Sunday, January 26, 2020 has proven to be an extraordinarily difficult and surreal day for hoops and sports fans in general. I'd like to pause my movie reviewing for a second to remember basketball player Kobe Bean Bryant, who passed away a day after Lebron James, currently of the Los Angeles Lakers, passed him for … Continue reading Just a Quick Thought: Remembering Kobe Bryant
#tragic
30 for 30: Seau
Release: Friday, September 21, 2018 (ESPN) →ESPN Directed by: Kirby Bradley When ESPN Films announced they would be making a documentary about Junior Seau, the megastar linebacker who played for over a decade for the San Diego Chargers and who tragically took his own life in 2012, I figured pretty much right then and there … Continue reading 30 for 30: Seau
It Comes at Night
Release: Friday, June 9, 2017 [Theater] Written by: Trey Edward Shults Directed by: Trey Edward Shults Trey Edward Shults' sophomore feature It Comes at Night is a psychological horror film that traps the audience along with two families in an abandoned house in the woods that, over the course of a slow-burning 90 minutes, turns into a cauldron … Continue reading It Comes at Night
Embrace of the Serpent
Release: Wednesday, February 17, 2016 (limited) [Vimeo] Written by: Ciro Guerra; Jacques Toulemonde Vidal Directed by: Ciro Guerra This review is my latest contribution to Mr. Rumsey's Film Related Musings. I would like to give a shout-out to James for allowing me to talk about this unique cinematic experience. Embrace of the Serpent (El Abrazo de La Serpiente) was Colombia's … Continue reading Embrace of the Serpent
30-for-30: Angry Sky
Release: Thursday, July 30, 2015 [Netflix] Directed by: Jeff Tremaine Tom Petty wrote a song once called "Learning to Fly." One lyric in particular stands out: 'Coming down is the hardest thing.' The song's harmless of course, but that part of the chorus seems hauntingly apt for the experiences of one Nick Piantanida, amateur parachute jumper and … Continue reading 30-for-30: Angry Sky
30-for-30: The Prince of Pennsylvania
Release: Tuesday, October 20, 2015 [Netflix] Directed by: Jesse Vile The Prince of Pennsylvania, a collection of testimonials about the life and times of Pennsylvania-based professional wrestlers who were wooed by eccentric millionaire John du Pont with promises of pristine training facilities and room-and-board to go along with the unique prospect of honing their skills without distraction, will go … Continue reading 30-for-30: The Prince of Pennsylvania
In the Heart of the Sea
Release: Friday, December 11, 2015 [Theater] Written by: Charles Leavitt; Rick Jaffa; Amanda Silver Directed by: Ron Howard From the infamously dangerous Nürburgring and into the heart of the sea Ron Howard has steered his cameras in an altogether new direction, facing the unenviable task of crafting a cinematic event based around the circumstances that inspired 19th Century writer … Continue reading In the Heart of the Sea
Beasts of No Nation
Release: Friday, October 16, 2015 (limited) [Netflix] Written by: Cary Joji Fukunaga Directed by: Cary Joji Fukunaga Beasts of No Nation represents another first for the mecca of online streaming media that is Netflix, becoming its first original feature-film debut, and a potent one at that. Despite voluntarily sacrificing potential business, major theater chains such as AMC, Regal and Carmike are throwing a hissy fit and refusing … Continue reading Beasts of No Nation
Straight Outta Compton
Release: Friday, August 14, 2015 [Theater] Written by: Jonathan Herman; Andrea Berloff Directed by: F. Gary Gray F. Gary Gray's first directorial outing in six years debuted last weekend to the most successful opening for a musical biopic in cinematic history. Ignoring the 20 years that have elapsed since the tragic passing of N.W.A founder Eazy-E the occasion might … Continue reading Straight Outta Compton
Maggie
Release: Friday, May 8, 2015 [iTunes] Written by: John Scott III Directed by: Henry Hobson In defense of a very deliberately paced, melancholic film misleadingly billed as a thriller, Maggie serves as Arnold Schwarzenegger's finest hour (and a half). Of course, describing Arnie's role here as the best thing he's ever done may seem a relative compliment. There has been … Continue reading Maggie
