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: Zal Batmanglij
Written By: Zal Batmanglij & Brit Marling
Cinematography By: Rachel Morrison
Editor: Tamara Meem
Cast: Brit Marling, Christopher Denham, Nicole Vicius, Davenia McFadden, Kandice Stroh, Constance Wu, James Urbaniak
Two documentary filmmakers attempt to penetrate a cult who worships a woman who claims to be from the future.
Directed By: Steve McQueen
Written By: Gillian Flynn & Steve McQueen
Based On “Widows” By: Lynda La Plante
Cinematography By: Sean Bobbitt
Editor: Joe Walker
Cast: Viola Davis, Colin Farrell, Robert Duvall, Brian Tyree Henry, Daniel Kaluuya, Michelle Rodriguez, Elizabeth Debicki, Cynthia Erivo, Liam Neeson, Lukas Haas, Jon Bernthal, Carrie Coon, Jacki Weaver, Ann Mitchell, Garret Dillahunt, Kevin J O’Connor
“Widows” is the story of four women with nothing in common except a debt left behind by their dead husbands’ criminal activities. Set in contemporary Chicago, amid a time of turmoil, tensions build when Veronica, Alice, Linda and Belle take their fate into their own hands and conspire to forge a future on their own terms.
Directed By: Rob Cohen
Written By: Barbara Curry
Cinematography By: Dave McFarland
Editor: Michel Aller
Cast: Jennifer Lopez, Ryan Guzman, John Corbett, Kristin Chenowith, Ian Nelson, Hill Harper
When a handsome, charming teenager named Noah moves in next door, newly separated high-school teacher Claire Peterson encourages his friendship and engages in a little bit of harmless (or so she thinks) flirtation. Although Noah spends much of the time hanging out with Claire’s son, the teen’s attraction to her is palpable. One night, Claire gives in to temptation and lets Noah seduce her, but when she tries to end the relationship, he turns violent.
Directed By: Reginald Hudlin
Written By: Josh Kaskoff & Michael Kaskoff
Cinematography By: Newton Thomas Sigel
Editor: Tom McArdle
Cast: Chadwick Boseman, Josh Gad, Sterling K. Brown, Dan Stevens, Kate Hudson, Sophia Bush, Jussie Smollett, James Cromwell, Keesha Sharp, Roger Guenveur Smith, Ahna O’Reilly, Rozanda “Chilli” Thomas, Jeffrey DeMunn
About a young Thurgood Marshall, the first African-American Supreme Court Justice, as he battles through one of his career-defining cases.
Directed By: Oliver Stone
Written By: Oliver Stone, Shane Salerno & Don Winslow
Based on the novel by: Don Winslow
Cinematography By: Daniel Mindel
Editor: Joe Hutshing, Stuart Levy & Alex Marquez
Cast: Blake Lively, Taylor Kitsch, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, John Travolta, Benecio Del Toro, Shea Whigham, Demian Bichir, Salma Hayeck, Emile Hirsch, Joel David Moore, Ali Wong Continue reading “SAVAGES (2012)”
Written & Directed By: Sofia Coopola
Based On The Novel By: Thomas Cullinan
Based On the Screenplay by: Grimes Grice & Albert Maltz
Cinematography By: Philippe Le Sourd
Editor: Sarah Flack
Music By: Phoenix
Cast: Nicole Kidman, Colin Farrell, Kirsten Dunst, Elle Fanning, Oona Laurence, Angourie Rice
Three years into the senseless American Civil War, in 1864, the dilapidated mansion of Miss Martha Farnsworth’s Seminary for Young Ladies is still running, occupied by the matriarch, a teacher and five students in Spanish moss-draped Virginia. However, when a young student stumbles upon Corporal John McBurney, a wounded Union deserter on the verge of death, the already frail balance of things will be disrupted, as the hesitant headmistress decides to take him in to heal from his injury. Little by little, as the unwelcome guest arouses an uneasy sexual excitation among the women of the secluded boarding school, it is not before long that they will find themselves competing for the alluring man’s favour. Undoubtedly, this handsome devil is a manipulator, nevertheless, will the ladies stay forever beguiled by his charm?
Directed By: Derek Cianfrance
Written By: Derek Cianfrance , Ben Coccio & Darius Marder
Story By: Derek Cianfrance & Ben Coccio
Cinematography By: Sean Bobbitt
Editor: Jim Helton & Ron Patane
Music By: Mike Patton
Cast: Ryan Gosling, Eva Mendes, Bradley Cooper, Ben Mendelsohn, Ray Liotta, Harris Yulin, Rose Byrne, Mahershala Ali, Dale DeHaan, Emory Cohen, Bruce Greenwood, Robert Clohessy, Gabe Fazio
Directed By: David Leitch
Written By: Kurt Johnstad
Based on the Graphic Novel “THE COLDEST CITY” By: Antony Jonhston & Sam Hart Cinematography By: Jonathan Sela
Editor: Elisabet Ronaldsdottir
Cast: Charlize Theron, Sofia Boutella, James McAvoy, Toby Jones, John Goodman, Eddie Marsan, James Faulkner, Til Schweiger, Bill Skarsgard
The crown jewel of Her Majesty’s Secret Intelligence Service, Agent Lorraine Broughton is equal parts spycraft, sensuality and savagery, willing to deploy any of her skills to stay alive on her impossible mission. Sent alone into Berlin to deliver a priceless dossier out of the destabilized city, she partners with embedded station chief David Percival to navigate her way through the deadliest game of spies.
Directed By: Francois Simard, Anouk Whissell, Yoann-Karl Whissell (RKSS)
Written By: Matt Leslie & Stephen J. Smith
Cinematography By: Jean Philipe Bernier
Editor: Austin Andrews
Music By: Le Matos
Cast: Rich Sommer, Graham Verchere, Judah Lewis, Cory Gruter-Andrew, Caleb Emery, Tiera Skovbye, William McDonald, Susie Castillo, Jason Gray-Stanford, Shauna Johannesen
After suspecting that their police officer neighbor is a serial killer, a group of teenage friends spend their summer spying on him and gathering evidence, but as they get closer to discovering the truth, things get dangerous.
Directed By: Kevin Phillips
Written By: Ben Collins & Luke Piotrowski
Cinematography By: Eli Born
Editor: Ed Yonaitis
Cast: Owen Campbell, Charlie Tahan, Elizabeth Cappuccino, Max Talisman, Sawyer Barth, Amy Hargreaves, Adea Lennox
Teenagers Zach and Josh have been best friends their whole lives, but when a gruesome accident leads to a cover-up, the secret drives a wedge between them and propels them down a rabbit hole of escalating paranoia and violence.
Cut To The Chase 