“The Holdovers” (2023) – Alexander Payne’s Touching Drama About Teachers

Director: Alexander Payne Starring: Paul Giamatti, Dominic Sessa, Da’ Vine Joy Randolph                 … More

“Honey Boy” (2019) – A Powerful Portrait of a Controversial Actor

Director: Alma Har’el Writer: Shia LaBeouf Starring: Noah Jupe, Shia LaBeouf and Lucas Hedges ‘A Powerful Memoir’ Few actors in … More

“A Quiet Place: Day One” (2024) – A Silently Spectacular Horror Prequel

Writer/Director: Michael Sarnoski Starring: Lupita Nyong’o, Joseph Quinn and Alex Wolff                   … More

“Southpaw” (2015) – Jake Gyllenhaal’s Breathtaking Boxing Drama

Director: Antoine Fuqua Writer: Kurt Sutter Starring: Jake Gyllenhaal, Rachel McAdams and Forest Whitaker ‘Breathtaking Boxing Drama’ Is it just … More

“Ordinary People” (1980) – Robert Redford’s Extraordinary Family Drama

Director: Robert Redford Starring: Donald Sutherland, Mary Tyler Moore, Timothy Hutton ‘Extraordinary Family Drama’ “Ordinary People” is directed by Robert … More

“Maudie” (2017) – A Phenomenal Portrait of a Painter

Director: Aisling Walsh Writer: Sherry White Starring: Sally Hawkins, Ethan Hawke and Kari Matchett ‘Deeply Moving Biopic’ Maud Lewis is … More

“Room” (2015) – A Mesmerizing Masterpiece About Trauma

Director: Lenny Abrahamson Writer: Emma Donoghue (based on novel) Starring: Brie Larson, Jacob Tremblay and William H. Macy ‘A Moving … More

“The Light Between Oceans” (2016) – Lovely Literature Adaptation

Writer/Director: Derek Cianfrance Based on the best-selling novel by M.L. Stedman Starring: Michael Fassbender, Alicia Vikander and Rachel Weisz ‘Powerful … More

“Room” (2015) – Magnificent Literary Masterpiece

Director: Lenny Abrahamson Writer: Emma Donoghue (based on novel) Starring: Brie Larson, Jacob Tremblay and William H. Macy ‘A Moving … More

“Inside Out” (2015) – Pixar’s Emotional Animated Classic

Writer/Director: Pete Docter and Ronaldo Del Carmen Co-writers: Meg LeFauve and Josh Cooley Starring: Amy Poehler, Bill Hader, and Lewis … More

“The Mauritanian” (2021) – Movie Review

Director: Kevin Macdonald Writers: M.B. Traven, Rory Haines and Sohrab Noshirvani  Starring: Tahar Rahim, Jodie Foster and Benedict Cumberbatch ‘Tense … More

“Sound of Metal” (2020) – Movie Review

Writer/Director: Darius Marder Co-writer: Abraham Marder Starring: Riz Ahmed, Olivia Cooke and Paul Raci ‘Powerful Disability Drama’ Hearing impairment is … More

“Honey Boy” (2019) – Movie Review

Director: Alma Har’el Writer: Shia LaBeouf Starring: Noah Jupe, Shia LaBeouf and Lucas Hedges ‘A Powerful Memoir’ Few actors in … More

“Ben is Back” (2018) – Movie Review

Writer/Director: Peter Hedges Starring: Julia Roberts, Lucas Hedges and Courtney B. Vance ‘Powerful Drug-Addiction Drama’ Imagine being the mother of … More

“Lady Bird” (2017) – Movie Review

Writer/Director: Greta Gerwig Starring: Saoirse Ronan, Laurie Metcalf and Lucas Hedges ‘Captivating Coming-of-Age Drama’ There is no time in a … More

“Moonlight” (2016) – Movie Review

Writer/Director: Barry Jenkins Based on the play by Tarell Alvin McCraney Starring: Mahershala Ali, Ashton Sanders and Naomi Harris ‘Magnificent … More

“Hidden Figures” (2016) – Movie Review

Director: Theodore Melfi Writer: Allison Schroeder (based off novel by Margot Lee Shetterly) Starring: Taraji P. Henson, Octavia Spencer and … More

“Arrival” (2016) – Movie Review

Director: Denis Villeneuve Writer: Eric Heisserer (based on short story) Starring: Amy Adams, Jeremy Renner and Forest Whitaker ‘Spellbinding Science-Fiction’ … More

“Spotlight” (2015) – Movie Review

Writer/Director: Tom McCarthy Co-writer: Josh Singer Starring: Michael Keaton, Mark Ruffalo and Rachel McAdams ‘Filmmaking at its Finest’ It is … More

“Life Itself” (2014) – Movie Review

Director: Steve James Based on the best-selling novel by Roger Ebert Starring: Roger Ebert, Chaz Ebert and Gene Siskel ‘A … More

“Boyhood” (2014) – Movie Review

Writer/Director: Richard Linklater Starring: Ellar Coltrane, Ethan Hawke and Patricia Arquette ‘A Magnificent Masterpiece’ About halfway through Richard Linklater’s “Boyhood”, … More