Release: Friday, April 24, 2020 (Netflix) →Netflix Written by: Joe Russo Directed by: Sam Hargrave The more cynical takeaway here is that Extraction exists for no other purpose than to prove that the three -- er, make it four -- Marvel Cinematic Universe alums who have made it possible are capable of more hard-hitting, violent movies. The marketing … Continue reading Extraction
#crazy
The Platform (El Hoyo)
Release: Friday, March 20, 2020 →Netflix Written by: David Desola; Pedro Rivero Directed by: Galder Gaztelu-Urrutia In any other year the Spanish-produced, dystopian horror/thriller The Platform would still be an interesting albeit nauseating allegory for the dog-eat-dog world in which we live. Now, in the era of a global pandemic, with priorities shifted and critical resources running in … Continue reading The Platform (El Hoyo)
Yesterday
Release: Friday, June 28, 2019 →HBO Written by: Richard Curtis Directed by: Danny Boyle Imagine all the people living day to day without the music of the Beatles. Imagine John Lennon aging into his 70s, living a quiet life with an un-famous instead of infamous significant other. And imagine being Jack Malik (Himesh Patel), the only one in … Continue reading Yesterday
Uncut Gems
Release: Christmas Day 2019 →Theater Written by: Ronald Bronstein; Josh and Benny Safdie Directed by: Josh and Benny Safdie If they have proven anything in their last two movies it's that few filmmakers stress you out quite like the New York born-and-bred Safdie brothers. Uncut Gems is, in a word, intense. This is a very aggressive mood piece that … Continue reading Uncut Gems
Parasite
Release: Friday, November 8, 2019 →Theater Written by: Bong Joon Ho; Jin Won Han Directed by: Bong Joon Ho I don't know why, or how, I have never seen a Bong Joon Ho movie before now. The South Korean filmmaker is one of those major voices of world cinema that's hard to ignore. Yet here I am, crawling … Continue reading Parasite
The Lighthouse
Release: Friday, October 18, 2019 →Theater Written by: Max Eggers; Robert Eggers Directed by: Robert Eggers In 2016 Robert Eggers transitioned from production designer to director. Even then it was clear he was a filmmaker with uncommon confidence and intelligence, concocting a truly unsettling period piece in the supernatural horror The Witch. His experiences designing the look and … Continue reading The Lighthouse
30 for 30: Rodman: For Better or Worse
Release: Tuesday, September 10, 2019 (ESPN) →ESPN Directed by: Todd Kapostasy Love him, hate him or indifferent to him you can't really get away with saying you don't know who Dennis Rodman is. Few American athletes have received the attention that the former so-called "Bad Boy" has. How much of that has been self-inflicted and … Continue reading 30 for 30: Rodman: For Better or Worse
Month in Review: September ’19
I don't really know what happened, but in September I found a bit more rhythm and motivation to put up content. Maybe I was starting to feel guilty calling myself a "blogger" by putting up nothing but empty wrap-around posts and the occasional streamed review (see August -- that was dire!). I have been one … Continue reading Month in Review: September ’19
Ad Astra
Release: Friday, September 20, 2019 →Theater Written by: Ethan Gross; James Gray Directed by: James Gray Ad Astra is not the increasingly familiar, inspiring saga of human achievement the marketing has been pitching it as. It's something much more honest and intriguing -- a terrifyingly lonely quest for truth that dares put us in our place and puts potential limits … Continue reading Ad Astra
The Wandering Earth
Release: Monday, May 6, 2019 (Netflix) →Netflix Written by: Gong Ge'er; Junce Ye; Yan Dongxu; Yang Zhixue; Frant Gwo Directed by: Frant Gwo Describing The Wandering Earth as an ambitious movie is an understatement. That's like saying Game of Thrones and Breaking Bad had cult followings. The sheer scale and spectacle on display make the likes of Michael Bay and Peter … Continue reading The Wandering Earth
