Birds of Prey (And the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn) is the type of film that gives its viewers exactly what they want. Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie) catches us up on what she’s been doing lately. The good news is that if you missed Suicide Squad, there’s nothing to fear. You get the origin story within mere moments before a break-up story. Hey, there must be a way to explain why the Clown Prince…
"Birds of Prey: A Mighty Fun Time"Category: Movie Reviews
Zola is a film that manages to bring A’Ziah King’s outrageous viral twitter thread to life in complete cinematic fashion. Zola (Taylour Paige) works as a waitress in Detroit when she first befriends a customer, Stefani (Riley Keough). Shortly thereafter, Stefani recruits Zola to join her on a weekend trip to Florida. Zola says yes to going on this trip, which will prove to be against her better judgement. The story only gets crazier from…
"Sundance 2020: Zola"
Tesla may not mark the first time that Nikola Tesla’s story has been brought to the screen but it is certainly the most innovative version. There are so many things that a Tesla film could focus on. However, this one is presented in the most comical fashion. We get Tesla singing into a microphone! There’s no denying that Ethan Hawke can sing but it was certainly a surprise. But on a serious note, the film…
"Sundance 2020: Tesla"
The Assistant focuses on the day in the life of one entertainment mogul’s junior assistant but there is more here than meets the eye. Jane (Julia Garner) gets her dream job. She wants to be a movie producer and honestly, there’s no better place to work. Or so she thinks. Jane might be doing everything you’d expect to see someone do in an office. However, things start to grow unsettling early on in the film. …
"Sundance 2020: The Assistant"
Parks and Recreation actress Aubrey Plaza manages to go for a career-best performance in the Sundance-premiering Black Bear. The lake house-set Black Bear takes us on a wild ride of twists and turns. Don’t worry–the film does deliver on its title by making sure the animal shows up in both parts. There’s no intermission but there is both a part one and part two. By the time that the film finishes, you’re going to need…
"Sundance 2020: Black Bear"
The recently premiered Downhill re-imagines Swedish filmmaker Ruben Östlund’s award-winning Force Majeure as an English-language comedy. Imagine going on a vacation and eating your lunch when an avalanche hits. What would it do to the family dynamics? For one American family on vacation, the dynamics get tested. Pete (Will Ferrell) and Billie Stanton (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) have taken their two boys with them for a week in the Alps. What looks like a fun family vacation…
"Sundance 2020: Downhill"
If there’s a film that you should go into without watching a trailer or reading reviews, Promising Young Woman is that film. The large majority of filmgoers will have until mid-April December before they can see this film. As a result, I’m going to be extra careful in writing about this film. It’s a film that ought to be treated like that of a Marvel or Star Wars film. Go into it knowing very little…
"Sundance 2020: Promising Young Woman"
Crip Camp is more than just a documentary on Camp Jened but a film about the drive to pass the Americans with Disabilities Act. I’m going to cut straight to the point here. Jimmy Carter’s presidential administration is not painted in a good light here. In fact, this film will only lead to angry feelings at Carter’s administration for what they didn’t do. No, the anger doesn’t go away. The George H.W. Bush admistration would…
"Sundance 2020: Crip Camp"
Dinner in America may be a love letter to the 1990s punk rock scene in the American Midwest but it’s also a surprising love story. After an failing to make money during a medical study , Simon (Kyle Gallner) ends up making a run for it. He ends up with Beth’s (Hannah Marks) family but relations sour with Betty (Lea Thompson) very quickly. A fight ensues and he tries burning the house down. Basically, anything…
"Sundance 2020: Dinner in America"
Worth examines the cost of human lives in the true story of the efforts that went into launching the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund. How much is life worth? Is a Fortune 500 CEO worth the same or more than a dishwasher? How do you breakdown the money when parents disapprove of their children’s lifestyle? This is really what it all comes down to with compensating victims and their families. When we first meet Kenneth…
"Sundance 2020: Worth"