Author Archive
Top 15 Films of 2020 – Allen’s Picks
2020 has been a tough year, to say the least. It seemed everyday something new came and turned our lives upside down. There was racially motivated police brutality that sparked a world-wide reaction, an ugly presidential election in which the ramifications are still coming into…
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Film Review – Pieces of a Woman
Pieces of a Woman (2020) starts off with a harrowing opening act. Martha (Vanessa Kirby) and her partner Sean (Shia LaBeouf) are expecting a child. They have their baby room all set up and ready to go. They have made the decision to have a natural…
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Film Review – Wonder Woman 1984
What makes Wonder Woman such a compelling superhero – alongside the likes of Superman and Captain America – is her earnest belief in goodness. While the world maybe full of cynicism and cruelty, she stands as a beacon of hope and compassion. Yes, she has…
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Film Review – Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom
There’s an extended monologue deep into Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom (2020) that cuts so deeply that we feel the pain sear into our hearts. Levee (Chadwick Boseman) – an ambitious, slick, and hot-tempered horn player – describes to fellow bandmembers a traumatic experience at the hands of…
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Film Review – Another Round
Four guy friends – all high school teachers – gather for dinner to celebrate the 40th birthday of one of their own. The night begins regularly, with each of them engaging in idle chit chat. Things take a turn when we learn that all four share…
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Film Review – Mank
It’s one thing to make a movie about a movie, it’s a whole other thing to make a movie about Citizen Kane (1941). It’s one of the most written about, analyzed, and debated films ever. Many consider it “The Greatest Film Ever Made,” and is often…
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Film Review – Nomadland
Nomadland (2020) plays like a great American novel – one full of heart, compassion and empathy. It’s populated by characters who live on the fringes, who are forgotten by the rest of society but are very much interwoven into the fabric of the country. This is…
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Film Review – Hillbilly Elegy
Something went terribly wrong with Hillbilly Elegy (2020). There is too much talent in front and behind the camera to make something this overly dramatic, sappy, and emotionally empty. It plays like a satire of a movie aiming for award consideration instead of seeking an honest, authentic…
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