'Knives Out' is a whodunit done well — movie review
On his 80th birthday, Harlan Thrombey is found dead and sets off a classic whodunit where all the suspects have their knives out for each other One-sentence review: Knives Out creates one of the great movie families with the ridiculous Thrombeys and puts them in a murder mystery that's as compelling as it is relevant.Details:…
2020 Oscar Predictions — Best Picture
Best Picture at the 2020 Oscars is going to be one of the most competitive races of all time. Here are my predictions. ? Updated December 14, 2019 Likely nomination (listed alphabetically): 1917The IrishmanJojo RabbitMarriage StoryOnce Upon a Time in HollywoodParasite On the bubble: BombshellThe FarewellFord v FerrariJokerLittle Women See all my Oscar predictions here. Full…
'Black Christmas (2019)' review — Slay bells ring
Black Christmas follows a group of sorority girls who come under attack just before winter break — they fight back. Two-sentence review: Black Christmas has the subtlety of a fat man in a red suit with a beard slipping down your chimney. However, the well-directed horror sequences and spirit of the original in its DNA…
‘Support the Girls’ review — Regina Hall is a powerhouse
Support the Girls is a charming and emotional day-in-the-life dramedy with another magnificent performance by Regina Hall. Regina Hall is one of the best and most underrated actresses working today. From her perfectly timed one-liners in Scary Movie to her grounded and emotional performance at the core of Girls Trip she has been consistently great in so many projects.…
'Uncut Gems' review — A series of unfortunate decisions
Adam Sandler goes dramatic as a diamond dealer hustling his way out of trouble in Uncut Gems One-sentence review: Uncut Gems is a non-stop, heart-pounding adreneline rush of a crime movie — sometimes to a fault — with a career-best performance by Adam Sandler. https://youtu.be/vTfJp2Ts9X8 Josh and Benny Safdie — better known as the Safdie Brothers —…
‘Crawl’ movie review — Lesson: Evacuate during hurricanes
Crawl follows a college student as she attempts to rescue her father from a pack of aggressive alligators during a Category Five hurricane. 30-second review: Picture a movie where a father and daughter are trapped in a cramp Florida basement in the middle of a Category Five hurricane by alligators — and you have Crawl. It is…
‘1917’ review — A war movie like we’ve never seen before
Presented in one unbroken shot, 1917 follows two young soldiers as they embark on an impossible mission to warn a battalion of an impending ambush. One-sentence review: 1917 is not only a technical feat, it’s also an anxiety-inducing war thriller that manages to differentiate itself from anything that’s come before it. https://youtu.be/YqNYrYUiMfg There’s a scene…
‘The Irishman’ NYFF review — Scorsese’s tribute to Scorsese
Based on a true story, a hitman for the mob looks back at his life and the events that shaped him in The Irishman. One-sentence review: The Irishman combines the meditative pace of Silence, the sharp humor and style of The Wolf of Wall Street, and the narrative of Martin Scorsese's greatest gangster movies to…
‘Honey Boy’ review — Shia LeBeouf plays his own abusive father
Shia LaBeouf plays his own abusive father in Honey Boy, which is a semi-autobiographical film about his time as a child actor and in rehab One-sentence review: Honey Boy sees Shia LeBeouf grappling with his past in a highly personal and emotionally devastating drama.Details: ? Alma Har'el // ⏳ 93 minutes // ? 2019The cast:…
‘Jojo Rabbit’ review — Nazis are dumb
Jojo Rabbit follows a misguided Nazi youth whose imaginary friend is a buffoonish version of Hitler. It's a comedy. One-sentence review: Jojo Rabbit lacks a real hop in its step to be truly great, but director Taika Waititi's comedic sensibilities are enough to make it an enjoyable crowdpleaser.Details: ? Taika Waititi // ⏳ 108 minutes…