Oscar-nominated director and screenwriter Tony Gilroy is no stranger to crafting stories surrounding espionage, spies, agencies, double-crossing and deal-making with money and lives on the line. His resume includes the first four “Bourne” films, “Michael Clayton”, “State of Play” and “Duplicity”. “Beirut” is familiar and comfortable territory for Gilroy, who’s written a complex, intertwined and […]
The Black Panther character was first introduced to the Cinematic Universe in 2016’s “Captain America: Civil War”, with “42” and “Get On Up” actor Chadwick Boseman in the role of Marvel’s prominent African American superhero. This new solo movie, which picks-up just days after the events of “Civil War“, has a distinct feel and style […]
Ferdinand the Bull first appeared on the big screen in a 1938 Oscar-winning Disney animated short. He’s now been given the feature-length treatment thanks to Blue Sky Studios, best known for the “Ice Age” films. Two years ago their “Peanuts Movie” was a gentle, thoughtful and surprisingly deep adaptation of a classic property. “Ferdinand”, which […]
“Molly’s Game” marks the directorial debut of “The West Wing” creator and “The Social Network” writer Aaron Sorkin. He also penned the screenplay. And just to make sure you know that “Molly’s Game” is an Aaron Sorkin movie, the opening scene features incredibly fast editing and rapid-fire narration from the title character, played by Jessica […]
When I first learned about “Downsizing”, I was surprised that Alexander Payne was attached to direct. His two previous films, “The Descendants” and “Nebraska”, were so grounded in real life events. A sci-fi fantasy about a guy who becomes really, really small seemed like a major departure for Payne. Because of the premise and marketing, […]
Actress Gloria Grahame won an Academy Award for her performance in 1952’s “The Bad and the Beautiful”. She also had roles in numerous other Hollywood classics, including “It’s a Wonderful Life”, “Oklahoma!” and “The Greatest Show on Earth”. Grahame was married four times, but it’s a late-in-life romance (post-divorce No. 4) that’s the focus of […]
Anyone who’s seen the trailers for “American Assassin” knows exactly how the film begins: Mitch Rapp (played by “The Maze Runner”‘s Dylan O’Brien) proposes to his girlfriend on a tropical beach while on vacation, only to lose her minutes later during a terrorist attack. And yet, as I was watching this intense opening scene of […]
“Patti Cake$” is a combination of “Rocky”, “Cinderella” and “8 Mile”. Writer/director Geremy Jasper is counting on audiences losing themselves in the underdog story of a New Jersey girl and her dreams of becoming a famous rap artist, ignoring the film’s many flaws along the way. And you know what? Thanks to Danielle Macdonald’s stunning, […]
So far in 2017, Woody Harrelson has taken-on the villain role in “War for the Planet of the Apes”, the lead in the quirky indie comedy “Wilson”, and he made history by writing, directing and starring in the first-ever “live” movie, “Lost in London”. Still to come: the sheriff character in “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, […]
“Rise of the Planet of the Apes” was a surprise box office and critical hit in 2011. 2014’s “Dawn of the Planet of the Apes” impressed audiences even more. Now the conclusion of this trilogy, “War for the Planet of the Apes”, allows this franchise to go out swinging, though not quite as high as […]