Movie Reviews (Chronological)
Onward’s Frivolous Fantasy
Looking for an escape from sheltering-at-home familiarity, I turned to America’s most reliable animation studio. But Pixar’s Onward remains stuck in uninspired tropes.
Catching Up With Cléo from 5 to 7
In which I begin posting thoughts on the movies I’m watching during the 2020 season of COVID-19 lockdown. First up? A beloved French New Wave masterpiece by Agnes Varda.
Before Mulan… we had Whale Rider.
Before you see Niki Caro’s reinvention of Mulan, discover her 2003 film about another young female hero who subverts the expectations of her people and overturns restrictive patriarchal traditions.
Vagabond (1985)
My enthusiasm for Agnes Varda’s documentaries has prompted many to recommend her narrative features. This week, I caught up with Vagabond.
Knife in the Water (1962)
Another in my “Less than 500 words” reviews: I finally caught up with Roman Polanski’s breakout thriller.
1917 (2019)
Even if we grant 1917 the distinction of being the first war film to play from beginning to end as one unbroken scene, I think we must also conclude that it’s less than the sum of its part.
Ford v Ferrari (2019)
Race cars. Guys with clenched jaws. Bromances. Grudge matches. A good wife back home tucking the moppet into bed at night. This is sure to be a big hit.
Guest review: Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood
Guest reviewer Damian Arlyn considers the place of Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood in director Quentin Tarantino’s oeuvre.
Wild Rose (2019)
Wild Rose has the stuff to be the year’s biggest crowdpleaser… but it’s already disappearing from theaters. Don’t let it get away.
The Farewell (2019)
The summer’s most surprising hit, The Farewell has almost every critic singing its praises. Me, I might be a heartless monster, because I wasn’t moved by it at all.