Author: Laurie Coker

Like movies based on children’s books, those based on amusement park rides can be hits (like Pirates of the Caribbean) or misses (like Polar Express). Disney’s new movie Haunted Mansion, based on the well-known Disney attraction of the same name, falls somewhere in between. Geared more toward children, director Justin Simien’s, with a script from… Continue reading THE HAUNTED MANSION – A Bit Dark for the Kids and a Tad Modest for Adults

The beauty of directors Riley Keough (Elvis’ granddaughter) and Gina Gammell’s debut film War Pony lies in its non-commercial, non-professional cast and the vivid and subtle storytelling. The screenplay, co-written by Keough, Gammell, Bill Reddy, and Franklin Sioux Bob, provides a slow-burn character study that mesmerizes from start to finish. It’s a realistic, bleak, gritty… Continue reading War Pony – A Stark Telling of Life on a Reservation

I wasn’t much of a doll person as a little girl, but I did like my Barbies. I had several, and my grandmother nurtured in me a love for the fashionista figurine with a perfect figure and blond hair. She and I even made Barbie clothes. I remember being so excited when the pull-string talking… Continue reading BARBIE – A Colorful, Fun Ride with Stereotypical Barbie

Director Christopher Nolan’s penchant for historical accuracy shows up in spades in Oppenheimer, starring Cillian Murphy, Emily Blunt, Robert Downey Jr., and Matt Damon.  Nolan’s movie biopic isn’t laid out linearly, but rather, it marches out in chunks of Oppenheimer’s troubled life, as the theoretical physicist placed in charge of the Manhattan Project. The film’s… Continue reading Oppenheimer – A Stunning Historical Blockbuster

Sure, Hollywood has proven time and time again that even the most stellar cast cannot save a bad or mediocre movie. But The Miracle Club, directed by Irishman Thaddeus O’Sullivan and starring Kathy Bates, Maggie Smith, Laura Linny, and Agnes O’Casey, proves that an exceptional cast can elevate a simple story to extraordinary. O’Sullivan lucks… Continue reading The Miracle Club – What a cast!

I am used to seeing films geared toward every possible audience. As a critic, it’s part of the job, but I find it more pleasurable to see a movie with someone in the target demographic. Disney’s new family comedy, a coming-of-age story starring Manny Magnus in a breakout role, entertained me and my 12-year-old granddaughter… Continue reading World’s Best – Now Streaming on Disney +

I don’t make comparisons between films often, but when a movie like Are You There, God, It’s Me Margaret does such an amazing job as a coming-of-age story, those that follow have a high bar to reach. Despite its excellent ensemble cast, Wildflower does not rise to the same level.  Based on a true story,… Continue reading Wildflower: Coming of Age With Intellectually Challenged Parents