Drama

I love a good walk-and-talk movie. Especially in a time when the most popular films are often heavy on plot, their relatively formless presentation can act as a nice palate cleanser while still showcasing plenty…

It’s a tale as old as sport itself and one that is forever etched into sporting history; the comeback. Once successful athletes who are down and out that come from the clouds, like a phoenix…

While watching Todd Stephens’ Swan Song, I couldn’t help but think of The Old Man & the Gun. David Lowery’s film is a solid and surprisingly layered throwback, somehow managing to feel low in stakes while…

Night Shift follows three police officers: Virginie, Erik, and Aristide. After volunteering for overtime, the trio is tasked with escorting an illegal immigrant to the airport. What could go wrong? The movie (which also goes…

Judith Kerr was nearly 50 years old when she heard something she could not excuse. Her children remarked to her one night that they had always imagined her childhood as being similar to The Sound…

As it happens, human history is so speckled by atrocities, so littered with tragedies and the bodies left behind from them, that We-As-A-Collective are bound to forget more than we memorialize. It’s simply the law…

If you had not heard of The Mauritanian prior to Jodie Foster’s surprise Golden Globes win for best supporting actress, you weren’t alone; I was right there with you. The film — based on Mohamedou…

Women Is Losers makes itself loud and clear in its opening scene. Rushing out her front door with her baby in tow, Celina (Lorenza Izzo) is in a shouting match with her cheating husband Mateo (Bryan…

Emma Seligman’s feature directorial debut Shiva Baby, based on her short of the same name, is an awkward comedy with one of the best, most outlandish premises I’ve seen in a long time. Danielle attends…

Towards the end of Nomadland, Chloe Zhao, laying all her cards on the table, tells us what her film is really about. “What’s remembered, lives,” says the forgotten woman while the sun sets deep in…

Admitting you don’t know something is hard. Especially in a time when so much information is readily available. Admitting your ignorance can leave you feeling on the outside of the pseudointellectual social media landscape. An…

Recently, we lost the great character actor Hall Holbrook, at the comfortable age of 95. Soon after, we lost the legendary Christopher Plummer, who managed to reach the age of 91 — not too shabby…

Nino Martínez Sosa’s Liborio aims to deconstruct many religious concepts while providing a gripping narrative for audiences alike. The story tells that of the popular religious leader, Papá Liborio, who created a self-reliant commune in…

Every so often, a film comes to the Sundance Film Festival that transfixes both audiences and the Grand Jury, walking away with both the Audience Award and the Grand Jury Prize in the process. Last…

Jerrod Carmichael is brilliant. I don’t mean that in the hyperbolic, reductive way that many use way too often. The way he tells a story is unique and profound. How he crafts his humor, by…

A sad fact of this life is the inevitability of hurting someone we care about. There is no real way around it, and with that hurt comes the concept of reconciliation. We’ve all hurt someone,…

Human Factors begins on a rather ominous note: the camera slowly makes its way around the downstairs of Nina and Jan’s (Sabine Timoteo and Mark Waschke) vacation home as they and their kids, Max and…

Apple TV+’s latest gem Palmer, starring Justin Timberlake, Alisha Wainwright, June Squibb, Juno Temple, and Ryder Allen, is a delight. After 12 years in prison, high school football star Eddie Palmer (Timberlake) returns home to…

You might associate Mexico with pristine beaches. Turquoise seas. Lots of sunshine. A luxurious, exclusive all-expenses-paid hotel with various restaurants. Exotic cocktails. Maybe even a wedding on the beach. You could, of course, leave your…

In the interest of full disclosure, I should tell you I am a Sam Cooke fan, and his inclusion as a character in One Night in Miami… is what initially drew my interest. Leslie Odom Jr.‘s…

The false promise that is the American Dream has been dissected over and over, by countless writers and filmmakers alike. Even so, as the illusionary powers of the American Dream evolve over time and the…

Sir Anthony Hopkins is a legend. The majesty of his onscreen presence is undeniable. With his voice and deep eyes, he automatically commands intellectual respect; unsurprisingly, he hasn’t been, or at least not to my…

First things first: don’t expect me to say anything original about the third entry of The Godfather franchise. Far greater minds than myself have reiterated its numerous flaws, especially how it pales in comparison to…

Over the years, many movies made reflect a growing trend amid studios looking to nab an easy profit. These are those productions that attempt to revive a classic tale or character but fail in attempting…

Mangrove is the first film in the five-part Small Axe anthology series directed by Steve McQueen and stars Shaun Parkes, Letitia Wright, Rochenda Sandall, Jack Lowden, Alex Jennings, Sam Spruell and Malachi Kirby. When a group…

There’s something about the way Farewell Amor demands your attention that is unbelievably comforting. Maybe it’s because it functions as a triptych yet still seems formless and character-driven. Perhaps all the wonderful, reserved performances put…

Dirty God is the story of Jade, a twenty-something mom living in London, who is recovering from a vicious acid attack that left her permanently scarred. We meet Jade late in the story — after…

Ancient myth collides with modern society in Philippe Lacôte’s Night of the Kings, a film that takes place in the La MACA prison in Abidjan on the southern side of the Ivory Coast. The guards…

Ever since the release of Alfonso Cuarón’s Gravity, there has been a renewed interest from studio heads and filmmakers in creating character-centered pieces set in space. One of the most prominent movies capitalizing off of…

Dialogue is one of the most prominent aspects when it comes to filmmaking. Lines such as “I’ll be back,” and “I am your father” have become nearly as notable as the movies they’re featured in…