A seventh grade middle school student and a B*Bot become strange pals in Locksmith Animation’s new film, Ron’s Gone Wrong. As Barney Pudowski (Jack Dylan Grazer) returns to Nonsuch Middle School for the new school year, he lacks what everyone else has: a B*Bot. He’s not the most popular kid in school and not owning a B*Bot makes him the outcast of the crowd. His dad, Graham (Ed Helms) knows how much he wants one…
"Ron’s Gone Wrong A Film About Friendship"Category: Movie Reviews
The French Dispatch, Wes Anderson’s love letter to journalism especially The New Yorker, is a mostly good film that’s well worth the wait. This film is a series of vignettes focusing on a travelogue, art, student protests, and a police kidnapping. The four stories come from the final issue of The French Dispatch, based in the fictional French city of Ennui-sur-Blasé. Outside of the city, nothing ties them together. Together, the vignettes do feature an…
"The French Dispatch Is Short of Masterpiece Status"
Documentary filmmaker Jesse Moss brings audiences inside Pete Buttigieg’s presidential campaign in the new documentary, Mayor Pete. My first thought upon watching this film is that it’s amazing that Boys State was finishing up while Moss was hard at work on this film. But more than that, it shows the ins and outs of a presidential campaign. We get an inside look at the debate prep that comes with running for president. Getting elected to…
"Mayor Pete – Chicago Film Fest 2021"
Denis Villeneuve brings Frank Herbert’s Dune to the big screen with a film that must be experienced on the biggest screen possible. I’m going to be honest that this review took me a bit longer to write. This is not so much because I had the trouble finding the words but because a Ted Sarandos-triggered depression has been kicking my ass since the screening ended. Wednesday was slightly better but at some point, I have…
"Dune Is A Big Screen Experience"
Not only does The Last Duel feature a rape in the film but audiences have to see it happening on screen twice from different perspectives. Yes, the film is based on historical events. However, the point still stands that this film doesn’t sit well with me. At the same time, it should not have depicted the same rape twice on screen. The script is based on a book by Eric Jager but drawing on real-life…
"The Last Duel Features Rape Twice On Screen"
High Sierra, which made Humphrey Bogart a leading man and enabled John Huston to transition to directing, joins The Criterion Collection. This film was pivotal for helping both Humphrey Bogart and John Huston to advance in their careers. The two were friends and drinking partners. Prior to High Sierra, Bogart was a mere supporting player. Because of this, Bogart had to fight Raoul Walsh for the role. Walsh wanted someone like George Raft or Paul…
"High Sierra: Film Noir Joins The Criterion Collection"
The French Connection, which won five Oscars including Best Picture, marks its 50th anniversary since its 1971 theatrical release. In addition to Best Picture, the film won for Director, Actor (Gene Hackman), Film Editing and Adapted Screenplay. What set this film apart from others is that Friedkin shot it in a style known more because of documentaries at the time. The film’s grittiness wasn’t something typically scene in narrative features heading into 1971. You can…
"The French Connection Marks 50th Anniversary"
The Ides of March, the political thriller starring Ryan Gosling and George Clooney, marks its tenth anniversary since its 2011 release. This film, based on Farrugut North by Beau Willimon, takes a behind-the-scenes look at political campaign drama. However, in as much as it is inside baseball, the film also focuses on Pennsylvania Governor Mike Morris’s sexual affair and how it nearly ends his presidential campaign. Politics can be an ugly event and this film…
"The Ides of March: Political Thriller Marks 10 Years"
Real Steel, the Shawn Levy robot boxing film starring Hugh Jackman, holds up beautifully as the film celebrates ten years since its release. Real Steel is a very different film than Warrior, which came out in August 2011. And yet, both films deal with families and fighting. In this instance, this film is about an estranged father and son coming together over robot boxing. They don’t always see eye to eye but boxing has a…
"Real Steel Holds Up On Tenth Anniversary"
Cary Grant and Myrna Loy team up together for their third and final time in comedy classic Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House. The film got a new Blu-ray thanks to the Warner Archive Collection in May after a 4K scan from the original negative. The picture is certainly better than ever. You should check out the film if you haven’t done so already. There’s a few bonus features including a pair of radio productions…
"Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House"