Focus on Film & Television Reviews and writings about these subjects. As well as Pop Culture at times. With a bit of an edge and some color
Written & Directed By: Sarah Polley Cinematography By: Luc Montpellier
Editor: Christopher Donaldson
Cast: Michelle Williams, Seth Rogen, Sara Silverman, Luke Kirby, Jennifer Podemski
A happily married woman falls for the artist who lives across the street.
Directed By: David Cronenberg
Written By: Bruce Wagner
Cinematography By: Peter Suschitzsky
Editor: Ronald Sanders
Music By: Howard Shore
Cast: John Cusack, Julianne Moore, Mia Wasikowska, Olivia Williams, Sarah Gadon, Carrie Fisher, Robert Pattinson, Evan Bird
The Weiss family is the archetypical Hollywood dynasty: father Stafford is an analyst and coach, who has made a fortune with his self-help manuals; mother Cristina mostly looks after the career of their son Benjie, 13, a child star. One of Stafford’s clients, Havana, is an actress who dreams of shooting a remake of the movie that made her mother, Clarice, a star in the 60s. Clarice is dead now and visions of her come to haunt Havana at night… Adding to the toxic mix, Benjie has just come off a rehab program he joined when he was 9 and his sister, Agatha, has recently been released from a sanatorium where she was treated for criminal pyromania and befriended a limo driver Jerome who is also an aspiring actor.
Directed By: Matteo Garrone
Written By: Ugo Chiti, Matteo Garrone, Massimo Gaudiso, Giulio Troli, Fabio D’innocenzo, Damiano D’innocenzo & Marco Perfetti
Story By: Ugo Chiti, Matteo Garrone & Massimo Gaudiso
Cinematography: Nicolaj Bruel
Editor: Marco Spoletini
Cast: Marcello Fonte, Edoardo Pesce, Adamo Dionisi, Nunzia Schiano Marcello
a small and gentle dog groomer, finds himself involved in a dangerous relationship of subjugation with Simone, a former violent boxer who terrorizes the entire neighborhood. In an effort to reaffirm his dignity, Marcello will submit to an unexpected act of vengeance. This is really a tale of good versus evil you would think but there are so many grey areas It’s hard to truly describe it that way. As the film comes off as a fable more than anything else.
Story & Directed By: Paolo Sorrentino
Written By: Paolo Sorrentino & Umberto Contarello
Cinematography: Luca Bigazzi
Editor: Cristiano Travaglioli
Cast: Tom Servillo, Elena Sofia Ricci, Riccardo Scamarico, Kasia Smutniak, Euridice Axen, Alice Pagani, Fabrizio Bentivoglio
During a tumultuous period in the career of Silvio Berlusconi, as his marriage to second wife Veronica Lario fractures, LORO speculates on what may or may not have taken place behind closed doors, depicting a wide variety of characters from multiple levels of society and their attempts to either ingratiate or distance themselves from him.
Written, Edited & Directed By: Onur Turkel
Cinematography: Zoe White
Cast: Anne Heche, Sandra Oh, Alicia Silverstone, Amy Hill, Ariel Kavoussi, Damian Young, Tituss Burgess, Jay O. Sanders, Peter Jacobson, Jordan Carlos, Ivana Milicevic, Dylan Baker, Craig Bierko, Myra Lucretia Marcel
The rivalry between two former college friends comes to a head when they both attend the same glamorous event.
Directed By: Nicolas Winding Refn
Written by: Roy Jacobsen & Nicolas Winding Refn
Cinematography By: Morton Soborg
Editor: Matthew Newman
Cast: Mads Mikkelsen, Alexander Morton
1000 AD, for years, One Eye, a mute warrior of supernatural strength, has been held prisoner by the Norse chieftain Barde. Aided by Are, a boy slave, One Eye slays his captor and together he and Are escape, beginning a journey into the heart of darkness. On their flight, One Eye and Are board a Viking vessel, but the ship is soon engulfed by an endless fog that clears only as the crew sights an unknown land. As the new world reveals its secrets and the Vikings confront their terrible and bloody fate, One Eye discovers his true self.
Directed By: Benny Safdie & Josh Safdie
Written By: Benny Safdie & Josh Safdie, Ronald Bronstein
Cinematography: Darius Khondji
Editor: Ronald Bronstein & Benny Safdie
Cast: Adam Sandler, Lakeith Stanfield, Eric Bogosian, Idina Menzel, Julia Fox, The Weeknd, Kevin Garnett, Noa Fisher, Keith Williams Richards, John Amos, Judd Hirsch
From acclaimed filmmakers Josh and Benny Safdie comes an electrifying crime thriller about Howard Ratner, a charismatic New York City jeweler always on the lookout for the next big score. When he makes a series of high-stakes bets that could lead to the windfall of a lifetime, Howard must perform a precarious high-wire act, balancing business, family, and encroaching adversaries on all sides, in his relentless pursuit of the ultimate win.
Directed By: Steven Soderbergh
Written By: Scott Z. Burns
Based on the Book “Secrecy World: Inside The Panama Papers Investigation Of Illicit Money Networks and The Global Elite” By: Jake Bernstein
Cinematography: Peter Andrews
Editor: Mary Ann Bernard
Cast: Meryl Streep, Antonio Banderas, Gary Oldman, Jeffrey Wright, David Schwimmer, James Cromwell, Sharon Stone, Robert Patrick, Larry Wilmore, Rosalind Chao, Matthias Schoenaerts, Nonso Anozie, Miracle Washington, Jessica Allain, Jay Paulson, Melissa Rauch, Will Forte, Chris Parnell
A widow investigates an insurance fraud, chasing leads to a pair of Panama City law partners exploiting the world’s financial system.
Written & Directed By: Hannah Fidell
Cinematography By: Andrew Droz Palermo
Editor: Sofi Marshall
Cast: Lindsay Burge, Will Brittain, Jennifer Prediger, Julie Dell Phillips, Jonny Mars
A high school teacher in Austin, Texas has an affair with one of her students. Her life begins to unravel as the relationship comes to an end.
Written & Directed By: Oliver Nakache & Eric Toledan
Cinematography By: Ludovico Einaudi
Editor: Dorian Rigal-Ansous
Cast: Francois Cluzet, Omar Sy, Audrey Fleurot, Anne Le Ny, Clotide Mollet
In Paris, the aristocratic and intellectual Philippe is a quadriplegic millionaire that is interviewing candidates for the position of his caretaker with his red-haired secretary Magalie. Out of the blue, the rude African Driss cuts the line of candidates and brings a document from the Social Security and asks to Phillipe to sign it to prove that he is seeking a job position to receive his unemployment insurance. Philippe challenges Driss and offers a period of adaptation of one week to him to gain experience helping him. Then Driss would decide whether he would like to stay with him or not. Driss accepts the bet and moves to the mansion, changing the boring life of Phillipe and his employees.
Cut To The Chase 