“Do nothing. Stay and Fight. Leave.” These three phrases represent the tagline that graces the artwork for Sarah Polley’s riveting Women Talking. Grace. Now, that’s a fascinating way to describe the story Polley’s script lays out in front of us. Based on the novel of the same name by Miriam Toews, Women Talking is simplistic [...]
"Nightmare Alley" is Guillermo del Toro's slick homage to classic film noir. It's delectable eye candy, but can a collection of old tropes entertain for two-and-a-half hours? The movie begins entertainingly enough. A silhouetted man drags a body into the center of a room, lights the house of fire, and prompted boards a bus to [...]
You're invited to the advance screening of NIGHTMARE ALLEY Wednesday, December 15th AMC Town Square 7pm start time Link for sweepstakes: http://www.searchlightscreenings.com/CFLVNA When charismatic but down-on-his-luck Stanton Carlisle (Bradley Cooper) endears himself to clairvoyant Zeena (Toni Collette) and her has-been mentalist husband Pete (David Strathairn) at a traveling carnival, he crafts a golden ticket to [...]
Enter to win tickets to the advance screening of NIGHTMARE ALLEY Wednesday, December 15th AMC Desert Ridge 7pm start time Link for sweepstakes: http://www.searchlightscreenings.com/TCFPHXNA When charismatic but down-on-his-luck Stanton Carlisle (Bradley Cooper) endears himself to clairvoyant Zeena (Toni Collette) and her has-been mentalist husband Pete (David Strathairn) at a traveling carnival, he crafts a golden [...]
Occasionally we come across a film that deserves to be admired for a variety of reasons but still cannot be recommended as a “good movie.” For simplicity's sake, this article’s definition of a “good movie” is a film that can be recommended to a specific audience group who will appreciate the experience it provides. By [...]
“Lion” - In 2016, I imagine that a vast majority of kindergartners probably do not have mountains of responsibility or stress. I am not familiar with the average kindergarten curriculum these days, but when I went to school – about 150 years ago - I remember memorizing my phone number, learning to tie my shoes [...]
Laika, the stop-motion animation studio that produced “Coraline”, “ParaNorman” and “The Boxtrolls”, continue to dazzle and push the boundaries of the genre. “Kubo & the Two Strings” isn’t flawless but still manages to amaze. The film opens on a dark, moonless night. Kubo (Art Parkinson) is an infant, aboard a raft with his mother who [...]
“Carol” - As I grow older, I more frequently hear from friends or colleagues, “Remember the good old days?” Well, I usually refrain from wearing rose-colored glasses when examining the past. For example, looking back at the 1950s: the chickenpox vaccine did not exist, southern schools were segregated, tooth fillings were made of mercury, and [...]
