Boyz n the Hood

One out of every 21 Black-American males will be murdered in their lifetime…most will die at the hands of another black male. In 1984 Inglewood, California, ten-year-old Tre is intellectually gifted, but lacks direction and the right influence, raised only by his single mother, Reva (Angela Bassett). The decision is made to send him to […]

First Cow

In any endeavor, it’s the getting started that’s the puzzle. Sometime in the early 19th century, a talented cook, fittingly named “Cookie” (John Magaro) has banded with a group of fur trappers, serving as their in-house (in-trek?) provider of nourishment on the Oregon Trail, hoping to find riches. Along the way, he crosses paths with […]

Swallow

“Every day, try to do something unexpected. Push yourself to try new things.” It’s a passage Hunter (Haley Bennett) reads from a book. Her current life, by her own admission, is going great. She’s married to the love of her life, Richie (Austin Stowell), who has just been named to a very senior lucrative position […]

Downhill (2020)

“Every day is all we have.” That’s the mantra that Pete (Will Ferrell) has adopted from his late father. It’s been less than a year since his father’s passing, and it’s something he’s not fully over. He hopes this trip to the Alps with wife, Billie (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) along with two sons Emerson and Finn […]

The Assistant (2019)

TPS reports? Not quite, but the work that assistant Jane (Julia Garner) does is soul-crushing monotonous. Her responsibilities working at this big movie production company include—but are not limited to—dealing with angry customers, fetching food, and keeping the place organized. Was it mentioned that she’s barely getting paid, and working seven days a week? It’s […]

Force Majeure (2014)

Natural disasters tend to bring the worst out of people. For Tomas (Johannes Kuhnke), he’s enjoying a beautiful five-day vacation getaway with his family; wife Ebba (Lisa Loven Kongsli), daughter Vera (Clara Wettergren), and son Henry (Vincent Wettergren). What to do when in the gorgeous French Alps? Ski, to the heart’s content. While taking in […]

Clemency (2019)

“I am alone, and nobody can fix it.” That’s a statement Bernadette (Alfre Woodard) Williams expresses when spending time with her husband, Jonathan (Wendell Pierce). As a prison warden who administers lethal injections, she’s long ruled her work domain with an iron glove, impervious to everything and everyone. There’s no doubt that Bernadette is amazing […]

Underwater (2020)

What’s worse, being stranded in space or Underwater? The argument can be made that at least space is visible. On a scientific expedition many leagues under the sea, a rig gets hit hard with an anomaly, making the ship unusable and unsafe for living. Evacuation is an obvious must, though all routes to escape are […]

Three Christs

Is it possible to really understand someone else’s delusions? Doctor Alan Stone (Richard Gere) believes it’s possible. He simply wants to make a difference. So much so, that he’s left his Psychology professor teaching post to provide good-natured assistance to Ypsilanti, Michigan State Mental Hospital; specifically, to those who suffer from paranoid schizophrenia. Immediately, he […]

1917

April 6th, 1917. World War I still hangs in the balance between the Allied and the Central Powers. However, the pendulum could swing over the next two days. Why? The English forces are set to walk into a trap, one that the Germans have provoked by retreating from their advantageous position. Retreating is the only […]