Tag: Drama
The Piano Lesson Explores Generational Legacy and Trauma Amidst Quality Performances
It is a tad ironic that a movie about family is also a family affair behind the scenes. The Piano Lesson is directed by the son of Denzel Washington, Malcolm Washington in his feature length debut. Malcolm directs…
Read More »A Real Pain Combines Heart and Humor to Explore Grief and Connection (Middleburg Film Festival)
Grief can be a complicated thing. The latest film from actor Jesse Eisenberg explores a family trying to overcome loss that is both permanent and figurative regarding their own relationship. A Real Pain begins in JFK airport in…
Read More »Blitz Offers a New Perspective on War but Fails to Compel (Middleburg Film Festival)
We all know that war is hell and ruins the lives of many. Numerous films have been made that chronicle the tragedy of conflict, but view take us into the vantage point of war from a child’s eyes….
Read More »Conclave Is an Engrossing Political Thriller That Also Deftly Explores Religion (Middleburg Film Festival)
Coming off of the success of 2022’s All Quiet on the Western Front, director Edward Berger returns to cinema with the adaptation of a 2016 novel. Conclave finds us alongside Cardinal Thomas Lawrence (Ralph Fiennes) following the sudden…
Read More »Anora Mixes Comedy and Drama to Explore The Psyche of Dancers (Middleburg Film Festival)
Winter/director Sean Baker is back with a new film that stays close to his trademark penchant for realistic portrayals of working class segments of society not often explored that has been buzzing on the film festival circuit. Anora is…
Read More »Saturday Night Utilizes Strong Visuals To Tell an OK Story
Saturday Night Live has become a television landmark and staple of American entertainment, something you expect to always be around like Madison Square Garden or the Hollywood sign. Things weren’t always so stable for the show as its…
Read More »Joker: Folie à Deux’s Meta Commentary Boring Rather Than Poignant
Joker was a controversial hit in 2019, using the iconic comic book villain as a conduit to explore real world, grounded themes in a gritty, Scorsese like world. Director Todd Phillips defied the odds and created a billion…
Read More »Megalopolis Is…a Bizarre Swan Song for a Cinematic Legend
Francis Ford Coppola bet a lot on his newest release in theaters. The director of multiple legendary films that stand as the best ever produced sold part of his stake in his winery empire to self fund the…
Read More »Sing Sing Takes A Probing Look at the Capacity for Change
Sing Sing is a film that takes place in the New York State Penitentiary of the same name. Divine G (Colman Domingo) is incarcerated and finds purpose for himself by helping to organize and write for a prison…
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Emilia Pérez is a Pleasant Surprise That Effectively Melds Social Commentary, Drama, and Music Together (Middleburg Film Festival)
Multiplexes have been riddled with the remnants of musicals past in recent years with some having succeeded, like 2023’s Wonka, and others crashing and burning like Joker Folie á Deux earlier this year. Audiences have had mixed reactions…
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