Month in Review: June ’19

July 3, 2019July 3, 2019 / Tom / 16 Comments

To those people still reading or starting to read me: This month, as in July, I'm being told by the folks behind the scenes that it's my eighth year of "flying with WordPress" which is a pretty amazing thing. I'm not sure whether I'll be doing anything in observance of that landmark -- in the … Continue reading Month in Review: June ’19

Unicorn Store

June 27, 2019June 27, 2019 / Tom / 3 Comments

Release: Friday, April 5, 2019 (Netflix) →Netflix Written by: Samantha MacIntyre Directed by: Brie Larson Very much like a unicorn the directorial début of Brie Larson is a colorful curiosity. Unicorn Store reunites her with her Captain Marvel co-star, Samuel L. Jackson, albeit under entirely different circumstances. Instead of trying to prevent intergalactic war here we're dealing with a … Continue reading Unicorn Store

Pokémon: Detective Pikachu

May 16, 2019May 17, 2019 / Tom / 9 Comments

Release: Friday, May 10, 2019 →Theater Written by: Dan Hernandez; Benji Samit; Derek Connolly; Rob Letterman Directed by: Rob Letterman Sure, there's Pokémon GO! now, but to me the colorful collection of "pocket monsters" will always be a trading card craze, and, weirdly, one of the only defining memories I have of the 18 months … Continue reading Pokémon: Detective Pikachu

Top That! My Ten Favorite Films of 2018 (plus something extra!)

March 1, 2019 / Tom / 20 Comments

So it has been at least a year since I came up with one of these, but there has never been a better time than now, after another Oscars has come and gone. 2018 was a slower year for me in terms of movie consumption and posting, with 32 reviews total, including two 30 for … Continue reading Top That! My Ten Favorite Films of 2018 (plus something extra!)

The Marvelous Brie Larson — #2

February 28, 2019 / Tom / 5 Comments

Welcome back to another edition of my latest Actor Profile, The Marvelous Brie Larson, a monthly series revolving around the silver screen performances of one of my favorite actresses. (If you are a newcomer to this series, here is a link to the original post). Also this, from the first installment: The idea behind this … Continue reading The Marvelous Brie Larson — #2

Velvet Buzzsaw

February 22, 2019February 23, 2019 / Tom / 11 Comments

Release: Friday, February 1, 2019 (Netflix) →Netflix Written by: Dan Gilroy Directed by: Dan Gilroy Beauty is in the eye of the soon-to-be-murdered in Velvet Buzzsaw, the new film from writer/director Dan Gilroy, who made his mark back in 2014 with the sensationally gripping Nightcrawler. His third directorial feature following 2017's collaboration with Denzel Washington on Roman J. Israel, Esq., Velvet … Continue reading Velvet Buzzsaw

The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part

February 15, 2019 / Tom / 8 Comments

Release: Friday, February 8, 2019 →Theater Written by: the Lord Philip; Christopher, a distinguished member of the Miller clan Directed by: someone of indeterminate skill (Mike Mitchell) Cough. It'snotasgoodasthefirst. Cough. Excuse me. The weather lately, I'm definitely under it -- while also being totally over it. It was in the 60s last Friday, mere days after a cold … Continue reading The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part

Stan & Ollie

February 11, 2019 / Tom / 15 Comments

Release: Friday, December 28, 2018 (limited) →Theater Written by: Jeff Pope Directed by: Jon S. Baird Unlike the lengthy run the real-life subjects enjoyed in their careers, director Jon S. Baird's passion project Stan & Ollie seems over before it has even begun. This isn't me knocking the film for being slight, but because I enjoyed each precious minute like … Continue reading Stan & Ollie

The Ballad of Buster Scruggs

January 29, 2019January 29, 2019 / Tom / 5 Comments

Release: Friday, November 9, 2018 (limited) →Netflix Written by: Joel Coen; Ethan Coen Directed by: Ethan Coen; Joel Coen For a fleeting moment The Ballad of Buster Scruggs, the new Coen brothers film -- a big shiny red apple waiting to be plucked from the ever-growing Netflix tree -- was also available for more traditional consumption in theaters. But who … Continue reading The Ballad of Buster Scruggs

The Upside

January 18, 2019January 18, 2019 / Tom / 8 Comments

Whoops, wrong poster. That's my fault. Here we go: Release: Friday, January 11, 2019 →Theater Written by: Jon Hartmere Directed by: Neil Burger I am an unapologetic fan of Kevin Hart. He's the reason I stood in the line that never was for The Upside, an update of a hugely successful French film from 2011 that goes by several … Continue reading The Upside