Hunger Games meets cloning in Dual, a new film starring the talented Karen Gillan. Writer/director Riley Stearns creates a darkly satirical story regarding some intense themes, beneath which there lies a rumble of serious existential questions. Stearns creates a futuristic and otherworld feel to his setting, characters, and plot, allowing for a disconnect from the… Continue reading DUAL
Category: Reviews
MOTHERING SUNDAY
“Mothering Sunday,” a novel by British author Graham Swift, is adapted by Alice Birch (“Lady Macbeth”) for the feature film by the same name that is now having a wider release April 8th after having been shot in 2020. Directed by Eva Husson, the film features Jane Fairchild (Odessa Young) as the young maid who… Continue reading MOTHERING SUNDAY
SONIC THE HEDGEHOG 2
The Sonic the Hedgehog saga continues. I have to admit that I totally missed the first movie went it was released in 2020. I don’t remember the exact details as to why I didn’t screen the film, but eventually, the COVID-19 pandemic pretty much shut down most public activities. I, therefore, never, ever caught up… Continue reading SONIC THE HEDGEHOG 2
AMBULANCE
Ambulance is director Michael Bay’s action movie about a bank heist gone wrong and only two thieves are left alive and manage to escape the building. Going into the screening for Universal Studio’s new film, I thought I had seen most of what the film is about: a robbery, gunshots, lots of law enforcement and… Continue reading AMBULANCE
SXSW: SISSY
I am not a huge fan of horror films. Some bore me and others just gross me out, but occasionally, I stumble across one that excites me. During the SXSW Film Festival this year, ‘Sissy’ a film directed and co-written by Kane Senes and Hannah Barlow engaged and surprised me. Clever writing and even more… Continue reading SXSW: SISSY
SXSW 2022: EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE ALL AT ONCE
The opening night film of this year’s SXSW Film Festival is a brilliant offering from “Daniels,” the mad and visionary filmmaking duo who came up with the wild cinematic insanity that is Swiss Army Man. I went into this exciting beginning of the festival with high expectations, and the eccentric filmmaking partnership did not disappoint.… Continue reading SXSW 2022: EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE ALL AT ONCE
MORBIUS
After viewing the trailer over the last few months, I honestly wasn’t anticipating very much from the film Morbius, a movie based on a Marvel Comics character. Directed by Daniel Espinosa (Safe House, 2012) based on the screenplay from Matt Sazama and Burk Sharpless and Roy Thomas (Marvel comics), the film does provide more to… Continue reading MORBIUS
The Yellow Wallpaper
I haven’t taught in years, but when I did, “The Yellow Wallpaper,” a short story by Charlotte Perkins Gilman, was a staple in the sophomore literature text. The film by the same name, adapted and directed by Kevin Pontuti, stays true (for all but the ending) to the source. Pontuti manages to capture the psychological… Continue reading The Yellow Wallpaper
SXSW 2022: PRETTY PROBLEMS
We all get into ruts – with our relationships, our careers, and our daily lives. We also often want a different life than the one dealt to us – especially if it means financial freedom and a carefree existence. With Pretty Problems, director Kestrin Pantera and screenwriter Michael Tennant explore age-old themes of self-worth, pride,… Continue reading SXSW 2022: PRETTY PROBLEMS
SXSW – TONY HAWK: UNTIL THE WHEELS FALL OFF
My son’s first skateboard was a Tony Hawk board – I remember it well, and I remember how in awe my son was of the champion trickster. Hawk is not a stranger to documentaries, but Tony Hawk: Until the Wheels Fall Off sheds more light on the skating phenom than others have and shares insights… Continue reading SXSW – TONY HAWK: UNTIL THE WHEELS FALL OFF