Cate Blanchett
Only Steven Soderbergh could’ve pulled off a low-key thriller such as Black Bag, packed full of his inimitable style and savvy intrigue generated by its principals.
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It’s been a pleasure watching Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III (Jay Baruchel) grow. Formerly the awkward, misfit son of a village chieftain, he’s found his place in their little Viking microcosm of Berk as a dragon master. As life evolves for him, he’s constantly thrown into different roles with little time to react or find sure […]
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Reviewing Ocean’s Eight is a conundrum. Are we supposed to judge if it stands alongside Steven Soderbergh’s 2001-2007 trilogy which provides this film’s basis, or are we to take it as a different animal entirely? The tone which director Gary Ross wants to strike makes a case for the former, but the barely exciting, straightforward […]
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If there’s anything negative to be said about Kenneth Branagh’s fairly straightforward adaptation of the Disney animated classic Cinderella, it’s that it was only a fairytale. Branagh breathes a beauty, elegance, and wit into this new palimpsest of the beloved European folk tale (most famously told by the Brothers Grimm), and its charm will last […]
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Of late, the second installment of franchise films all seem to have a common thread: go darker. Get sad. Get mean. Go deeper. And cut deeper, too. It’s kind of obvious that today’s filmmakers are no doubt inspired by what is heralded as one of the greatest sequels ever, The Empire Strikes Back, the game-changing […]
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(This review was originally published on December 14, 2012 at Reel Film News) I have a confession that might get me ostracized from my group of industry peers: I have not seen any of the “Lord of the Rings” films. One might wonder how that’s possible for a film buff, not to mention a critic; […]
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2013 WAFCA Awards: “12 Years A Slave” Prevails
This morning, The Washington, DC Area Fim Critics Association announced its winners for 2013. The choices were particularly tough this year, but ultimately “12 Years A Slave” proved to be the complete package as the most emotionally charged and challenging film of 2013. Winning Best Film, Best Actor, Best Supporting Actress, Best Ensemble, Best Adapted […]
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