Intro An old alternative birthday song has the line, “One year older and wiser, too.” While it’s true that each year we age we (hopefully) gain wisdom, that wisdom is also only earned by each year or stage of life offering unique challenges. Writer/director Josh Margolin’s new film, Thelma, explores some of these challenges in [...]
Intro It's no secret that Pixar has been in a bit of a slump, both creatively and financially. They haven't had a financial "hit" since 2019 with Toy Story 4 (which I still dislike). It arguably hasn't had a genuinely great film since 2020's Onward (my favorite film of that year). There are lots of theories as [...]
Bluntly put, life on Earth ends for us all, whether we want it to or not. You can try to cheat it, you can deny it or for those who your existence has touched, you can cope with it. This is an unfortunate certainty. For those who remain behind, the “coping” part is often the [...]
In 2018, John Krasinski brought us the first installment in what would become the "A Quiet Place" series. It was a near-perfect film and a testament to Krasinski's multifaceted talent. When a sequel was quickly announced, I was a little disappointed. Why dilute such a great film by immediately greenlighting a follow-up cash grab? I [...]
We often live our lives as events unfold, with these events either being a result of choice or not. That is a stunningly simple statement regarding the human condition that is not fully justified, however, it also speaks to how we interact with other people. When thinking about Christopher Burke’s For Love & Life: No [...]
From the director who brought us "Happy Feet" and "Babe: Pig in the City," comes the latest in the Mad Max Saga, "Furiosa." In a departure from the series, "Furiosa" is not only a prequel but also the first to not feature the infamous Road Warrior. Can this entry successfully shoulder the weight of this [...]
Throughout the Planet of the Apes film franchise, makeup, and technology have impressed audiences. With Pierre Boulle’s novel serving as a reference point for a world ruled by apes and humanity being subjugated to a lower form, the rebooted film series that began in 2011 continues with Wes Ball’s (The Maze Runner trilogy) brilliant Kingdom [...]
Introduction I honestly can’t think of two middle-aged actors that I love more than Ryan Gosling and Emily Blunt. Gosling’s charisma is only rivaled by another Ryan (Reynolds). But Gosling has the acting chops to be hand-picked by the best directors working. David Leitch’s new film, Fall Guy, happens to have both of them. And it [...]
Luca Guadagnino’s Challengers throws more trysts and turns at a viewer than a decent thriller, as it serves up a love triangle set between a trio of tennis players, Patrick (Josh O’Connor), Art (Mike Faist) and, Tashi (Zendaya) against a wild card tennis match event in New Rochelle, NY. The story, by Justin Kuritzkes, is [...]
Talking about R. J, Daniel Hanna’s Hard Miles isn’t difficult. Based on a true story and written by Hanna and Christian Sander, the writing duo set out to tell the story of Greg Townsend (Matthew Modine). Townsend, a part of a private juvenile facility for troubled teenagers, rallied various kids through a grueling and ultimately [...]
