Netflix and Beyond

Director Kelly Reichardt has made some compelling, transfixing films; “First Cow” and “Certain Women” passed the scrutiny test of most critics. Sadly “Showing Up’s” lethargy exponentially expands as sculptor “Lizzy” (Michelle Williams, in a thirty-three & 1/3 depiction of an artist whose work resembles that of German sculptor Stephan Balkenhol) plodding, comatosely moves through her days; she is more comfortable …

Electrifying and terrifying, sensationally realistic, here is fiction, whose genius lies in its documentary style; writer/director Daniel Goldhaber focuses on disillusioned, disenfranchised, environmental activists whose faith in the system has atrophied; their combined mission is to destroy a pipeline in Texas, alerting the populace to the toxic properties of “oil”, and the companies that deny their culpability and absence of …

A GOOD PERSON             (THEATRES, AMAZON PRIME) Not in the frame of mind to define “goodness” or its properties when it comes to an individual, but I know, without debate, a good film and “A Good Person” rocks with verisimilitude from the first scene to its quenching conclusion. Written and directed by Zach Braff, starring …

Three “letters” that defy categorization; one of the classical elements, essential for life; watching another pairing of two men destined to reign in the hierarchy of nascent filmmakers, pungently aware that “Air” is more than a component for living, it represents a man eluding nature’s laws, flying within the boundaries of a basketball court, securing an everlasting legacy of supremacy, …

Commencing with Covid cauterization, cultural sterilization, forced isolation, the film world refused to be stymied, fostering escapism, so divinely pristine, our sensibilities are satiated within the hallowed walls of our domiciles. Still frequenting theatres but gorging on the fodder bountifully served 24/7 on a myriad of streaming devices: NETFLIX: “WAR SAILOR“, depicts the lives, of two Norwegian merchant sailors, friends …

We are living in an age of divisiveness, cultural cauterization, we’ve erased the narrative between opposites, eliminating the hope of understanding the “other” or curiosity as to why the dialogue was eliminated? Harkening back to Nabis (1888-1900 art movement) when art still symbolized the power to heal, artists were “prophets”. “seers”: Paul Serusier, Maurice Denis, Pierre Bonnard, Edouard Vuillard, Paul …

Writer Derek Kolstad conjured from his fecund imagination an “icon” destined to resonate in the archives of film’s legendary action heroes. Why? It has always been a conundrum as to the reasons some heroes resonate, and others fade into obscurity; the shelf life of action heroes is ephemeral; age, time and circumstances, especially tensions percolating center stage, in a world …

The Rocky Balboa franchise commenced in 1976; Sylvester Stallone referenced the legendary boxer Chuck Wepner (1939-) who lost to Muhammad Ali in a 1975 heavyweight championship fight. Rocky lost to “Apollo Creed” (Carl Weathers) by default at the conclusion of the first of 6 “Rocky” films; it’s the longstanding and outstanding sport franchise in filmdom.  “Creed III” is sharply defined, …

For the first time in eons, I had the satisfaction of picking a few of the winners; totally unfamiliar sensation, but one I hope to replicate in the future. The evening in general was delightfully bland and benign; no major faux pas, unless you count the woman with a huge white collar, blocking the view of rows behind her or …

“Freddie” (pulverizing performance by Park Ji-Min) at twenty-five decides to visit her birth country; adopted, raised and loved by a French couple, curiosity led her to Seoul for a two week vacation and unearthing her biological parents; uninformed in the Korean language she relies on a newfound friend “Tena” (Guka Han) as her translator, as her quest easily discovered her …