Communication Builds Our Community
Communication Builds Our Community
Sorted by date Results 26 - 50 of 50
"American Fiction" offers us some great satire performed by a stellar cast. Directed and written by the talented Cord Jefferson and starring Jeffrey Wright, this film is a masterpiece in both storytelling and social commentary. This movie is about an African American writer whose books are not accepted by publishers because they don't fit certain specific expected African American themes. This is based on a book written 20 years ago but the issues are still true today. As an...
I recently had the opportunity to watch Dan Levy's directorial debut, Good Grief, on Netflix. Dan Levy is best known for his comedy Schitt's Creek. I love that show, it's hilarious. When he entered into a deal to create content with Netflix I was and still am looking forward to anything he does. "Good Grief," is a heartfelt exploration of grief, friendship, and self-discovery. While it may not land every comedic or dramatic beat perfectly, it offers a tender, character-driven...
This is a dark comedy starring Natalie Portman, Julianne Moore and Charles Melton in a story loosely based on Mary Kay Letourneau and her affair with one of her young students. It is directed by Todd Haynes. In this film, Natalie Portman plays Elizabeth, an actress who is going to play a part in a movie based on the relationship between Gracie and Joe, played respectfully by Julianne Moore and Charles Melton. The movie takes place in Savannah Georgia, a beautiful historic...
The beloved story of Celie Johnson is returned to the big screen, and this time, it's singing its heart out. "The Color Purple" (2023) is a triumphant musical adaptation of Alice Walker's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, and it's a testament to the enduring power of this timeless tale. The film is actually based upon the Broadway musical more than the book, even though it's basically the same story. I had seen the original movie and I did read the book once upon a time. I had...
I was a bit delayed watching Aquaman 2 as I was gone over the holidays. I finally got to see it recently. I went into Aquaman 2 expecting a shipwreck, weighed down by the negativity swirling around it. But surprisingly, I found myself bobbing to the surface, entertained and enjoying it. Don't get me wrong, it's not a cinematic masterpiece, but it delivered a fun, albeit uneven, underwater adventure. So this is the last Snyder verse movie. Everybody knew going into this movie...
I'll admit, I walked into the new Wonka movie bracing myself for disappointment. The shadow of Gene Wilder's iconic performance loomed large, and the more recent Johnny Depp version didn't exactly instill confidence. But, much like discovering a golden ticket tucked beneath a wrapper, I found myself pleasantly surprised by this chocolatey adventure. This movie was directed by Paul King who is known for his recent Paddington Bear movies. The cast did a good job. Timothée...
I watched Zack Snyder's Rebel Moon movie, recently released on Netflix. While Snyder doesn't always get it right, I like looking at whatever he does. He is known for the Man of Steel and other DC superhero movies. Rebel Moon part 1 delivers a visually stunning sci-fi spectacle with great characters and wonderful special effects. Sofia Boutella shines as Kora, a warrior haunted by her past who seeks to become the unlikely savior of a peaceful moon farming colony. Ed Skrein is e...
This is not the best Disney movie ever. Not even close. Frozen it is not. However I enjoyed it very much. This movie seems to be a tribute to 100 years of Disney. One of the characters is 100 years old. The movie is filled with nods to other popular Disney movies. While "Wish" might not be an instant Disney classic, it offers a charming exploration of the power of wishes, both granted and ungranted. I especially loved how the film emphasized that the journey toward your...
Director Ridley Scott's latest epic, "Napoleon," is a captivating portrayal of the rise and fall of the French Emperor. I have been looking forward to this Napoleon movie for a while. This is a massive project for any director to take on and I was looking forward to seeing what Ridley Scott does with it. This movie is long at 2 and 1/2 hours. We are promised a much longer version on Apple+ sometime later (which I will of course watch). With its grand scale, sweeping vistas,...
"The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes" is a captivating and suspenseful prequel to the beloved dystopian trilogy. I read the book several years back and very much enjoyed it. Set 64 years before Katniss Everdeen volunteers as tribute, the movie follows the ambitious and cunning Coriolanus Snow, a young man from a prominent but poor family in the opulent Capitol. When he is selected as a mentor for District 12 tribute Lucy Gray Baird, a defiant and talented musi...
"What Happens Later," stands out as a refreshing and poignant exploration of second chances and rekindled love amidst the backdrop of mature relationships. This romantic comedy stars Meg Ryan and is also directed by Meg Ryan. This is her second directorial effort. The film revolves around Willa (Ryan) and Bill (David Duchovny), two former college sweethearts who unexpectedly reunite after decades of separation, finding themselves snowed in at a regional airport overnight....
Martin Scorsese's new film, Killers of the Flower Moon, is a sprawling epic about the serial murder of Osage Nation members in 1920s Oklahoma. The film is based on the best-selling book of the same name by David Grann, and it stars Leonardo DiCaprio, Robert De Niro, and Lily Gladstone. I read this book back in 2019. I thought it was an excellent book and I thought then that it should be a movie. The film's acting is top-notch, with all three leads delivering excellent...
Strange Way of Life is a 31-minute 2023 Spanish Western drama written and directed by Pedro Almodóvar starring Pedro Pascal and Ethan Hawke. It's a gay cowboy movie that I have been looking forward to all summer. The film follows Silva (Pascal), a gunslinger who rides into town to visit his old friend, now Sheriff Jake (Hawke) after 25 years. Silva is in love with Jake. However, there is more to this reunion. Almodóvar explores the complex relationship between the two men w...
Zachary Levi is back as Shazam, a teenager, who can turn into an adult superhero, and his band of foster siblings who are trying to save the world from angry Greek gods. There's a lot of silliness in this as kids are trying to be grown ups in this superhero adventure. I laughed a lot at this. Some jokes are cheesy though. Helen Mirren, the Queen herself, and Lucy Liu are the villians in this. They play Daughters of Atlas trying to reclaim the world for themselves somehow. Ther...
Kenneth Branagh's latest Hercule Poirot film, A Haunting in Venice, is a haunted house movie but isn't that scary. It is a surprisingly enjoyable and suspenseful mystery. While it may not be the most original or groundbreaking film of the year, it's well-made, well-acted, beautifully shot and fun. The film is set in the atmospheric city of Venice, where Poirot is invited to investigate a series of mysterious deaths at a séance. The cast is full of talented actors, including Br...
I finally got to see Blue Beetle over the weekend. This is a superhero character I had never heard of. Blue Beetle is a fun and enjoyable superhero film that brings a fresh perspective to the genre. Xolo Maridueña delivers a charming and charismatic performance as Jaime Reyes, a young man who stumbles upon an alien scarab that grants him extraordinary powers. Together with his family and friends, he must learn to control his newfound abilities and use them to protect his...
Red, White & Royal Blue is a fun, silly, and heartwarming romantic comedy about the unlikely romance between Alex Claremont-Diaz, the son of the United States President, and Prince Henry of Wales. The film is based on the bestselling novel of the same name by Casey McQuiston. I have not read the best-selling book but now I fully intend to. The film's two leads, Taylor Zakhar Perez and Nicholas Galitzine, are perfectly cast as Alex and Henry. Perez brings a lot of charisma and...
Happiness for Beginners is a July, 2023 romantic comedy film that follows Helen Carpenter, a 32-year-old woman who, in an attempt to rebuild her life after a difficult divorce, signs up for an extended hike in the Appalachian Mountains. Along the way, she encounters Jake Taylor, a handsome doctor who is friends with her brother and obviously has a crush on her. The protagonist is annoying and obnoxious. I wanted to smack her at several points during the movie. The film,...
The newest release from streaming service Hulu is Rye Lane, a fun and enjoyable romantic comedy that follows two youngsters reeling from bad break-ups who connect over a particularly eventful day in South London. The film is directed by Raine Allen Miller in her feature film debut, and stars David Jonsson and Vivian Oparah as Dom and Yas, respectively. The film's strengths lie in its characters, its humor, and its setting. Dom and Yas are both relatable and likable...
It's Barbenheimer weekend...the other half! I saw Oppenheimer first, but now I've caught up by viewing Barbie, the other blockbuster movie, this past weekend. Barbie is a 2023 American live-action comedy film directed by Greta Gerwig and written by Gerwig and Noah Baumbach. The film stars Margot Robbie as Barbie, Ryan Gosling as Ken, America Ferrera, Simu Liu, Kate McKinnon, Alexandra Shipp, Will Ferrell, and Issa Rae. Rhea Perlman, Carla from Cheers, makes an appearance t...
Movie goers were really excited this past weekend to have two big movie openings that did not involve superheroes. As a film fan and reviewer I was mostly excited about Oppenheimer. Oppenheimer is a challenging film, but it is also a rewarding one, well worth the three hours it takes to watch it. It is a film that will stay with you long after you have seen it. If you are interested in history, science, or the human condition, then I highly recommend seeing Oppenheimer. Christ...
The Little Mermaid is a live-action remake of the 1989 Disney animated classic. The film stars Halle Bailey as Ariel, Jonah Hauer-King as Prince Eric, Melissa McCarthy as Ursula, and Javier Bardem as King Triton. The film follows the same basic story as the animated version, with a few key differences most notably that Eric and Ursula get a bit more back story and depth to their characters. The film also adds new songs by Lin-Manuel Miranda and Alan Menken. The new songs are...
Sisu is a 2023 Finnish action film directed by Jalmari Helander. I saw this movie as part of mystery movie night at Regal Cinemas. The film stars Jorma Tommila as a solitary prospector who sets out to avenge the theft of his gold by a Nazi convoy during the final days of World War II. The film is a non-stop, over-the-top action ride that is sure to please fans of the genre. Tommila is excellent as the grizzled and determined prospector, and the film's action sequences are...
Two survivors of a spacecraft travel through time to land on Earth 65 million years ago when there were dinosaurs just before the theoretical asteroid hits Earth that destroys the dinosaurs. Adam Driver plays Mills, the pilot of a long range spacecraft with all of his passengers in stasis. Ariana Greenblatt plays Koa, a young girl who also survives the crash. The film revolves around the character, Mills, and the young girl. There is a language barrier between her and...
Overall this is just a fun movie. It's fun for the whole family and everybody can enjoy it. I rate it 3 out of 5 stars. Zachary Levi is back as Shazam, a teenager, who can turn into an adult superhero, and his band of foster siblings who are trying to save the world from angry Greek gods. This group of heroes is continuing to learn to be a team but also learning to be their individual selves at the same time. This is something many teenagers go through as they transition to...
