Film Arts - Movies & Festivals - Reviews

For those of you who haven't experienced the magic that is “Mary Poppins Returns” you still have a chance to see this breathtaking movie in a theater. The Golden Globes nominations came out and both Emily Blunt and Lin-Manuel Miranda were nominated for their roles in “Mary Poppins Returns”. The film itself is nominated for Best Picture, Musical or Comedy. Their biggest competition is “Green Book” which also is still in theaters. Both Viggo Mortensen and Mahershala Ali were nominated for their roles in “Green Book”. “A Star is Born” was nominated for Best Picture, Drama.

The book begins with a prologue featuring an Asian family coming in from the rain with their unruly children to a ritzy hotel and requesting lodging. They are snubbed by the snooty hotel clerk whereupon they just buy the place. The tone has been set.

We live in a death denying indeed a death defying society and I am society’s child. In fact, as a nation we would rather not mention that troublesome event at all. People pass away, expire, or “kick the bucket”.

I can’t believe Summer is over! The great thing about September is that the Oscar caliber films start coming out. The one I’m excited about is “The Sisters Brothers” starring Joaquin Phoenix and Jake Gyllenhaal.

I can’t believe the end of Summer is approaching. The good news is there are amazing movies to see in the theater. The first must see movie is “Blindspotting”.

on’t go see Sicario: The Day of the Soldado which may still be lingering on local screens until you have rented the original movie first,Sicario.

I recently watched the movie “Roma” named after a neighborhood in Mexico City by well known Mexican Director Alfonso Cuarón. The film is shot notably in black and white as a prelude to its being from the actual memory of the director, and follows the daily life of the family maid, Cleo, in his middle-class family neighborhood.

I had some contextual knowledge so some of the seemingly unexplained scenes in the movie made sense to me. But if one has no historical knowledge of Mexican politics some scenes in the movie would be a bit of a mystery to the viewer. I think the producer would have done well to add a small paragraph at the very beginning explaining the era and some of the events of that time.

We finally made it to December! The best month for movies. Everyone loves the iconic song,”12 Days of Christmas”. So I made a list for all you movie lovers. 

There is a myriad of films/DVD’s that feature felines prominently but the inspiration for this article came the recent release,Bohemian Rhapsody, the story of Queen frontman, Freddy Mercury. Freddy loved his cats wrote songs about them, dedicated albums to them and when on tour called to chat with them. Another current feature is Can You Ever Forgive Me? Melissa McCarthy delivers an Oscar worthy performance as Lee Israel a down on her luck writer with a drinking problem who decides to fabricate letters that have been written by famous people and sell them to dealers. Her cat is sick and needs to see the vet and she is low on cash.

November is the month dedicated to families. Planning Thanksgiving dinner and what to do the days following Thanksgiving. For those of you who don't go to the movies together, change your tradition and go! Trust me you'll feel a lot better. This month there are 10 movies you should see in the theater, Including “Bohemian Rhapsody” about the Iconic Freddie Mercury, Opening November 2^nd 

It all started in 1932, with a film called What Price Hollywood? In this initial take on the plot , the ingenue is an aspiring actress who is a waitress at the Brown Derby where she meets a director. He sets up a screen test. Soon her fortune ascends as quickly as the alcoholic director’s fortune descends.

There's a lot to see at your local movie theaters in October. Starting with “Venom”. Kids of all ages will love this movie. It stars Tom Hardy and Michelle Williams. It opens October 5th. Also opening October 5th is “A Star is Born” starring Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga. Cooper also directed this remake.

As the Supreme Court moves inexorably to the right there are those who have offered to donate their organs to Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Both reviled by some and raised to icon status by others. Documentarians Julie Cohen and Betsy West have given us a mostly adulatory look at the life and times of Ms. Ginsburg.