‘BlacKkKlansman’ review — Spike Lee’s response to Trump and hate
BlacKkKlansman is an astonishing and often ridiculous true story that is terrifyingly relevant today Continue reading ‘BlacKkKlansman’ review — Spike Lee’s response to Trump and hate
Category: Drama
Nothing makes you feel something like a good drama. Cry your way through these intriguing drama movies!
‘First Man’ review — Claire Foy steals this Neil Armstrong biopic
First Man is a de-glamourized version of Neil Armstrong's reluctant journey to becoming the first man on the moon. What's remarkable about Neil Armstrong (Ryan Gosling) is how unremarkable he is. He's quiet. Almost shy. Sometimes he'll crack a joke or offer a closed mouth smile, but he internalizes most of his emotions. There are a…
‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ review — Rami Malek is electric as Freddie Mercury
Bohemian Rhapsody doesn't do much to break the mold of the typical biopic, but it boasts a breathtaking performance from Rami Malek as Freddie Mercury. Bohemian Rhapsody isn’t about the creation of Freddie Mercury. Yes, the movie starts with Mercury as a baggage handler before joining a band that would ultimately become Queen. However, the movie…
‘The Cakemaker’ review — Israel’s Oscar entry is a sweet drama
The Cakemaker, Israel's 2019 Oscar entry, is a quiet and sweet drama with a great lead performance by Tim Kalkhof. The Cakemaker is about a relationship, but not a romantic one as the setup suggests. Instead, it’s a quiet and sensitively told story about grief and how different people process it. However, there’s so much more…
‘Wildlife’ review — Paul Dano’s directoral debut is a career high for Carey Mulligan
Paul Dano's directorial debut Wildlife is a quiet but powerful tale of self-destruction with a masterful performance by Carey Mulligan. Wildlife has all the workings of a classic kitchen sink drama. However, instead of the poor industrial towns of England, actor Paul Dano's directorial debut moves the setting to 1960s Montana and follows a working-class family as they…
The Beguiled review — A darkly funny southern gothic tale
The 1971 southern gothic tale The Beguiled has been reimagined with a sharp, witty tone that delivers some darkly funny laughs. Some of the greatest facets of a southern gothic tale — equivocal gender roles, a decaying setting, social alienation — all appear in both adaptations of Thomas P. Cullinan’s novel A Painted Devil, renamed The Beguiled.…
Lady Bird review — A quintessential coming-of-age dramedy
Hilarious and poignant, Lady Bird announces Greta Gerwig as one of the most exciting new filmmakers and solidifies Soarsie Ronan as a major star The vast number of themes Greta Gerwig tackles in her directorial debut Lady Bird would lead you to believe that it's an overstuffed, melodramatic dramedy that tries to say something without making a point. However, it's…
Stronger review — Jake Gyllenhaal shines in this bold and uplifting drama
Subverting genre tropes, Stronger is a humanist story about triumph over adversity with stellar performances by Jake Gyllenhaal and Tatiana Maslany. Jeff Bauman's story feels like one that Hollywood would consume into its "based on a true story" formula and spit out an emotionally manipulative story of triumph over adversity. Stronger is not one of those movies. That's because…
Wind River review — Taylor Sheridan steps into the director’s chair
Wind River finds screenwriter Taylor Sheridan taking the director's chair with thrilling results and stellar performances from Elizabeth Olsen and Jeremy Renner. Wind River opens with a terrifying shot of a woman running barefoot through the snowy and isolated landscape of Wyoming. She falls to her knees. We never see who or what is chasing her.…
The Florida Project review — A heart filled look at childhood
The Florida Project is a warm, sun-drenched look at the magic and darkness of childhood in America's poverty stricken areas At the end of The Florida Project, Sean Baker's follow-up to his acclaimed 2015 film Tangerine, I just sat in the dark theater watching the silent end credits roll by. So did most of the people in the theater. It's…