Police

It’s hard not to sympathize with Hugh Jackman’s character in Prisoners. He’s a devoted father who just lost his young daughter. There’s no trace of her anywhere and the one suspect in custody isn’t talking. It’s enough…

In order to return as James Bond for Diamonds Are Forever, Sean Connery demanded that United Artists had to back two movies of his choice. The first of the two was The Offence. Due to poor box office reception,…

My Policeman is an adaptation of Bethan Roberts’ 2012 novel of the same name which is primarily set on the backdrop of the sometimes sunny seaside town Brighton in 1957 (with 1990s flash-forwards set in…

Tom Hardy’s movies appeal to a specific subset of theater audiences. Whether it’s Lawless, Warrior, or Venom, he plays the same type of guy. He’s the strong, silent type that everyone either wants to be or wants to be with.…

Brad Pitt’s performance in The Devil’s Own is good. I think his Irish accent is melodious and I enjoy listening to it. Not being Irish myself, I can’t speak to the authenticity of it, but I…

Director Carey Williams has an exceptionally powerful film on his hands with Emergency, the first great film I’ve seen at the 2022 Sundance Film Festival. Based on his short film (that also premiered at Sundance)…

I’d never seen Training Day before this past week and so I had the idea in my head that Denzel Washington’s character, Alonzo, was the hero of our story. He was rough around the edges and a…

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…

Policing in Modern America is in a complicated place. The institution has, rightfully so, come under fire for outdated practices and negative interactions with minorities. What was at one time among the noblest professions, has…

It’s pretty safe to say our relationship to the police has forever changed in the wake of George Floyd’s death on May 25th. Although it goes without saying it should have never gotten to that point…

Quinn Armstrong’s Survival Skills has proved to be an audience favorite at this year’s Fantasia Film Festival. A parody of police training videos of the 1980s,  Armstrong’s film delves deeper into the outmoded teachings of these…

When I think of a Mark Wahlberg-Peter Berg joint, a few things come to mind: guns, harrowing action, Mark Wahlberg’s blank stare, conservative politics, and more manliness than one person could handle. None of these…

After my first experience at Sundance last year, I arrived this year at the festival cognizant of the hyperbolic reactions that come with the environment. (Or, at the very least, I did my best. I’m…

After an incredible run writing and producing television, Lena Waithe is taking her extraordinary talent to film with her first full-length feature script, Queen & Slim. As is custom for Waithe, she takes an unconventional…

I have been anticipating Dragged Across Concrete from the moment I became aware of its existence. Every so often, I would peruse the Internet for any announcements of its release date. The earlier reviews from…

A policewoman with anger management issues; a complicated and confusing romantic relationship; and tension between said policewoman and her superiors. If you’re into slow-moving films with all the elements of a good police thriller —…

We live in a tumultuous time. You didn’t need me to say that for you to know. Just turn on the news, or, in some circles, look out of your window. Based on the novel…

Sometimes, it takes a village to get a movie made.  In a time where studios are becoming more and more squeamish of handing out millions of dollars to niche projects, some creative minds are forced…