The Creator Is Visually Stunning But…

The Creator features visually stunning visuals but the new Gareth Edwards sci-fi thriller gets into very familiar territory. Spoiler warning: some spoilers may follow. Five years after his wife’s–Maya (Gemma Chan)–disappearance, Joshua (John David Washington) gets brought in by Colonel Jean Howell (Allison Janney) to find and kill the Creator. Supposedly, Maya is still alive. You see, the Creator is behind the advanced AI technology with the capability to end the war. There’s a war…

"The Creator Is Visually Stunning But…"

Amsterdam Has A David O. Russell Problem – Oscars Watch

On paper, Amsterdam has the right pedigree to be a serious Oscar contender but the film has a David O. Russell problem. Amsterdam is described as “a fascinating and richly intricate tale that brilliantly weaves historical fact with fiction for a timely, cinematic experience.” It is a “crime epic about three close friends who find themselves at the center of one of the most shocking secret plots in American history.” 20th Century Studios released both…

"Amsterdam Has A David O. Russell Problem – Oscars Watch"

Beckett: Netflix Thriller Fails to Thrill

The point of a thriller movie is to thrill the audience but unfortunately, Beckett fails to do so as the film makes its arrival on Netflix. While many of us are staying home because of the pandemic, we’re counting on films to take us on a vacation. It could be anywhere from NYC to LA to a location in this film like Greece. Beckett (John David Washington) is an American tourist on vacation in Greece.…

"Beckett: Netflix Thriller Fails to Thrill"

Malcolm and Marie: A Bona Fide Awards Contender

Malcolm and Marie isn’t just a comment on filmmaking but it’s a film that takes the best advantage of creativity during a pandemic. I’ve seen a few films so far that have been shot during the Covid-19 pandemic.  Or they were finished after the pandemic.  In any event, this film takes the prize.  THIS is how you direct and produce a film during a pandemic.  Every aspect of production was completed between April and September…

"Malcolm and Marie: A Bona Fide Awards Contender"

Tenet Arrives Home On Blu-ray For Safe Viewing

Tenet is finally making its arrival on 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray so audiences can view the film in the safest way possible during a pandemic. I enjoyed this film for what it is but Tenet is not the film to risk your life during a pandemic.  I watched the film for the first time on a 43″ 4K TV.  It is as close to the theatrical experience that I am going to get for…

"Tenet Arrives Home On Blu-ray For Safe Viewing"

The Old Man & The Gun – Robert Redford’s Last Film?

Being billed as Robert Redford’s final acting performance, the actor delivers quite possibly for the last time in The Old Man & The Gun. We’re taken back in time to 1981 when Forrest Tucker (Robert Redford) was a leader of the Over-the-Hill Gang, joined by Teddy (Danny Glover) and Waller (Tom Waits).  What’s so perplexing about it was that this old man couldn’t have been nicer to the bank tellers.  In the words of many…

"The Old Man & The Gun – Robert Redford’s Last Film?"

Monsters and Men: A Well-Made Debut

A well-made feature film debut led by great performances, Monsters and Men splits the narrative into three while telling an all-too familiar story. Writer-director Reinaldo Marcus Green takes us to Brooklyn’s Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood just north of Crown Heights.  When a father plays witness to–what else–the shooting of an unarmed black man, all hell starts to break loose in their community.  This is how Green chooses to start the film and with this, we’re off and running. The…

"Monsters and Men: A Well-Made Debut"

TIFF 2018: The Old Man & The Gun

Being billed as Robert Redford’s final acting performance, the actor delivers quite possibly for the last time in The Old Man & The Gun. We’re taken back in time to 1981 when Forrest Tucker (Robert Redford) was planning so many bank robberies.  What’s so perplexing about it was that this old man couldn’t have been nicer to the bank tellers.  In the words of many of them, he was pretty much almost a perfect gentleman! …

"TIFF 2018: The Old Man & The Gun"

BlacKkKlansman Offers Sharp Commentary

While the film is set in the early 1970s, BlacKkKlansman isn’t shy when it comes to its sharp satirical commentary. All Ron Stallworth wanted to do since he was a child was to become a police officer.  Typically, this would not appear to be a problem for someone wishing to join the force.  There’s just one minor problem: he’s a person of color.  The question asked of him by Chief Bridges (Robert John Burke) and…

"BlacKkKlansman Offers Sharp Commentary"