“Knives Out”, written and directed by Rian Johnson, has an Oscar nomination for Johnson’s original screenplay. The critical and commercial success of this immensely gratifying whodunnit is due, in very large part, to the fact that they don’t make them like this any more. At least not for the big screen. The enormous popularity of […]
To some critics, this fantasy in which a disabled abused woman heroically challenges the male power structure is perfectly timed for the #MeToo movement. Actually, I think it is far more ambitious than that. The film seems to predict the actual reversal of the power structure in the future because men are no longer able, […]
I saw this one on TV, over two days, so it feels right for my review to be shorter, less analytical. I liked the film, and it’s worth your time. Fashion designer Tom Ford wrote and directed it, which helps explain why it looks so great. But the casting, acting, and editing are just as […]
It is 1970 and Elvis is in deep funk. He sees the kids losing faith in America, defying the law, race- rioting in the streets. He just knows that drugs are the cause, and the country needs his help bad. He conceives of the idea of going undercover as a Federal Agent-at-Large, appointed by the president, […]
A well-made western is fun as well as satisfying because the formula is one we’re familiar with, and we want that kind of movie experience. Directed by Ramin Bahrani, from a script he co-wrote with Amir Naderi, 99 Homes is not a western; it takes place in contemporary Florida. Instead of embattled, poor farmers (the […]
