Review: JOY

By Liz Lopez Rating: B- There are some people who have great ideas and run with them, yet others do nothing but daydream about the things that are possible. Joy Mangano, an entrepreneur known for her invention of the self-wringing Miracle Mop, did not become an overnight sensation, but her life and that of her family… Continue reading Review: JOY

Review: ALVIN AND THE CHIPMUNKS: THE ROAD CHIP

By Liz Lopez Rating: B- The Chipmunks music began in the 1950s as a novelty and probably, the animated music group was not originally anticipated to remain popular over fifty years later, appealing to multiple generations. Alvin, Simon, Theodore, managed by their human “father,” David (Dave) Seville, grew to have The Chipmunk Song become a… Continue reading Review: ALVIN AND THE CHIPMUNKS: THE ROAD CHIP

Review: THE BIG SHORT

By Liz Lopez Rating: B+ Ever since the United States economy tanked in 2008, there have been a myriad of feature films based on original or adapted scripts about how it happened, who is to blame and who got away with it. Margin Call (2011); Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps (2010) and Too Big To… Continue reading Review: THE BIG SHORT

Review: THE BIG SHORT

By Mark Saldana  Rating: 3.5 (Out of 4 Stars)  During the financial crisis of the late 2000s, the housing market collapsed due to highly questionable practices by financial institutions offering mortgages to under and unqualified creditees.  As a result, these financial institutions nearly collapsed and the government had to step in and bail them out… Continue reading Review: THE BIG SHORT

Review: CAROL

By Mark Saldana  Rating: 4 (Out of 4 Stars)  After seeing Far from Heaven and I’m Not There, I became rather impressed with director Todd Haynes.  He is definitely a visionary artist who knows not only how to compose a gorgeous looking film, but a filmmaker who knows how to make his story and characters… Continue reading Review: CAROL

Review: THE DANISH GIRL

By Liz Lopez Rating: A Oscar winner Eddie Redmayne is incredibly mesmerizing in his performance as illness transforms Steven Hawking’s body in The Theory of Everything. Now, he stars in The Danish Girl, portraying Einar Wegener who undergoes gender-reassignment to fulfill his desire to live like a woman named Lili Elbe. I have no doubt… Continue reading Review: THE DANISH GIRL

Austin Film Festival 2015 Review: YOUTH

By Mark Saldana  Rating: 3.5 (Out of 4 Stars)  Paolo Sorrentino, the critically acclaimed director of The Great Beauty, winner of the Oscar for Best Foreign Language film, is back with a wonderful film that is both poignant and rather amusing.  Sorrentino’s film focuses on the issues of aging, retirement, and reflection on one’s life. … Continue reading Austin Film Festival 2015 Review: YOUTH

Review: SISTERS

By Mark Saldana  Rating: 3.5 (Out of 4 Stars)  If one loves when Tina Fey and Amy Poehler host the Golden Globe awards, then have I got an awesome recommendation!  The witty and hilarious comedy duo portrays totally opposite siblings going through a midlife crisis, and their vain attempts at recapturing their excitement and energy… Continue reading Review: SISTERS

Review: THE DANISH GIRL

By Mark Saldana  Rating: 3.5 (Out of 4 Stars)  Earlier this year, for his portrayal of Stephen Hawking in The Theory of Everything, Eddie Redmayne won both a Golden Globe and an Academy Award for Best Actor.  After watching his phenomenal performance in The Danish Girl, I believe that Redmayne has a strong chance at… Continue reading Review: THE DANISH GIRL