Baird directs “Stan & Ollie,” a film that chronicles the late careers of the iconic comedy duo Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy as they embark on their final theater tour. During the tour however, they come to realize that they’re not as popular as they used to be, nor as young and spritzy.In this film, both Stan and Ollie (played by Steve Coogan and John C Reilly respectively) have realized that audiences are no longer looking to them for comedic solace, and know other, fresher duos are taking ...
Tish and Fonny, separated by a clear window at a local jail, speak to one another on the phone. Through just a few words, their love is palpable, and through just a few glances, their separation is painful. We, as viewers, are quickly anchored to the characters. In many respects, the director, Barry Jenkins, and the lead actress, Kiki Layne, had a similar effect. As I sat across from these two Hollywood stars, I expected our interaction to have a distance comparable to that of an audience member ...
If youâve kept up with the DC extended universe (DCEU), which, as lowly box office sales report, many of you have not -- then you are probably looking forward to James Wanâs âAquamanâ coming out this weekend.For those not keeping their thumbs on the dying pulse of Warner Bros. attempt at a cinematic universe, âAquamanâ follows Arthur Curry (Jason Momoa) as he is torn between the âsurface worldâ and Atlantis; with a war on the horizon, he must find a sacred trident in order to stop ...
When you decide to watch a documentary about food, whether itâs a feature length piece on the industry as a whole (ala âFood, Inc.â) or an episode from Food Networkâs seemingly endless supply of shows about chefs eating food at other restaurants, thereâs always the expectation that youâll at least get to look at some tantalizing shots of the meals themselves.But âChef Flynnâ is a food documentary that spends very little time dwelling on the food itself. There are no slow-motion shots ...
Directed by Steven Caple Jr, âCreed IIâ ties the new franchise closer to the âRockyâ series, summoning a sequel thatâs tied closely to the events of the fourth âRockyâ film. In this latest installment, Adonis Creed (Michael B. Jordan) is challenged by Ivan Drago (Dolph Lundgren) and his son (Florian Munteanu) to a boxing match, a fight that carries an incredible amount of baggage, for both Creed and Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone). This fight is an opportunity for Creed to not only ...
The simple routine that Ralph and Vanellope (Sarah Silverman) have at the beginning of âRalph Breaks the Internetâ is suddenly upheaved when Ralph (John C. Reilly), the loveable and naive good-guy who is unable to avoid his destructive behavior, ends up breaking his best friendâs game.The owner of the arcade canât afford the necessary replacement part online, so he has to scrap the game that Vanellope calls home.Ralphâs guilt leads him to abandon the familiarity of the arcade and traverse ...
What is the power of influence over film?I can still recall with amazing clarity when I first saw Faye Dunawayâs devious smile in the classic âBonnie and Clyde.â There is also Warren Beatty donning his handsome mug and plenty of violence and gore to knock the socks off any movie-going audience. That film focuses on two criminals who fall in love while pulling off a series of ever-escalating and audacious heists, while also exploring themes of sexuality, criminality, and identity.âEl Ãngel,â ...
Jason Reitmanâs latest film tells the true story of Senator Gary Hart (Hugh Jackman), who was embroiled in a controversy regarding an extramarital affair while running for the Presidency in 1988. The film covers the three weeks from when the information reaches the press, to when he eventually drops out of the race. âThe Frontrunnerâ however never has anything to say, and just lets the story unfold without ever divulging anything interesting.The film is undeniably topical, and asks the question ...
Even if one hasnât seen Buster Keatonâs films, they are sure to have seen one of the many gags he created in other iconic films and television. Buster Keaton was not only an incredibly comedic performer, but also a filmmaking pioneer. In this entertaining tribute, Director Peter Bogdanovich shows just how his comedy bits and setpieces, especially in the 1920s, kept pushing the boundaries of what could be possible on the silver screen. Buster Keaton started performing at a very young age for ...
It is hard to quantify the true face of war. Everyday, people look at the news and hear stories about mass deaths, violence and acts of pure evil in different war-torn countries, where ordinary people have become victims â victims who need to have their stories told. Most are lucky to have a safe detachment from these warring corners of the world, but some brave few are tasked to bring those stories back home, who feel compelled to inform the public about these injustices. Marie Colvin was one ...
