Many films released on streaming services in 2020 have been contending for my pick of “top film of 2020.” Unfortunately, The Wrong Missy is not one. Continue reading “Review: ‘The Wrong Missy’ Proves Happy Madison Can Be Bad Without Adam Sandler”
Review: You’ll Have a Good Time Watching ‘Have a Good Trip: Adventures in Psychedelics’
Have a Good Trip, a comedic documentary directed by Donick Cary, gives honest yet entertaining accounts of celebrities’ experiences with psychedelics. This documentary gives cautionary tales, thrilling anecdotes, and tips for when one wants to have their own trip. Continue reading “Review: You’ll Have a Good Time Watching ‘Have a Good Trip: Adventures in Psychedelics’”
Review: ‘How to Build a Girl’ is a Sweet Coming of Age Story With Plenty of Bite to It
Combining coming-of-age stories with rock music is an easy mix, it seems – whether it’s Almost Famous, Dazed & Confused, or even The Perks of Being a Wallflower, the subgenre of young characters’ emotional growth fueled by a backdrop of rock and roll is one that always seems to stay relevant, regardless of the few that don’t stick. 20 years after the genre’s peak, Coky Giedroyc’s How to Build a Girl, adapted from Caitlin Moran’s novel of the same name, joins the list. While it is far from original, it’s a worthwhile watch because it shines a new light on the genre. Continue reading “Review: ‘How to Build a Girl’ is a Sweet Coming of Age Story With Plenty of Bite to It”
Review: ‘The Half of It’ Is One “Whole” Of A Love Story
The Half of It is the latest in a series of straight-to-Netflix coming-of-age films. However, it has something that the rest of these films often lack: it’s genuinely good. The Half of It is Alice Wu’s sophomore directorial outing, and winner of The Founders Award for Best U.S. Narrative Feature at the Tribeca Film Festival. It follows a Cyrano de Bergerac-esque tale, set in a fictional small town in the Pacific Northwest. Continue reading “Review: ‘The Half of It’ Is One “Whole” Of A Love Story”
Review: ‘My Spy’ is Fun Enough for Your Self-Quarantine
It seems like every Hollywood fighter-turned-actor is getting their own kid-team-up movie. The Rock had The Game Plan, Arnold Schwarzenegger had Kindergarten Cop, Hulk Hogan had Mr. Nanny, Jackie Chan had The Spy Next Door, John Cena had Playing With Fire, and now Dave Bautista has My Spy. There’s just something appealing to directors about seeing these macho movie heroes paired with an adorable kid – it’s the kind of film that would appeal to a more general audience, not just those who love violence and explosions. Continue reading “Review: ‘My Spy’ is Fun Enough for Your Self-Quarantine”
Review: ‘Trolls: World Tour’ is a Surprisingly Good Sequel
The month of April usually sparks a new season full of new movies for all ages. However, due to Covid-19, most movies are getting postponed from their original release date, all except for one title. Trolls: World Tour was released online and is available for you to watch from the comfort of your own home. Continue reading “Review: ‘Trolls: World Tour’ is a Surprisingly Good Sequel”
Review: ‘Coffee & Kareem’ is a Hard-R “Comedy” With a Childish Sense of Humor
A movie featuring a guy being dismembered right at the start of its Netflix trailer can mean one of two things: it’s either gonna have great violence or it’s gonna be straight-up torture porn. Coffee & Kareem is the exception. Continue reading “Review: ‘Coffee & Kareem’ is a Hard-R “Comedy” With a Childish Sense of Humor”
Review: ‘Vitalina Varela’ is the Best and Most Challenging Film of the Year So Far
Vitalina Varela is playing online at Northwest Film Forum from March 27th to April 10th.
–
Art-house cinema has its fair share of auteurs who prefer to pace their films with great patience, be it Bela Tarr, or Terrence Malick, or Andrei Tarkovsky, or any other of the long list of names of who fit this particular bill. It is a facet that can allow such a director to delve deeper into whatever it is they have honed their focus upon, or even further activate the subconscious throughout the viewing, that is if the audience has the patience themselves. Portuguese filmmaker Pedro Costa — director of new film Vitalina Varela — is undoubtedly one of these directors. Continue reading “Review: ‘Vitalina Varela’ is the Best and Most Challenging Film of the Year So Far”
Review: ‘The Occupant’ is a Solidly Entertaining Thriller
It’s time to rely once again on the wild card of quality that is the Netflix original movie. The Occupant (“Hogar” in its original Spanish) is the tale of one down-on-his-luck advertising executive, Javier (Javier Gutiérrez), and his obsession with his former home and the family that now lives there. As the film progresses, Javier spirals further and further, stalking and manipulating the family, eventually culminating in a violent confrontation. Continue reading “Review: ‘The Occupant’ is a Solidly Entertaining Thriller”
Review: ‘Lost Girls’ Brings Forward Victims, Not Killers
Lost Girls is heartbreaking, alternating between bleak reality and the bittersweet hope that comes with unwavering persistence. The film, based on a true story, follows a woman’s fight to find her missing daughter and the numerous other lost girls she finds along the way. Continue reading “Review: ‘Lost Girls’ Brings Forward Victims, Not Killers”