Author Archive
Film Review – Beastie Boys Story
As the title would suggest, Beastie Boys Story (2020) traces the journey of the New York hip hop group, the Beastie Boys – made up of members Michael “Mike D” Diamond, Adam “MCA” Yauch, and Adam “Ad-Rock” Horovitz. The documentary (directed by longtime collaborator Spike…
READ MOREFilm Review – Endings, Beginnings
Endings, Beginnings (2020) has the look and feel of one of those indie dramas that explore deep human stories. It has a free floating, spontaneous tone and is backed by a cool soundtrack that operates like a playlist you would give your junior high crush.…
READ MOREFilm Review – Extraction
Haven’t we seen something like this before? If Extraction (2020) were recast with Gerard Butler, it could have easily fit into the Olympus Has Fallen (2013)/London Has Fallen (2016)/Angel Has Fallen (2019) action series. As it were, we have Chris Hemsworth taking center stage with…
READ MOREFilm Review – Tigertail
Tigertail (2020) – not to be confused with the docuseries Tiger King – is a Taiwanese film that explores the choice many people have made: leaving their home country and immigrating to the United States in search of a better life. As a child of…
READ MOREFilm Review – Never Rarely Sometimes Always
I’ve just seen Eliza Hittman’s Never Rarely Sometimes Always (2020) and am sitting here almost at a loss for words. This is now my third attempt to begin this review, because the film elicits such a wave of different reactions that it’s difficult to organize…
READ MOREFilm Review – The Platform
The central allegory of the Spanish film, The Platform (201) is about as subtle as a punch to the face. It is a direct reference to the economic and social imbalance between the wealthy upper classes (that enjoy all the excesses of luxury) and the…
READ MOREFilm Review – Vivarium
Vivarium (2020) starts off with a fantastic opening act. Schoolteacher Gemma (Imogen Poots) and handy man Tom (Jesse Eisenberg) are a young couple looking to settle down in a new home. They meet up with a real estate agent (Jonathan Aris) who leads them to…
READ MOREFilm Review – Swallow
In Carlo Mirabella-Davis’ Swallow (2020), a young housewife and soon to be mother Hunter (Haley Bennett) develops an insatiable urge to consume non-food items. Marbles, batteries, and little pieces of metal all take the journey down her digestive tract. Some of the things Hunter swallows…
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