Netflix and Beyond

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” …

Following 2025’s scintillating spy thriller “Black Bag” Steven Soderbergh’s “The Christophers” blazingly brilliant duet, between artists “Julian Sklar” (Ian McKellen, is born for the role and takes flight in every provocative scene) and “Lori Butler” (superior Michaela Coel, perpetually taunts Julian); nearing death Julian’s children (“Barnaby”, James Corden, and “Sallie”, Jessica Gunning) hire Lori to complete his unfinished canvasses and …

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 …

Rachel Weisz’s dynamism has permeated many iconic films: “The Mummy”, “The Constant Gardner” (Oscar win), “About a Boy”, “The Favorite”, “The Bourne Legacy” and a myriad of others; her beauty, intelligence, in actuality, stun in maturity; so why would  she deign to play a fantastical, fanatical grunting, groaning middle-aged, sexually-starved, lustful teacher, salaciously thirsting after a  nubile younger, married scholar?  …

Every year, my selections, based solely on what I feel should win, not “will” win fall short of victory. 2025 was an empyrean film year, in Hollywood and Foreign; and all nominees are worthy of their respective nominations. Having seen all the films, several times, my choices are: BEST PICTURE: MARTY SUPREME BEST DIRECTOR:  PAUL THOMAS ANDERSON  “ONE BATTLE AFTER …

A venerable couple, depicted tirelessly by Lesley Manville, “Stella” and Ciaran Hinds, “Gerry” whose marriage has been frozen in predictably for days, months, years. Directed by Polly Findlay this retired, bored, lackluster, Irish Catholic duo, take a hiatus in Amsterdam; searching for rejuvenation spurred by Stella’s religiosity; unaided by Gerry’s perpetual alcoholism. From the outset bleakness and doom prognosticate at …

Stunningly styled, sensationally scripted, an air-tight plot reminiscent of films of legacy, movies like “Bullitt”, “French Connection”; actors at their peak, in absolute, believable control of their characters. A compelling film, satisfyingly perfect, based on Don Winslow’s novella directed and written by Bart Layton and Don Winslow,  performed by: Chris Hemsworth as  polished, nonviolent jewel thief  “Mike Davis”, Halle Berry, …