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
Directed By: Desiree Ahkavan
Written By: Desiree Ahkavan & Cecilia Frugiuele
Based On The Novel By: Emily M. Danforth
Cinematography By: Ashley Connor
Editor: Sara Shaw
Cast: Chloe Grace Moretz, Sasha Lane, Jennifer Ehle, John Gallagher Jr., Marin Ireland, Emily Skeggs, Quinn Shephard, Dalton Harrod, Forrest Goodluck
In 1993, a teenage girl is forced into a gay conversion therapy center by her conservative guardians.
Directed By: David O. Russell
Written By: David O. Russell & Annie Mumolo
Cinematography By: Linus Sandgren
Editor: Jay Cassidy, Sam Cross, Christopher Tellefsen & Alan Baumgarten
Cast: Jennifer Lawrence, Bradley Cooper, Edgar Ramirez, Robert DeNiro, Virigina Madsen, Elizabeth Rohm, Diane Ladd, Isabella Rosellini, Dascha Polanco, Susan Lucci, Donna Mills, Melissa Rivers, Drena DeNiro
*Please note that some trivia and facts have been republished from imdb among other sources In this review*
Directed By: Ariel Vromen
Written By: Morgan Land & Ariel Vromen
Based on the book: “The Iceman: The True Story of a Cold-Blooded Killer” by Anthony Bruno and the documentary “The Iceman Tapes: Conversations with a Killer” By James Thebaut Cinematography By: Bobby Bukowski
Editor: Danny Rafic
Cast: Michael Shannon, Ray Liotta, Chris Evans, Winona Ryder, David Schwimmer, James Franco, Stephen Dorff, Robert Davi, John Ventimiglia
In the 1960s, Richard Kuklinski is working as a porn film lab tech until his mob bosses persuade him to change his career into that of a contract killer. For years, Kuklinski gains a reputation for cold blooded professionalism even as he raises a family who are kept in the dark about his true career. Unfortunately, mob politics ultimately forces him to secretly work independently with the psychopathic Robert ‘Mr. Freezy’ Pronge. As much as Kuklinski tries to keep his lives separate, circumstances and his own weaknesses threaten a terrible collision as the consequences of his choices finally catch up to him.
Directed By: Jeff Tremaine
Written By: Amanda Adelson & Rich Wilkes
Based On The Book “The Dirt” By: Neill Strauss, Nikki Sixx, Vince Neil, Tommy Lee and Mick Mars
Cinematography: Toby Oliver
Editor: Melissa Kent
Cast: Iwan Rheon, Pete Davidson, Kathryn Morris, Machine Gun Kelly (Colson Baker), Douglas Booth, Daniel Webber, Katherine Neff, David Costabile, Tony Cavalero, Max Milner
The film doesn’t break the mold when it comes to telling the story of the band. It tries to be more humorous considering the darkness of the tales and tone in general. The characters occasionally break the fourth wall and talk to the audience Mick Mars more than anyone as he still stays the strangest and most mysterious member of the band. Now while the movie is based on the bands autobiography THE DIRT. It also remind some of the bands behind the music special from back in the day and for how much the film tries it still comes off as more a television movie. Due to the more limited budget, sets state of production and wigs. Though with this kind of material it could never play on regular television. So it’s no surprise it is a Netflix presentation. As there is plenty of nudity, sex and drugs to go around.
Written & Directed By: Angelina Jolie Pitt
Cinematography By: Christian Berger
Editor: Martin Pensa & Patricia Rommel
Cast: Angelina Jolie Pitt, Brad Pitt, Melaine Laurent, Melvil Poupaud, Niels Arestrup, Richard Bohringer
Set in France during the mid-1970s, Vanessa, a former dancer, and her husband Roland, an American writer, travel the country together. They seem to be growing apart, but when they linger in one quiet, seaside town they begin to draw close to some of its more vibrant inhabitants, such as a local bar/café-keeper and a hotel owner.
Directed By: Tim Burton
Written By: Scott Alexander & Larry Karaszewski
Cinematography By: Bruno Delbonnel
Editor: JC Bond
Music By: Danny Elfman
Cast: Amy Adams, Christoph Waltz, Jason Schwartzman, Danny Huston, Krysten Ritter Terrence Stamp, Jon Polito, Madeline Arthur
In San Francisco in the 1950s, Margaret was a woman trying to make it on her own after leaving her husband with only her daughter and her paintings. She meets gregarious ladies’ man and fellow painter Walter Keane in a park while she was struggling to make an impact with her drawings of children with big eyes. The two quickly become a pair with outgoing Walter selling their paintings and quiet Margaret holed up at home painting even more children with big eyes. But Walter’s actually selling her paintings as his own. A clash of financial success and critical failure soon sends Margaret reeling in her life of lies. With Walter still living the high life, Margaret’s going to have to try making it on her own again and re-claiming her name and her paintings.
Written & Directed By: Michael R. Roskam
Cinematography By: Nicolas Karakatsanis
Editor: Alain Dessauvage
Cast: Matthias Schoenaerts, Jeroen Perceval, Jeanne Dandoy, Barbara Sarafin, Tibo Vandenborre, Frank Lamers
*Please note that some trivia and facts have been republished from imdb among other sources In this review
Directed By: Sacha Gervasi
Written By: John J. McLaughlin
Based On The Book “ALFRED HITCHCOCK AND THE MAKING OF PSYCHO”: Stephen Rebello
Cinematography By: Jeff Cronenweth
Editor: Pamela Martin
Music By: Danny Elfman
Cast: Anthony Hopkins, Helen Mirren, Jessica Biel, Scarlett Johansson, Danny Huston, Toni Colette, Michael Stuhlbarg, Michael Wincott, James D’Arcy, Richard Portnow, Kurtwood Smith, Wallace Langham, Ralph Macchio
In 1959, Alfred Hitchcock and his wife, Alma, are at the top of their creative game as filmmakers amid disquieting insinuations about it being time to retire. To recapture his youth’s artistic daring, Alfred decides his next film will adapt the lurid horror novel, Psycho, over everyone’s misgivings. Unfortunately, as Alfred self-finances and labors on this film, Alma finally loses patience with his roving eye and controlling habits with his actresses. When an ambitious friend lures her to collaborate on a work of their own, the resulting marital tension colors Alfred’s work even as the novel’s inspiration haunts his dreams.
Written, Directed & Edited By: Xavier Dolan
Cinematography By: Andre Turpin
Cast: Annie Dorval, Suzanne Clement, Antoine-Oliver Pilon, Patrick Huard
Written & Directed By: M. Night Shyamalan
Cinematography: Mike Gioulakis
Editor: Luke Ciarrocchi & Blu Murray
Cast: Bruce Willis, James McAvoy, Samuel L. Jackson, Anna Taylor-Joy, Sarah Paulson, Spencer Treat Clark, Charlayne Woodard, Luke Kirby
After pursuing Kevin Wendell Crumb and the multiple identities that reside within. David Dunn finds himself locked in a mental hospital alongside his archenemy, Elijah Price and must contend with a psychiatrist who is out to prove the trio do not actually possess superhuman abilities.
Cut To The Chase 