Final Portrait: A Character Study

Final Portrait is a character study that takes us into the mind of what an artist goes through as they work to perfect their work. It’s the latest directorial offering from Stanley Tucci.  The camera framing is absolutely beautiful with its handheld movements.  Through his direction, Tucci makes some wise choices early on to hide the portrait of James Lord (Armie Hammer) even if audiences would beg for even just a glimpse of the master…

"Final Portrait: A Character Study"

Ready Player One: Time’s Up Means Recasting!

The major problem with Ready Player One goes down to one thing: neither Steven Spielberg nor Warner Bros. Pictures decided to recast T.J. Miller’s role of I-R0k following allegations of assault and abuse.  Given the news stories that broke in December about allegations of sexual assault at college as well as my own personal experience, why didn’t Spielberg follow Ridley Scott’s lead with recasting the role?!? Miller’s character is nowhere to be seen in the…

"Ready Player One: Time’s Up Means Recasting!"

Ready Player One: Visually Pleasing With Flaws

Ready Player One falls a bit short of being a visual masterpiece that’s on par with many of director Steven Spielberg’s best films.  There’s a lot to enjoy at first glance but reality soon sets in after the nostalgia wears off. The film is chock full of Easter Eggs to movies, television, books, video games and beyond.  This isn’t a surprise when one considers the source material is essentially a love letter to so many of…

"Ready Player One: Visually Pleasing With Flaws"

The Last Movie Star: Made for Burt Reynolds

The Last Movie Star, formerly known as Dog Years, shows us what would happen when an aging celebrity in the third act of their life decides to accept an invite to a basement film festival. Burt Reynolds stars as Vic Edwards, an aging celebrity who receives an invitation to accept a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Nashville Film Festival.  Thinking that it’s a legitimate film festival, the former college football player decides to accept the…

"The Last Movie Star: Made for Burt Reynolds"

The Zen Diaries of Garry Shandling: A Fitting Tribute

Filmmaker Judd Apatow pays tribute to the late comedian with The Zen Diaries of Garry Shandling.  It’s an emotional retrospective full of clips but just as importantly, Shandling’s colleagues reminisce about in a documentary airing two years after his passing. It’s hard to believe that it’s been just over two years since we lost Shandling.  It feels just like yesterday.  Apatow’s documentary, which airs over the course of two nights on HBO, is one of…

"The Zen Diaries of Garry Shandling: A Fitting Tribute"

Barry: Bill Hader Shines in Dark Comedy Series

Saturday Night Live veteran Bill Hader shines in the dark comedy, Barry, airing on HBO.  The role is a stark difference from what fans are used to seeing of Hader during his years on the long-running NBC sketch comedy show. A veteran of the United States Marine Corps, Barry Berkman (Bill Hader), is working as a hitman, where he’s being handled by Fuches (Stephen Root).  When the tender Chechen kingpin Goran Pazar (Glenn Fleshler) and…

"Barry: Bill Hader Shines in Dark Comedy Series"

Midnight Sun: It’s a Nicholas Sparks-Esque Film

Midnight Sun is a Nicholas Sparks-esque film that goes for comedy until the melodrama heats up in the third act. Katie Price (Bella Thorne) is a high school senior and rather than have a normal life, she’s stuck at home due to her being diagnosed with a rare genetic condition, xeroderma pigmentosum.  She spends her days hanging out with her dad, Jack (Rob Riggle) and her best friend, Morgan (Quinn Shephard), while writing songs and…

"Midnight Sun: It’s a Nicholas Sparks-Esque Film"

Unsane: Claire Foy is Amazing

Steven Soderbergh follows up Logan Lucky with the iPhone-shot Unsane, featuring a great performance from Claire Foy and treads into Me, Too territory. Unsane will have viewers on the edge of their season as Sawyer Valentini (Claire Foy) isn’t sure what’s real and what isn’t.  After being stalked by David Strine for a good two years, Sawyer has relocated from the comforts of Boston to Pennsylvania for a fresh start.  Sawyer’s mother, Angela (Amy Irving) isn’t…

"Unsane: Claire Foy is Amazing"

SXSW 2018: Gabe Silverman, Fiona Dawson talk TransMilitary

Directors Gabe Silverman and Fiona Dawson stopped by Solzy at the Movies to discuss their new documentary, TransMilitary, which premiered at the 2018 SXSW Film Festival. Thanks for joining us today.  How are things treating you? Fiona Dawson:  Thank you so much for all your cheerleading and support of TransMilitary. We’re so pleased that you like it. Congrats on your new film, TransMilitary, premiering at SXSW and taking home an Audience Award for the Documentary…

"SXSW 2018: Gabe Silverman, Fiona Dawson talk TransMilitary"

Pacific Rim Uprising – This Just Happened?!?

Pacific Rim Uprising isn’t able to bring the excitement that the first installment of the Pacific Rim franchise did upon release a few years. It’s ten years after the events of Pacific Rim and Jake Pentecost (John Boyega), the son of the legendary Stacker Pentecost (Idris Elba) has left Jaeger program.  He isn’t in the best of places when the film starts out.  It’s after he discovers Amara Namani (Cailee Spaeny) and her built-from-scratch Jaeger that…

"Pacific Rim Uprising – This Just Happened?!?"