Friday, October 28, 2022

Till - Review

 

Nothing is more powerful than the love, and strong will, of a mother. That’s the tone and energy that Till operates with, the devastating story of Mamie Till-Mobley in the wake of tragedy, and seeing the lengths that she’ll will go to for some form of justice, even if the likelihood of finding it seems low. However, the impending case and headlines surrounding the death of Emmett Till become so much more then just one mother seeking answers for what happened to her son.

Thursday, October 27, 2022

All Quiet on the Western Front - Review

 

Of the two World Wars, World War I seems remarkably underrepresented on a film scale when compared to it’s far more studied follow up of the 1940s. There are, of course, exceptions, but the Great War has only a handful of good to great interpretations for the silver screen. Recently there has been Sam Mendes’ 1917 and the documentary They Shall Not Grow Old, but before then, the most well known of the bunch was likely All Quiet on the Western Front, a film released originally nearly 100 years ago, and remade now for Netflix.

Tuesday, October 25, 2022

Wendell & Wild - Review

 Thirteen Years. It’s been thirteen years since Henry Selick last gave the world a glimpse into his imaginative and wild head with 2009’s Coraline. Thankfully, he’s back. Wendell & Wild marks a delightful return to form for a director that basically brought stop motion to the mainstream way back in the 90s. Throw in the ideas and sensibilities from the minds of Jordan Peele Keegan-Michael and the tone this film is going for can really start to become clear. 

Friday, October 21, 2022

Black Adam - Review

 

Comics have this trend of taking bad guys and villains that display even the slightest bit of popularity and making them anti-heroes instead. Sony has capitalized on this to make two Venom films now, with more Spider-Man villain films on the way. And now, after over a decade of development, WB and DC have finally made their version in Black Adam, a film with the lightest story possible and all the overblown action you could imagine. 

Thursday, October 20, 2022

TÁR - Review

 

From the moment that TÁR begins, there’s an emphasis on noise. Whether it’s the possibly perfect pitch of the titular composer, the ever present whispers and praise of what makes her who she is, or even the extraneous noise of a doorbell or a busted vent on a car, everything is precisely placed. Finding the meaning in the music, as Lydia Tár often pontificates on, is where the audience comes in. 

Tuesday, October 18, 2022

The Banshees of Inisherin - Review

 

Feuding is a human tradition, a little war that has sparked anything from bloody conflicts to petty squabbles, and yet, it remains inherently absurd. For director and writer Martin McDonagh, the central feud is a way to spark laughter and reflection upon obsession, niceness and loneliness, and eventually see these men descend so far into their battle that it’s hard to remember how it all even started. 

Friday, October 14, 2022

Halloween Ends - Review

 

Horror franchises are a fascinating animal. They’re often so long running and messy, its hard to keep continuity straight, and yet, the fanbases for them are as boisterous as any blockbuster, big budget series. Halloween has been off and on for over forty years now, with many ups but mostly downs, and the latest entry Halloween Ends seeks to finally bring this roller coaster narrative to a close. It says as much in the title, and once you settle in to watch it, you might be asking for it to end as well.