Category: MAIN

By Laurie Coker Rating: A+ Nothing beats a good murder mystery and Knives Out starring Jamie Lee Curtis, Christopher Plumber, Don Johnson, Michael Shannon, Chris Evans, Daniel Craig, Ana de Armas and a host of other awesome actors keeps the audience guessing like an old-style Agatha Christie novel.  Writer/director Rian Johnson plays every trick in… Continue reading Knives out

By Laurie Coker Rating: B From the trailers, the debut from the writer-director Paul Downs Colaizzo, Brittany Runs and Marathon looks like a goofy, body-shaming film in line with those by Amy Schumer, but it is far more.  Colaizzo gives a little film with a big heart and Jillian Bell serves up a subtly touching… Continue reading Review: BRITTANY RUNS A MARATHON

By Laurie Coker Rating: A+ My father raced cars – this was back in Model A cars and I wasn’t alive – but he taught me how to drive – fast. I love speed and I love the film Ford V. Ferrari, starring Christian Bale and Matt Damon.  Director James Mangold offers up the story… Continue reading Ford v Ferrari

By Laurie Coker Rating: A+ Admittedly, I prefer to watch films with no subtitles. I become extremely distracted by them and miss things happening on the screen, but the film Parasite holds interest so intensely, that, like seeing a train wreck, it is impossible to look away. Director/ co-writer Bong Joon Ho and writer Han… Continue reading Parasite

By Laurie Coker Rating: A Art is relative. Who would have thought that art, especially funny art came in black and white celluloid-style in the 21st century? The Lighthouse starring Willem Defoe and Robert Pattinson is a surprising mix of masterfully woven madness and manic melancholy. They are souls trapped in a tower of solitude.… Continue reading Review: THE LIGHTHOUSE

By Laurie Coker Rating: D+/C- Sequels, sequels and more sequels. Angelina Jolie reprises her role from the 2014 film Maleficent, a live-action twist on Sleeping Beauty, in Maleficent: Mistress of Evil. Jolie along with Michelle Pfeiffer add class and charisma to an otherwise dull and predictable story of good versus evil. Disney, director Joachim Rønning,… Continue reading Review: MALEFICENT: MISTRESS OF EVIL

By Laurie Coker Rating: A+ Had the events of 9/11 never happened incidents like the one that occurred at the Taj Hotel in Mumbai, India would have been little more than a few segments the evening news. Horrific actions on foreign soil had nothing to do with us. Director Anthony Maras who shares writing credit… Continue reading Review: HOTEL MUMBAI

By Laurie Coker Rating: C + Gearing up for or towards Oscar season, viewers can expect to see excellent films and excellent actors just not necessarily together. Renee Zellweger comes to the screen again in Judy, a movie based on the late, talented Wizard of Oz star, Judy Garland. Missing for a bit of time… Continue reading Review: JUDY

By Laurie Coker Rating: C Joaquin Phoenix’s portrayal of the Joker feels, at the same time, both disgusting and admirable. Joker’s director and co-writer, with Scott Silver, Todd Phillips explores the dingiest, darkest, and most disturbing aspect of the character and still, he disappoints with his dismal, in-your-face social commentary.  Were it not for its… Continue reading Review: JOKER

By Laurie Coker Rating: A- In the hit and miss world of animated features, Abominable is far more hit than miss.  In a mixed-up world of mix-ups, an unlikely buddy story evolves between a trio of teens and an abominable snowman. Universal Pictures has created a cuddly cute character in “Everest” and kids will love… Continue reading Review: ABOMINABLE