Review: ‘Maestro’: An Ambitious Portrait with Missed Notes on Execution

Maestro is the second feature film directed by Bradley Cooper. He stars as Leonard Bernstein, alongside a wonderful Carey Mulligan who plays Bernstein’s wife Felicia Montealegre. Though Cooper starred, directed, and co-wrote (with Josh Singer) Maestro, Carey Mulligan is the film’s centerpiece. Several biopics in 2023, namely Priscilla and Napoleon, have focused intently on a relationship rather than the achievements of the main characters. This serves Maestro and Carey Mulligan well as she gives an incredible performance, moving throughout the decades from a spry young actress to a brittle aging woman. Cooper matches her brilliance by playing an energetic Bernstein who shows his love for his wife but also explores the sexuality of the composer who had many exploits with other men during and after his marriage.

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Review: ‘The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special’ Brings Home the Bacon

Tacking the words “Holiday Special” onto the end of a beloved franchise is guaranteed to raise some eyebrows regarding a film’s artistic integrity, but, thankfully, The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special has the mind of James Gunn working in its favor. It’s become abundantly clear over the past few years that Gunn is perhaps the most passionate filmmaker within the superhero movie circle, carrying a love for his misfit characters that makes all of his projects stand out amongst the never-ending output of superhero media in pop culture. So, when James Gunn wants to do an idea as inherently stupid as a Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special, he’s earned enough goodwill to convince audiences that the story serves some kind of purpose beyond profit. Although, granted, the project certainly wouldn’t have been greenlit if “Christmas Tree Groot” merchandise didn’t sell itself.

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Review: ‘Avengers: Endgame’ Provides a Proper Sendoff to Earth’s Mightiest Heroes

Everything below is spoiler free!

A year ago, I said Avenger: Infinity War was a glass half full situation. The two and a half hour behemoth predicated itself on a bevy of superficial consequences that had yet to be realized in part because characters who had “died” were inevitably going to get a sequel, but more importantly it was the first half of a two parter. 

But now we’re here. We’ve reached the end. The Endgame, and after 21 films in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, this is the culmination of an eleven year project that promised to bring Earth’s mightiest heroes — and then some — together to take on the mad titan. The fact that we arrived here, the twenty second film in a superhero franchise, and audiences still come in droves to their releases is pretty remarkable.

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