Tag: Social Commentary
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 »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 »Strange Darling Subverts Expectations in Entertaining, Enlightening Fashion
Every year, an indie darling emerges in the film scene to near universal acclaim and hype among cinephiles. For 2024, an indie horror thriller seems to have taken the title. Strange Darling is set in the Pacific Northwest…
Read More »Blink Twice Has Interesting Visuals, Less Interesting Story
Actress Zoe Kravitz makes her directorial debut with a new thriller in theaters. Blink Twice introduces us to cocktail waitress Frida (Naomi Ackie) who has a massive crush on tech billionaire Slater King (Channing Tatum). King holds a…
Read More »Maxxxine and the Fame Monster
Writer/director Ti West and actress Mia Goth captured lightning in a bottle with the release of instant cult favorite horror film X in 2022. Following a prequel film entitled Pearl released that same year, the final entry in…
Read More »The Bikeriders Feels Like a Missed Opportunity
The Bikeriders has been building up buzz since last year, mostly based around the reported performance of Austin Butler coming off the heels of his Oscar nominated turn in 2022’s Elvis. Now, the film finally hits theaters. The…
Read More »I Saw The TV Glow Too Opaque, Niche For Its Own Good
I Saw The TV Glow introduces us to young teen named Owen (Justice Smith) who is shy and timid, living a typical suburban life with his mom Brenda (Danielle Deadwyler) and strict father Frank (Fred Durst). When accompanying…
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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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