★★★★★ The ever-elusive, eternally mysterious Bob Dylan has come to the big screen before at least once. Flashing back to 2007, Todd Haynes directed a puzzling take on Dylan’s life, wherein six different actors portrayed him at different stages in his life. Now, two-time Oscar nominee James Mangold takes a stab at demystifying the king … Continue reading Film Review: A Complete Unknown
Film Review: Lee
★★★★ Widely regarded as one of the greatest war correspondents of all time, famed photographer Lee Miller captured imagery during World War II that still provides us with an up close and personal picture of the concentration camps. A trio of writers (Marion Hume, John Collee, Liz Hannah) bring Lee's story to life with the … Continue reading Film Review: Lee
Film Review: Chevalier
★★ The not-at-all-surprising popularity of Bridgerton has seen a veritable spike in period-piece filmmaking. As with anything else, quality is often lost in the endless cycle of quantity. 2023’s Chevalier arrives with the greatest intentions in depicting the true story of one of the first known black classical composers and virtuoso violinists. Certainly, the costuming … Continue reading Film Review: Chevalier
SXSW 2023: Tetris
★★★★ Taron Egerton could read the phone book, and the project would be a must-see for this viewer. After first catching my eye in subversive spy comedy Kingsman: The Secret Service, Egerton has continued to deliver phenomenal performances. He was particularly show-stopping as Elton John in 2019’s phenomenal musical, Rocketman. Now, Egerton plays video game … Continue reading SXSW 2023: Tetris
Film Review: Emily
★★ Emily was a film I had been anticipating for what felt like eons, debuting all the way back at 2022’s Toronto International Film Festival. A simple period piece romance was expected, and Emily is absolutely not that kind of movie. Writer/director Frances O’Connor depicts a bleak and painfully slow biographical drama with little stylistic … Continue reading Film Review: Emily
TV Review: George & Tammy
For the second year in a row, Jessica Chastain portrays an iconic Tammy. This time around, Chastain (The Help, It Chapter Two) fills the shoes of legendary country artist Tammy Wynette, one half of a duo with successful solo musician, George Jones (Michael Shannon, Bug, Boardwalk Empire). While the two of them absolutely have a … Continue reading TV Review: George & Tammy
Film Review: Lady Chatterley’s Lover
★★★★ I have no familiarity whatsoever with D.H. Lawrence’s classic novel of the same name, Lady Chatterley’s Lover, but IMDB tells me that the material has certainly already seen its fair share of cinematic adaptations. However, I do believe this version is quite notable in that director Laure de Clermont-Tonnerre approaches the timeless story through … Continue reading Film Review: Lady Chatterley’s Lover
Film Review: Redeeming Love
★★ As new romance Redeeming Love opens, first to a Shakespeare quote about gold, then accompanied by twangy music and people hunting for gold in the swampy waters, I was a little unsure just what I had gotten myself into. Period-piece romances are hit or miss for me personally, as there is a fine line … Continue reading Film Review: Redeeming Love
TIFF 2021: The Electrical Life of Louis Wain
★★★★ (Written by Allison Brown) Looking for a film with a Burtonesque vision and similarities to 2014’s Big Eyes? The Electrical Life of Louis Wain, based on a true story, will hit the spot. Benedict Cumberbatch, who plays lead Louis Wain, has been receiving raving critic reception for his performance in another TIFF film, The … Continue reading TIFF 2021: The Electrical Life of Louis Wain
TIFF 2021: The Eyes of Tammy Faye
★★★★★ Armed with minimal knowledge about the film itself, I headed into my viewing of biographical dramedy The Eyes of Tammy Faye ready to see Jessica Chastain and Andrew Garfield knock it out of the park. Chronicling the rise and fall of the most famous televangelist couple of all time, Jim Bakker and Tammy Faye … Continue reading TIFF 2021: The Eyes of Tammy Faye