A Drama Written & directed by Chinonye Chukwu How do you comfort the mother of a man about to be executed - especially when your job is to oversee the execution? The answer, inevitably, is "not well." The experience gets worse when the execution, by lethal injection, gets thoroughly botched and the condemned man suffers … Continue reading Capital punishment hurts everybody in Clemency
Category: Drama
Drama
We need Just Mercy for the innocent
A- Courtroom drama Written by Destin Daniel Cretton & Andrew Lanham, from the book by Bryan Stevenson Directed by Destin Daniel Cretton Can true justice prevail in a racist society? According to the people who made Just Mercy, it can, but it takes an angel - or at least a gifted, well-trained, intelligent, and altruistic … Continue reading We need Just Mercy for the innocent
The Song of Names
C+ DramaWritten by Jeffrey CaineDirected by François Girard Jeffrey Caine and François Girard's new film starts with the runup to a big concert. The crowd have come to see the first major performance of a young violin virtuoso. But the new star doesn't show up. What happened to him? After that mysterious opening, almost everything … Continue reading The Song of Names
Temblores fails to shake you up
C+ Drama Written & directed by Jayro Bustamante This is at least the third narrative film I've seen about anti-gay "conversion therapy." But this one is different. The protagonist isn't a teenager at the mercy of his or her overly-religious parents. Pablo is an adult male with a good job, a wife, and two loving … Continue reading Temblores fails to shake you up
Marriage Story is all about the divorce
A- Comedic drama Written & directed by Noah Baumbach This sad, heartwarming, and yet deeply funny film should be called Divorce Story. You know from the start that the marriage is over. If you've ever gone through a divorce, especially if there are children involved, you'll recognize the events and the emotions. In fact, you'll … Continue reading Marriage Story is all about the divorce
Frankie doesn’t get much of a vacation
B Drama Written by Mauricio Zacharias & Ira Sachs Directed by Ira Sachs I've never been to Sintra, Portugal, but judging from this film, it's a wonderful place for a vacation. But Frankie and her family and friends have a hard time being happy. The family matriarch has cancer and probably won't survive the year. … Continue reading Frankie doesn’t get much of a vacation
Renée Zellweger brings Judy to life
B+ Biographical drama Written by Tom Edge, from the the stage play End of the Rainbow Directed by Rupert Goold Yes, Renée Zellweger gives an incredible performance as Judy Garland. She looks like her. She acts like her. She even, I think, sings like her. She almost completely disappears into the character. Only occasionally, and … Continue reading Renée Zellweger brings Judy to life
Life becomes complicated After the Wedding
A drama Written & directed by Bart Freundlich Two of our greatest American actresses clash and make beautiful drama together in After the Wedding. What else can you expect when you put Michelle Williams and Julianne Moore in the same movie. Adding Billy Crudup to the mix makes it better yet. Writer/director Bart Freundlich brings … Continue reading Life becomes complicated After the Wedding
Red Cow: Growing up among the fanatics
A- Coming of age drama Written & directed by Tsivia Barkai Note: I saw this excellent Israeli film before it was screened at the 2018 San Francisco Jewish Film Festival. I sat on this review for over a year, waiting when it would be available in Bay Area theaters. That has not yet happened, but I … Continue reading Red Cow: Growing up among the fanatics
Say hello to The Farewell
B+ Dramatic comedy Written and directed by Lulu Wang Chinese and Chinese Americans don't always see eye-to-eye. These generational clashes provide a lot of the laughs in The Farewell. But writer/director Lulu Wang keeps the existential pain of mortality always in the foreground, reminding us that something very serious is happening along with the humor. … Continue reading Say hello to The Farewell
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