Doubt Features Powerhouse Performances

John Patrick Shanley adapts his 2004 play, Doubt, for the screen and gets a number of masterclass performances in the process. I’ve been meaning to watch the film for years. The 2008 recession was not kind to me so it meant picking and choosing what I saw in theaters. The further we get, the more films there are to focus on. Even with subscribing to Netflix back in the day, there were always other films…

"Doubt Features Powerhouse Performances"

August: Osage County Features A Lot of Acting

August: Osage County is a dysfunctional family tragicomedy that just marked the tenth anniversary of its theatrical release in 2013. If there is a 2013 film that features the most acting on display, it’s this one. This is a film that contains a powerhouse of a cast. Both Meryl Streep and Julia Roberts would receive Oscar nominations for Best Actress and Supporting Actress, respectively. The screenplay, cast, and other crew would earn nominations at other…

"August: Osage County Features A Lot of Acting"

Only Murders in the Building – Season 3

Only Murders in the Building returns for its third season and it’s still entertaining even as the series moves to the theater. Press were only sent the first eight episodes of the new season. There’s still a decent amount of comedy and character development in third season. I do want to preface that the recent heat wave did have an impact on my viewing. This isn’t to say anything bad about the writing or acting…

"Only Murders in the Building – Season 3"

The U.S. and the Holocaust: Essential, Timely, and Relevant

The U.S. and the Holocaust is an essential documentary on the Shoah and the documentary’s 2022 airing is as timely and relevant as ever. Every viewer is going to respond differently to this film. The imagery can be graphic at times but this was what life  was like for Jews under Nazi rule. The recent rise of antisemitism–and especially from celebrities of late–is a reason why people should watch this film. We now live in…

"The U.S. and the Holocaust: Essential, Timely, and Relevant"

Don’t Look Up Cast, Crew on Jennifer Lawrence

Writer-director Adam McKay and the cast of Don’t Look Up discussed working with Jennifer Lawrence while the actress spoke about McKay. Of all the Netflix press conferences that I’ve had the pleasure to attend, the Don’t Look Up presser was the funniest and most nerve-wrecking of them all. When you’re in the same room as McKay, Meryl Streep, Leonardo DiCaprio, Jennifer Lawrence, and Jonah Hill, there’s bound to be some nerves. I mean, you already…

"Don’t Look Up Cast, Crew on Jennifer Lawrence"

Don’t Look Up: The Best Picture of 2021

Adam McKay is a genius behind the camera as Don’t Look Up takes the satire to the next level with one of the best ensemble casts ever. Please stay until the end of the credits. There is a mid-credit and post-credit scene. This film has talent on the same level as It’s A Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World while reaching satire at the levels of both Dr. Strangelove and Network. Like those films, Don’t Look…

"Don’t Look Up: The Best Picture of 2021"

The Devil Wears Prada Marks 15th Anniversary

Meryl Streep and Anne Hathaway deliver commanding performances in The Devil Wears Prada, which marks its 15th anniversary. This is a film that really shows us what it means to be a personal assistant. For better or worse, assistants can go through a personal hell just to still be employed at the end of the day. Lauren Weisberger draws on her personal experiences working for Anna Wintour at Vogue in the semi-biographical novel of which…

"The Devil Wears Prada Marks 15th Anniversary"

Let Them All Talk Launches On HBO Max

Let Them All Talk may be one of the most unique comedies to date with the film mostly taking place during an actual cruise crossing in 2019. Friendship between woman is a tale as old as time.  What Deborah Eisenberg’s screenplay seeks to explore is how college friendships between women evolve over time.  The film focuses on three women in particular: Alice (Meryl Streep), Roberta (Candice Bergen), and Susan (Dianne Wiest) Best-selling author Alice has…

"Let Them All Talk Launches On HBO Max"

The Deer Hunter: Best Picture Winner Arrives on 4K

The Deer Hunter, the Oscar-winning Best Picture of 1978, is now available on 4K Ultra HD with a new collector’s edition from Shout! Factory. In addition to taking home Best Picture, the film won another four Academy Awards, including Best Director (Michael Cimino), Best Actor in a Supporting Role (Christopher Walken), Best Sound, and Best Film Editing.  Meryl Streep would also take home her first Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actress.  The film would also…

"The Deer Hunter: Best Picture Winner Arrives on 4K"

Little Women: Another Remake But A Strong One

Little Women is another re-telling in a long line of adaptations of the beloved two-volume novel by author Louisa May Alcott. Maybe it’s because of my childhood–you know, the whole growing up with the wrong body–but I wasn’t able to really connect with the film upon my first viewing a few weeks ago.  Upon second viewing, I found it to be a much stronger film.  Of course, I still have issues with never-ending remakes but…

"Little Women: Another Remake But A Strong One"