A- Family-friendly quest Written by Brian Selznick, based on his novel Directed by Todd Haynes I'm tempted to call Todd Haynes's latest film Night at the Museum: The Good Version. Like the 2006 Hollywood kiddie flick, Wonderstruck celebrates New York's Museum of Natural History - which just happens to be one of my all-time favorite museums. … Continue reading Wonderstruck: Two tales of finding oneself at a museum
Category: Reviews
Goodbye Christopher Robin: How a great children’s book hurt the child that inspired it
B+ biopic Written by Frank Cottrell Boyce and Simon Vaughan Directed by Simon Curtis Almost everyone who can read, or has been read to, loves A. A. Milne's Winnie-the-Pooh stories. But according to this film, which covers some 20-plus years of Milne's life, the stories of Pooh, Piglet, Eeyore, and others made one child very … Continue reading Goodbye Christopher Robin: How a great children’s book hurt the child that inspired it
The Florida Project brings you not quite to Disney World
A- Slice of life Written by Sean Baker and Chris Bergoch Directed by Sean Baker Cheap motels and tourist traps abound on the edge of Florida's Disney World. Some, such as The Magic Castle, have become unofficial residency motels, filled with desperate people - mostly single mothers. Tourists are few and far between. Sean Baker's … Continue reading The Florida Project brings you not quite to Disney World
The Teacher provides a lesson on Communism
B Drama Written by Petr Jarchovský Directed by Jan Hrebejk The new middle school teacher expects her students - and their parents - to make life easier for her. She wants them to clean her home, do her errands, even smuggle a cake into another country. In exchange, she'll slip them information that will help … Continue reading The Teacher provides a lesson on Communism
Dolores: Heroine for the farmworkers
A Documentary Directed by Peter Bratt I grew up boycotting grapes. My family supported Cesar Chavez and the United Farm Workers union. But I never knew about Dolores Huerta until I heard about this documentary. Now I feel I know her (of course, I don't). Huerta was a part of the union from the start. … Continue reading Dolores: Heroine for the farmworkers
Gook finds no meaning in Rodney King riots
D+ Inner-city drama Written & directed by Justin Chon Everything about Gook tells you that this is an important film. It deals with racial conflict between Americans of African and Korean decent. It's set in one of those poor, dangerous Los Angeles neighborhoods that white people try to avoid. It's set in 1992, on the … Continue reading Gook finds no meaning in Rodney King riots
After Love: How marriage dies
B- relationship drama Written by Mazarine Pingeot, Fanny Burdino, and Joachim Lafosse Directed by Joachim Lafosse The French divorce drama After Love feels very true to life. It reminded me of actual marriages I've seen fall apart. It captures the arguments, the money problems, and the parenting issues to the letter. But that, in and … Continue reading After Love: How marriage dies
Dog and cat find comedy gold in Unleashed
B+ Fantasy comedy Written and directed by Finn Taylor You're going to figure out, very early on, how Unleashed will end. But that's okay. You don't go to this kind of movie to be surprised by the ending. You go to laugh. After a very bad breakup, Emma (Kate Micucci) moves to San Francisco with her … Continue reading Dog and cat find comedy gold in Unleashed
Death and virtual life in Marjorie Prime
A- Futuristic drama Written by Michael Almereyda; from the play by Jordan Harrison Directed by Michael Almereyda One of the hardest parts about losing a loved one is the knowledge that you will never talk to them again and hear a response. This moody, near-future drama posits a way that you just might be able … Continue reading Death and virtual life in Marjorie Prime
Broken Mile in seamless shot, but still broken
D+ Thriller Written and directed by Justin McConnell Note: I reviewed this film on the assumption that it would get a Bay Area theatrical release. Now, I'm not so sure. But I do know that it becomes available in home formats (VOD/DVD, etc.) today. Few one-shot feature films get made, and for good reason. They're … Continue reading Broken Mile in seamless shot, but still broken
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