“Hard Luck Love Song” is based on a country music song. The script doesn’t just borrow a line here or there. Nearly all the major story points match lyrics from singer/songwriter Todd Snider’s 2006 ballad “Just Like Old Times”. And the film’s unconventional nature doesn’t end there. The first half hour or so is basically […]
Following feature film versions of “Sex and the City”, “Entourage” and “Deadwood”, it was only a matter of time before HBO got around to “The Sopranos”. But how do you dare attempt to continue the saga of one of the most beloved drama series in TV history? The answer is to go back in time. […]
“Blue Bayou” comes from writer, director and actor Justin Chon. In this case, Chon’s most impressive talent of the three is his acting. He plays Antonio, a Korean American man who has lived in the U.S. since he was three years old. He’s currently a tattoo artist in New Orleans and is married to Kathy […]
“The Card Counter” is writer/director Paul Schrader’s first film since 2018’s “First Reformed”. That movie earned Schrader the first Oscar nomination of his decades-long, critically-acclaimed career. It had a unique, polarizing story and featured a top-notch performance from Ethan Hawke. The strength of “The Card Counter” is also the central character, more specifically the idea […]
“Worth” is based on a remarkable true story — with one of the worst tragedies in American history as a backdrop. If it wasn’t true… if Kenneth Feinberg wasn’t a real person… there’s no way this movie could’ve been made. But writer Max Borenstein (of WB’s Monsterverse films) and director Sara Colangelo (“The Kindergarten Teacher”) […]
Earlier this year, three-time Oscar nominated director Stephen Daldry shot a new movie over 10 days, which then aired in the UK on BBC Two. Bleecker Street picked-up the North American distribution rights to “Together” and is now releasing it in theaters. It’s rare for an overseas ‘Made for TV’ movie to get theatrical play […]
Within the horror movie genre sits a gated community of films about haunted houses inhabited by troubled owners — past and present. “The Night House” attempts to rise to the top floor of this group. Unfortunately, the most mysterious element of director David Bruckner’s creation is its title. The meaning isn’t revealed until the final […]
When Aretha Franklin died in August 2018, the Hollywood floodgates burst open with projects on the Queen of Soul. First came the 2019 documentary “Amazing Grace”, which featured incredible footage of Franklin’s 1972 live recordings of that iconic, Grammy award-winning Gospel album. Then word of dueling biopics emerged: NatGeo premiered its TV miniseries “Genius: Aretha”, […]
“Nine Days” is a rarity these days: a truly “original” movie. Japanese/Brazilian writer/director Edson Oda has created a two-hour fantasy drama that’s not based on a book, comic book, TV series or true events. Nor is it an extension of a franchise. This is a standalone, one-of-a-kind story that oozes with ambition and definitely provides […]
Author Jojo Moyes’ 2012 novel, “Me Before You” was turned into a movie in 2016 — and was one of the best films of that year. Off that success, another Moyes book has been given the feature film treatment. “The Last Letter From Your Lover”, based on her 2008 novel, is now on Netflix. Felicity […]