“The Mother” was screened for critics in theaters, where the immersive setup makes the paint-by-numbers portions of the plot really stick out. A handful of odd stylistic choices also attract attention in this format: A recurring visual motif of wide-angle shots with blurred edges; odd, jumpy edits seem to compensate for a lack of coverage … Read more
Just as effective is his decision to use clips from Fox’s filmography to flesh out and comment on the 61-year-old actor’s tale. With masterful editing from Michael Harte, Guggenheim seamlessly glides between Fox’s breakthrough roles in the sitcom “Family Ties” and the blockbuster “Back to the Future,” as well as subsequent performances in “Teen Wolf,” … Read more
Odds are better than average that you’re reading this review on your phone. And that, once you got a smartphone, you sought out sites like this one to reflect your personal interests. You probably don’t even think about how that process came to be, as it’s just a natural part of life now. Would you … Read more
Directed and co-starring Matt Johnson and inspired by Jacquie McNish and Sean Silcoff’s business history, Losing the Signal, “BlackBerry” is shot in a raggedy, trembling handheld style that suggests what an episode of “The Office” guest-scripted by David Mamet might have felt like. The most fascinating thing about the script, co-written by Johnson and Matthew … Read more
Unfortunately, my one-day pass for a coffee interview was more enjoyable than Charlie Day’s toothless Hollywood satire, “Fool’s Paradise.” Poking fun at the industry’s quirks, like the importance of getting coffee for more powerful people, the mercurial nature of star power, and the strange characters you meet along the way, is a fine premise—it gave … Read more
Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie takes us into the world of one of the most inspirational stars, looking at his career and Parkinson’s battle. PLOT: An in-depth look at Michael J. Fox’s career and how, many years after his diagnosis with Parkinson’s, he manages the worsening symptoms of the disease. REVIEW: For those of … Read more
Jennifer Lopez is a badass assassin protecting her daughter in this lean but well-made action-thriller. Plot: A deadly female assassin comes out of hiding to protect the daughter that she gave up years before, while on the run from dangerous men. Review: Since it was first announced over a year ago, I have been mildly … Read more
Instead of the big dramatic confrontations that one might expect in a film like this, the screenplay is more interested in exploring the quiet human truths that arise out of the situation in ways that end up having a much more significant impact. Here is a film where the big emotional climax comes in the … Read more
Like Smurfs, each character gets just one attribute. The male characters all get the same one: unconditional adoration of the fabulous creature to whom they are lucky enough to be able to devote their full time and attention because they have no other interests, wishes, obligations, or, indeed, reasons to exist except to be Perfect … Read more
A tender and compassionate debut feature by writer/directors Mark Slutsky and Sarah Watts, the latter of whom grew up gay in a Jehovah’s Witness community, “You Can Live Forever” lets the romantic tension between its protagonists build slowly and naturally, in stolen glances and small keys. As Jaime and Marike circle each other, at once … Read more