Reviewing 2021’s cinematic output is different from years past. Not only were more movies watched at home this year, but there are no clearly defined trends to speak of. (Showing grand productions like West Side Story and intimate actor showcases like Mass in side-by-side multiplex theaters is enough to induce cinefile whiplash.) One reliable throughline, […]
House of Gucci, the second film released in the past two months from director Ridley Scott, is fun to watch. The movie isn’t great, and it isn’t terrible, but it’s full of eye candy. (Scott’s other recent film, The Last Duel, was delayed by the pandemic and released in October this year, and features Ben […]
While most traditional westerns take place around 1890 or so (when the American frontier was officially no longer deemed unsettled), Jane Campion’s gripping, brilliantly acted The Power of the Dog begins in 1925. We know this because brothers Phil (a mesmerizing Benedict Cumberbatch) and George (Jesse Plemons) get nostalgic during a cattle drive, and reminisce […]
There is a certain charm to an actor who doesn’t shy away from playing the fool, especially when that actor is also the writer, director, and producer of the film. Jim Cummings is one of the newest multihyphenates in Hollywood, and he is not afraid to be a dunce. Cummings has been directing and writing […]
The lineup for the 34th edition of the Virginia Film Festival is stacked with movies that are already getting Oscar buzz, like The French Dispatch, The Power of the Dog, Spencer, and Belfast. These films are bound to do big box office business for weeks to come, but this year’s fest also features several less-hyped […]
Dear Evan Hansen is based on the hit Broadway musical of the same name, which won six Tony Awards, including Best Musical. Alas, the film does not ascend to the same heights as the stage production. As harsh as it might seem, idiot plot is a handy descriptor for Dear Evan Hansen. Essentially, idiot […]
Early on in Yakuza Princess, it becomes clear that crafting a story around generations of warring crime bosses, an amnesiac hitman, and a mourning granddaughter is a little too much for co-writer/director Vicente Amorim to juggle. There’s plenty of good here in the new film, but not enough awareness of what that good stuff is. […]
Swan Song R, 105 minutesViolet Crown Cinema Debating answers to thought experiments is only frustrating when you need an answer: If a tree falls in the forest, do you feel stonewalled discussing the answer? Todd Stephens’ Swan Song is based on a similar riddle. Stephens wants us to enjoy the journey, allowing only one question: […]
Pig R, 92 minutesViolet Crown Cinema Sometimes the beauty of a film lies in its simplicity. When character development and atmosphere are allowed to be front and center, the strength of cinema as an art comes into focus. With a few missteps, Pig is a beautiful example of earnest filmmaking. In short, the film, written […]
Combining a classic whodunit with werewolves may seem like an awkward fit. But in Werewolves Within, the two elements complement each other, resulting in a hilarious, bloody blend that avoids feeling bloated or tonally confused. The second feature from actor-turned-director Josh Ruben, Werewolves Within comes hot on the heels of his directorial debut Scare Me, […]