Tag: Social Commentary
Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery Improves Upon Its Predecessor in Every Way (Middleburg Film Festival)
For the purpose of providing necessary context to this review, I must admit that I was not a big fan of the original Knives Out film. Benoit Blanc felt like an updated but inferior version of The Thin Man’s Nick…
Read More »The Menu Feels Fresh and Innovative, Using a Michelin-Star Backdrop to Satirize Socioeconomic Divide
COVID-19 hit the world like a ton of bricks almost three years ago now. Untold lives were changed, nearly one million were lost, and the road to recovery is still slow in many ways with recovery in some…
Read More »Danielle Deadwyler Paints an Emotional Portrait of Strength Through Grief in Till (Middleburg Film Festival)
Till tells the true story of the famed, brutal lynching of Emmett Till (Jalyn Hall) in 1955 Mississippi following his encounter with Carolyn Bryant (Haley Bennett) at her family’s grocery store and his mother Mamie Till-Mobley’s (Danielle Deadwyler)…
Read More »Armageddon Time Is an Interesting 1980s Time Capsule, but Not an Interesting Film (Middleburg Film Festival)
The 1980s was a pivotal decade that saw many great changes for the United States. An actor became President, a child star went solo and changed music and television forever, and commerce coined a phrase that would last…
Read More »Elizabeth Banks Shines in the Timely Film Call Jane (Sundance Film Festival)
The recent Supreme Court decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization which found that the United States Constitution does not confer a right to abortion was a landmark case that gave American states the right to institute…
Read More »The Banshees of Inisherin Isn’t As Interesting As Its Premise
Feeling as if we have achieved something in life grows in importance as we age; wanting to leave a mark on the world before you depart is a normal part of life and something that most people find…
Read More »Triangle of Sadness Hilariously Shines a Light on Social Inequality, Power, and Human Nature
Satire is one of the best ways to deeply examine aspects of society and a new release in theaters does just that. Triangle of Sadness begins with male model Carl (Harris Dickinson) and his model/social media influencer girlfriend Yaya (Charlbi…
Read More »Cate Blanchett is Mesmerizing in Tár, a Tale of the Cost of Ego and Hubris (Middleburg Film Festival)
At points following the exposé of Harvey Weinstein and the rise of the Me Too movement, it seemed like someone powerful and/or famous was being exposed for misdeeds every other day. Some of these misdeeds were years old,…
Read More »The Woman King: How to Balance Historical Accuracy and Filmmaking
Historically based films in Hollywood have never been lauded for their accuracy. Some of film’s most beloved cinematic masterpieces have been extremely dubious with the truth surrounding their stories, sometimes egregiously so. Despite this, these films are usually…
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Olivia Colman and Micheal Ward Elevate Empire of Light’s Simple Romance (Middleburg Film Festival)
Director Sam Mendes returns to the big screen bringing along with him actress powerhouse Olivia Colman. In Empire of Light we meet Hillary (Olivia Colman) a middle-aged manager of a movie theater in the United Kingdom in the…
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