Jackie (2016)

Jackie (2016)

The opening frames of Jackie lead one to believe they’re about to see a horror film. One wouldn’t be far off. The camera rests on Natalie Portman’s solemn face, staring off into the distance, as Mica Levi’s heart-rending score pounds out strained, delirious notes. It’s a jarring opening for a… Continue reading

Brooklyn (2015)

Brooklyn (2015)

Brooklyn is a classic, beautifully shot romance that is one of the season’s true crowd-pleasing features. It doesn’t contain a lot of surprises or stakes, but commands attention with well-drawn, likable characters, a convincing sense of time and place, and a fantastic lead performance from Saoirse Ronan. It’s also a moving… Continue reading

The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014)

The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014)

The Grand Budapest Hotel is a celebration of all things filmmaking. Director Wes Anderson, one of the most creative minds in film history, has crafted an original, witty, and emphatically entertaining experience that belongs in his top tier of work. And his bottom tier is better than most top tiers.… Continue reading

Wild (2014)

Wild (2014)

Wild chronicles Cheryl Strayed’s 1,100 mile journey along the Pacific Crest Trail in 1995. It’s a story of personal enlightenment and redemption, well-told and acted, and beautifully photographed. The film doesn’t trek over new ground, but its stream-of-consciousness narrative style and an Oscar-worthy turn from Reese Witherspoon raise it above the… Continue reading

Birdman (2014)

Birdman (2014)

Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) is a true original; a work of technical wizardry, virtuoso acting, and compelling storytelling unlike anything we’ve seen before. Featuring only a few locations and long, single takes of dialogue-driven material, the film never lets up for an instant and always keeps the viewer on… Continue reading

12 Years a Slave (2013)

12 Years a Slave (2013)

You pretty much know what you’re getting into with any movie dealing realistically with slavery. You’re going to be mad, you’re going to be sad, and you’re going to be ashamed that this was ever considered okay in our humanity’s history. 12 Years a Slave doesn’t contain any groundbreaking revelations… Continue reading

Hitchcock (2012)

Hitchcock (2012)

Hitchcock is a breezy and fairly entertaining biopic about the events surrounding Alfred Hitchcock’s life leading up to and during the filming of Psycho. The title might lead one to believe this is an all-encompassing film about his whole life, but the movie takes place over a matter of tumultuous… Continue reading

Black Swan (2010)

Black Swan (2010)

Finally, a movie that depicts how women in a competitive environment actually feel about each other – at least I think. Black Swan is a spellbinding psychological thriller, a genre whose entrants have been sparse in recent history. Working with a fantastic cast and a first-rate script, director Darren Aronofsky… Continue reading