Film Reviews

Interview: Director Steve James talks Abacus: Small Enough to Jail

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Here’s the interview I mentioned with my previous post! Hop on over to my patreon page for even more discussion!

ABACUS: Small Enough to Jail

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This is another great documentary from Steve James, who also made “Life Itself” and the 30 for 30 on Allen Iverson’s Trial. I was also fortunate enough to interview the director about this film, so look for that in the near future! Review here.

The Hilarious “Mindhorn” Blends Crime with Irreverence and Dry British Wit

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Are you re-watching episodes of QI and startling yourself with how often you remember the answers?  Do you have a VPN set up to watch 8 Out of 10 Cats?  Are you slightly angry that my previous question didn’t conclude with “Does Countdown”?  This hackneyed rhetoric is just a way for me to say that … Read more

“War Machine” is Imbalanced, Has Too Few Barbs

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The satire is the most fragile of all the genres.  Drama fails or succeeds on the strength of very definite qualities like story, character, and pathos.  Comedy has leeway with its execution on account of its casual tone, as even the blackest comedies have a jokey kernel.  Strict genre fare or action is even more … Read more

Inside Out 2017: A Date for Mad Mary

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This movie is fantastic! One of my favorite things about getting screeners is being blind-sided by something awesome, and “A Date for Mad Mary” definitely counts!

“Alien: Covenant” – a Muted Echo of a Once-Great Franchise

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The Alien franchise has been limping along since the early ‘90s, and a covenant with God herself can’t save it from the paucity of original thought on display in Ridley Scott’s latest shade of a film.  Alien: Covenant builds a great starting point, but squanders everything near the end of the first act, and it … Read more

“Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2” – Definitely a Chapter from the Same Book

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Guardians of the Galaxy was always the most overtly comedic franchise in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), and Vol. 2 follows in those footsteps.  Most films in the MCU employ humor, but none are governed by the success of references, call-backs, meta-humor, and jokes quite like Guardians.  As a result, one’s appreciation for this sequel … Read more

Strong Talent Can’t Elevate the Shoddy “Miss Sloane”

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John Madden’s political thriller Miss Sloane is a contrived sledgehammer of a film.  It navigates a complex subject matter from the top of a soapbox, spouting ersatz-Sorkin dialogue at the top of its lungs.  Its near-infallible central character is always the smartest person in the room, except when she’s saved by the latest in a … Read more