C+ Inspirational sports movieWritten by Ty Roberts & Lane Garrison and Kevin Meyer, from the book by Jim DentDirected by Ty Roberts This is one of those sports movies intended to inspire everyone to root for the underdog. And since it's based on a true story, you might assume that most of it happened. But … Continue reading 12 Mighty Orphans: Football by the numbers
Category: Drama
Drama
Censor: Is it serious, or frightening
B Either a horror movie or a drama about horror moviesWritten by Prano Bailey-Bond, Anthony FletcherDirected by Prano Bailey-Bond This unique British film starts as a social drama about excessive violence in the movies. But as it goes along, it becomes a movie filled with excessive violence. The censor of the title, Enid (Niamh Algar), … Continue reading Censor: Is it serious, or frightening
An endless movie about nothing
F No recognizable genre Written & directed by Roy Andersson The best thing about Roy Andersson's extremely weird film, About Endlessness, is its length. This Swedish, German, and Norwegian picture runs only 76 minutes. The bad part is that, as the title suggests, the film really does feel endless. When I describe a film as … Continue reading An endless movie about nothing
My thoughts on A Star is Born (1954)
Last Friday night, my wife and I watched the 1954 version of A Star is Born - the one starring Judy Garland and James Mason. Aside from being almost perfect, this film catches Hollywood at an important moment in film history. The film industry was experiencing its biggest changes since the talkie revolution. And you … Continue reading My thoughts on A Star is Born (1954)
Mike Leigh’s Secrets & Lies, now on Criterion Blu-ray
There's something very special about Mike Leigh's family drama, Secrets & Lies. Every person on the screen appears to be a fully fleshed-out human being, and I'm not just talking about the main characters. Even actors with one or two scenes feel as if they have a history. You can care about all of them … Continue reading Mike Leigh’s Secrets & Lies, now on Criterion Blu-ray
Test Pattern is not about TV
A- Drama Written and directed by Shatara Michelle Ford Test Pattern is not about old-fashioned television. It's about date rape, and how that affects everyone involved - except, perhaps, the rapist. This is the second film I've seen in the last few weeks about date rape. I liked Test Pattern and Promising Young Woman very … Continue reading Test Pattern is not about TV
You should catch Minari…if you can
I saw a wonderful movie last Friday, but I had to go through tech hell to watch it. Minari first caught my attention while writing about the Golden Globe nominees. The film was nominated for Best Motion Picture – Foreign Language, even though its official nation of origin is USA. That's unusual, although not impossible. … Continue reading You should catch Minari…if you can
Show Me What You Got – especially down below
B- Romantic drama Written by Svetlana Cvetko and David Scott Smith Directed by Svetlana Cvetko It's hard to watch this film without thinking about François Truffaut's 1962 masterpiece Jules and Jim. Both movies are about two men, very close friends, and the woman they both love. She also loves both of them. The men are … Continue reading Show Me What You Got – especially down below
The Last Vermeer: Hunting Nazis as escapist entertainment
B+ Historical mystery Written by James Mcgee, Mark Fergus, & Hawk Ostby, from the book The Man Who Made Vermeers by Jonathan Lopez Directed by Dan Friedkin Art, fame, and Nazis make a potent mix in this story set in the Netherlands immediately after the fall of the Third Reich. The new government is publicly … Continue reading The Last Vermeer: Hunting Nazis as escapist entertainment
The Climb: Biographical Fiction
B Drama Written by Michael Angelo Covino, Kyle Marvin Directed by Michael Angelo Covino Consider these credits: Directed by Michael Angelo Covino. Written by Michael Angelo Covino and Kyle Marvin. Michael Angelo Covino stars as Mike. Kyle Marvin stars as Kyle. Do you get the feeling that the picture just might be a bit autobiographical? … Continue reading The Climb: Biographical Fiction
