Film Reviews
I can remember one pre-teen summer where a group of friends and I rode our bikes several miles around town, traversing wooded dirt paths and spending the entire day wafting in the heat. It felt like we’d gone halfway around the world…. and the worried rants of our parents when we all returned home probably justified our perceptions that we had, indeed, pushed our allowed … Continue reading Review: ‘Summering’
In its relatively young lifespan, Amazon’s movie acquisitions can be described as safe. Ranging from the dramatic young adult/teen offerings to soft-hearted family and romance dramas (with a few psychological horror films thrown into the mix), the slate is confidently middle-of-the-road. It’s a strategy that probably looks good on the bottom line, but doesn’t quite set the avant garde cinematic heart on fire. With that, … Continue reading Review: ‘Don’t Make Me Go”
If you’ve lived in Dallas for any length of time, you’ve heard about Jazz Fest, whether from Louisiana natives who’ve moved here or from Dallas visitors who have enthused about their attendance. Held in New Orleans every year, the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival “showcases unforgettable music on multiple stages, delicious Louisiana cuisine in two large food areas, and crafts artisans from the region … Continue reading Review: ‘Jazz Fest: A New Orleans Story’ Celebrates a City, Its Culture, Its Food, and, Yes, Its Music
Jenny Slate and Isabella Rossellini star in the best film of the year, directed by Dean Fleischer Camp. I am a solo traveler in the world of cinema. Sometimes, other people accompany me on individual jaunts. Mostly, it’s just me and the movies. And that is perfectly fine with me. The better movies invite me to accompany them on their individual jaunts, building a nest … Continue reading Review: ‘Marcel The Shell With Shoes On,’ I Laughed, I Cried
If asked, I’d have a very hard time placing Emergency, directed by Carey Williams, into a specific category. And that’s a good thing. From it’s solid buzz coming out of this year’s Sundance film festival to its (hopefully) successful purchase onto Amazon streaming services soon, the film is a potent hybrid of buddy comedy, dark humor, and biting social commentary whose seemingly simple idea far … Continue reading Review: ‘Emergency’
Tom Cruise returns to a role that made him famous. Tom Cruise took flight into Hollywood’s firmament of stars in 1986’s Top Gun. Arriving midway through Ronald Reagan’s second term as U.S. President, the film glorified military activity to an obnoxious degree. Under director Tony Scott (The Hunger), the slick visual stylings resembled a feature-length Navy recruitment ad, filled with glistening male abdomens and submissive … Continue reading Review: ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ Chases Ghosts
Dallas Film Now. 