It was the first true “summer blockbuster”. Now a half-century after its release, National Geographic and director Laurent Bouzereau (“Faye”, “Music by John Williams”) present a fun and engrossing new documentary analyzing the making and impact of one of Steven Spielberg’s most beloved movies. “Jaws” is the favorite film of the lovely Emily Blunt (who […]
Barbara Walters was a television icon who still serves as an inspiration to many in the media, especially women in journalism and broadcasting. I grew up watching her on “The View”, as well as her Academy Awards and “10 Most Fascinating People” specials. Had the chance to meet her in 2010. She called me “Handsome”, […]
As a fan of sports dramas, I was intrigued by the premise of “Heavyweight” — a ticking clock, ’90 minutes before the boxing match’ thriller set primarily in one location: the locker room. And the cast includes Jason Isaacs, who was outstanding in another ‘single room’ drama, 2021’s “Mass”. Had the chance to screen “Heavyweight”, […]
“Ex-Husbands” is a mildly pleasant and occasionally charming dramedy that works more often than it doesn’t. Much of the credit goes to star Griffin Dunne, who keeps you engaged, delivering a great performance as Peter. He’s a dentist in the midst of separating from his wife, and his dad (who divorced his longtime wife at […]
The Super Bowl is less than two weeks away. I’m rooting for a certain team in green (Fly Eagles Fly!). For Wisconsin farmer Buck (played by Craig T. Nelson) in the new film “Green and Gold”, he’s hoping the Green Bay Packers make it all the way to the Big Game — and win — […]
A new documentary on legendary singer Liza Minnelli has a solid start, with an introduction that makes us feel like we’re about to experience something important and, well, terrific. And the set-up also presents a very interesting question: What do you do when your world famous mother (one of the most recognizable people on the […]
“Dance First” is a unique title for a unique movie. This is a biopic drama about Samuel Beckett, the writer of many works, including “Waiting for Godot”. He’s played by Gabriel Byrne, who delivers an excellent performance. The film opens in 1969, in black and white, when Beckett wins the Nobel Prize for Literature. He’s […]
“Robot Dreams” was an Academy Award nominee this past season for Best Animated Feature, and it won the Annie Award for Best Independent Animated Feature. NEON gave it a limited release to qualify at the end of 2023 and screened it in select theaters nationwide for one night just before the Oscars. Now, one of […]
“Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory” is one of my favorite movies of all-time. I like the 2005 Johnny Depp/Tim Burton version as well. (This latest “Wonka” with Timothee Chalamet… not so much.) I think Gene Wilder will always be remembered for playing Willy Wonka, along with many other films, including collaborations with Mel Brooks […]
The French film “Driving Madeleine” is primarily about two characters. Madeleine is 92 years old. She gets into a taxi cab with a driver named Charles, who’s 46 — exactly half her age. They go through Paris and must get from one place to another, and we soon realize there are going to be a […]