by Amanda Sthers who also wrote Mafia Mamma. Reading her book Holy Lands (also turned into a film), I’m fully understanding her style, whimsically moving. Madame never made it… Continue reading Madame: Collette & Keitel