Hollywood

Magnificent metaphors directed by 20-year-old YouTuber Kane Parsons; visiting the product of his pristine ingeniousness viewers are positively provoked to crawl among personal cauterized memories; surrealistic artists referenced throughout the rooms; sculptural reminders by Marcel Duchamp, or contemporary creator Juame Plensa goading us to transform our past actions into tools of recovery and discovery. The backrooms bring to the fore …

How fortunate that as a young person I recognized the wealth of opera, music, film and the written word, would befriend me well into my dotage; it has paid off in spades. 2026 to this point has gifted me with two unique protagonists and a historical narrative I am bound to for life. “Safronia” an opera composed by poet laureate …

By far the most innovative, genuine watchable “horror” films in theatres this year. Director/writer Curry Barker handily conquers the genre in the “be careful what you wish for” category; acted to sublimity by Michael Johnston “Bear”, Inde Navarrette “Nikki”; brilliance lies in the simplicity of a “One Wish Willow” a supernatural toy that grants just one irrevocable wish, never reversed …

Rarely do I visit animated or child appropriate films! I was intrigued by “sheep”, Mary’s little lamb, known to be rather clueless, dumb animals; also furry, cute and huggable. But detectives no way! Based on the book by James Swann there is something charmingly simplistic about a flock that resolutely loves mystery stories, gifted every evening by Shepherd “George” (Hugh …

Stultifyingly stylish. Twenty years have passed and the characters are unchanged, robotic and struggling with digital dimensions demanded by director David Frankel. Anne Hathaway (better served in “Mother Mary” where she is brilliant as a “Taylor Swift” lionized, troubled performer) still coiffed in Rapunzel-flowing tresses, smiling vapidly, hiding intelligence behind contemporary fashion, journalist trends. Striving for substantiality as “Andrea Sachs” …

Before all the weirdness and withering into whiteness Michael Jackson was the youngest (1958-2009) of the legendary Jackson 5 founded by their father Joseph in 1964 in Gary, Indiana. He was a tyrannically brutal, controlling, ambitious patriarch of multi-talented progeny. (Coleman Domingo’s depiction borders on demonic divinity).  Recognizing the brilliant versatility of Michael but never addicted to his voluminous notoriety …

I accept defeat in my years’- long quest to eliminate the ubiquitous  bastardization of the word “like”; 2024’s “The Real Pain”, Kieran Culkin (Academy Award for Supporting Actor) and Jesse Eisenberg in competition for most “likes” in a film, that would have been twenty minutes shorter if half of them would have been eliminated. In director Kristoffer Borgli’s “The Drama” …

Shakespeare is pulsating throughout the present day in filmdom; proof in last year’s stunningly heart-wrenching movie “Hamnet” earning Jesse Buckley an academy award for playing Will’s wife. The ubiquity of Shakespeare’s enticing appeal throbs through modernity: Kenneth Branagh’s acuity gifted audiences in 1993’s  “Much Ado About Nothing” & 1996’s “Hamlet”; 1996’s “Romeo & Juliet” directed by Baz Luhrmann; a favored …

If Timothee Chalamet does not do a 2026 Docupic characterization of Thomas Edison, the 8.5 golden boy should find a worthy mantel in the home of Ryan Gosling who marvelously enchants viewers as scientist “Dr. Ryland Grace”. I loved every second of this film which could have cemented me to my seat even longer than its 156 minutes; devoid of …

“MARTY SUPREME”, was SMOKE/STACKED!!!!! Proof that “bad press” does not always lead to positive results. It was an interesting, stunningly attired evening, where the unnominated “Oscar” winner was Ozempic, succeeding in a myriad of size 2, zip ups; missed the rollie polies (pregnant exceptions). Host Conan O’Brien, blissfully starred in his sobriquets’ celebrating his Oscar fantasies; poise prevailed; not only …