★★★★ (Written by Allison Brown) Arriving in a burst of flames, After the Fire brings a timely story of a family affected by omnipresent police brutality from a new perspective. The cinematography starts off at its peak with the opening credits and particularly, as it come to a close. A car slowly burning throughout … Continue reading TIFF 2023: After the Fire
Film Review: Retribution
★★★★ Another day, another Liam Neeson actioner racing to cinemas. In the wake of Taken’s outrageous success way back in 2008, Neeson appeared to be stuck doing carbon-copy rehashes of that same formula for quite some time. With Retribution, directed by genre vet Nimród Antal (2010’s Predators, Vacancy), I was afraid Neeson would again be … Continue reading Film Review: Retribution
Film Review: God is a Bullet
★★★★★ Based on the book of the same name by Boston Teran, God is a Bullet may be the feel-bad movie of the year. The film, written and directed by Nick Cassavetes (Alpha Dog, John Q), has especially gnarly gore sequences, coupled with explicit sexuality/violence—think: a modern, less horror-centric The Last House on the Left … Continue reading Film Review: God is a Bullet
Tribeca 2023: Maggie Moore(s)
★★★★ With a cast that includes Tina Fey and Jon Hamm, hopes were high for interesting title Maggie Moore(s) to hit the mark. Mad Men’s John Slattery takes on directing duties in a script from Paul Bernbaum (Halloweentown, Rent-a-Kid)—neither are strangers to crafting quirky characters or balancing darker tones. Sometimes a cozy darkly comedic crime-drama … Continue reading Tribeca 2023: Maggie Moore(s)
Tribeca 2023: He Went That Way
★★★ Anchored by a captivating, intense performance from Jacob Elordi, He Went That Way is a strange crime comedy based “mostly” on the true story of a traveling chimpanzee. Director Jeff Darling passed away shortly after filming wrapped, making the movie an understandably somber affair for all involved. That said, Darling would definitely be proud … Continue reading Tribeca 2023: He Went That Way
TV Review: The Crowded Room
Apple TV+ adds to an already stellar lineup (including The Afterparty, Servant, Black Bird, and Ted Lasso) with their new crime/mystery/thriller The Crowded Room. Starring an ensemble cast of rising talent, The Crowded Room is unique in the way it approaches how we view mental illness and trauma. Tom Holland delivers an acting masterclass that … Continue reading TV Review: The Crowded Room
TV Review: Love & Death
Last year, this critic personally passed on covering Hulu’s Candy, a true crime limited series featuring Jessica Biel and Melanie Lynskey in leading roles. Now almost exactly a year later, HBO Max drama Love & Death arrives, covering the exact same topic. What this iteration lacks in stylistic flourishes and period-piece costume and hairstyling it … Continue reading TV Review: Love & Death
Film Review: Mafia Mamma
★★★★ I can hear the Oscars introduction already: a cheesy misadventure featuring accidental deaths, sex-positive messages of female empowerment, and steel legs that ricochet bullets—this is Mafia Mamma. All joking aside, while Mafia Mamma will not win any awards, this comedy is worth its weight in severed fingers for the amount of fun I had … Continue reading Film Review: Mafia Mamma
Film Review: How to Blow Up a Pipeline
★★ Heist films and television are some of my favorites to watch, mainly because if genuinely well-executed, they are pulse-pounding and suspenseful. Peak television has gifted viewers with enthralling heists as featured in hits Breaking Bad, Animal Kingdom, and Mr. Robot, whilst cinematically, modern-day gems that include American Animals, Inception, and Baby Driver subvert expectations … Continue reading Film Review: How to Blow Up a Pipeline
Film Review: Boston Strangler
★★★ Who doesn’t love a good true crime story? Writer/director Matt Ruskin certainly adheres to the formula in Boston Strangler, based on the true proceedings. More than anything else, this thrilling drama exposes the truth behind the phantom specter that haunted the streets of Massachusetts as the body count of murdered women continued to rise. … Continue reading Film Review: Boston Strangler