Tag: heartfelt

“North by Northwest” (1959) – Captivating Hitchcock Classic

Director: Alfred Hitchcock Writer: Ernest Lehman Starring: Cary Grant, Eva Marie Saint and Jessie Royce Landis ‘A Timeless Hitchcock Classic’ … More

“Top Gun: Maverick” (2022) – Soaring Top Gun Sequel

Director: Joseph Kosinski Writers: Christopher McQuarrie Starring: Tom Cruise, Miles Teller and Val Kilmer             … More

“The Avengers” (2012) – Marvelous Comic-Book Entertainment

Writer/Director: Joss Whedon Starring: Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans and Mark Ruffalo ‘Marvel-ous Entertainment’ “The Avengers” is written and directed … More

“Up in the Air” (2009) – George Clooney at His Best

Writer/Director: Jason Reitman Co-Writer: Sheldon Turner (based off novel by Walter Kirn) Starring: George Clooney, Vera Farmiga, and Anna Kendrick … More

“A Man Called Otto” (2022) – Tom Hanks at His Best

Director: Marc Foster Starring: Tom Hanks, Mariana Trevino, Truman Hanks                      … More

“Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom” (1984) – Spectacular Indiana Jones Sequel

Director: Steven Spielberg Writers: Willard Huck and Gloria Katz Starring: Harrison Ford, Jonathan Ke Quan, Amrish Puri ‘Spectacular Sequel’ “Indiana … More

“Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark” (1981) – Timeless Adventure Classic

Director: Steven Spielberg Writer: Lawrence Kasdan Starring: Harrison Ford, Karen Allen, Paul Freeman ‘Timeless Classic’ “Indiana Jones and the Raiders … More

“Enola Holmes” (2020) – Delightful Detective Period Piece

Director: Harry Bradbeer  Writer: Jack Thorne (based on book by Nancy Springer) Starring: Millie Bobby Brown, Henry Cavill and Sam … More

“Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” (2022) – Powerful Black Panther Sequel

Writer/Director: Ryan Coogler Starring: Letitia Wright, Angela Basset, Lupita Nyong’o                     … More

“The Banshees of Inisherin” (2022) – Meaningful Friendship Masterpiece

Writer/Director: Martin McDonagh Starring: Colin Farrell, Brendan Gleeson, Barry Keoghan                     … More

“King Richard” (2021) – Spectacular Serena Williams Biopic

Directed by Reinaldo Marcus Green Starring Will Smith, Aunjanue Ellis and Sanniya Sidney ‘Serene-a Biopic’ Gen-Cassius patriarchs whose philosophies catapulted … More

“West Side Story” (2021) – Marvelous Musical Remake

Directed by Steven Spielberg Starring Ansel Elgort, Rachel Zegler and Rita Moreno       ‘Maria-velous Musical’ Latino-American communities scarcely … More

“Spencer” (2021) – Powerful Princess Diana Biopic

Director: Pablo Larraín  Writer: Steven Knight Starring: Kristen Stewart, Timothy Spall and Sally Hawkins ‘Dazzling Diana Biopic’ It isn’t simple to … More

“Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings” (2021) – Marvelous Martial-Arts Epic

Writer/Director: Destin Daniel Cretton Starring: Simu Liu, Awkwafina and Tony Leung ‘Marvel-ous Martial-Arts Epic’  Crazy rich abilities of Asian communities … More

“No Time to Die” (2021) – Fantastic James Bond Farewell

Writer/Director: Cary Fukunaga Starring: Daniel Craig, Lashana Lynch and Rami Malek ‘Satisfying Swansong’ Brawny beauties are seldom rewarded licenses to … More

“In the Heights” (2021) – Mesmerizing Stage Musical Adaptation

Director: John M. Chu Writer: Quiara Alegria Hudes Starring: Anthony Ramos, Corey Hawkins and Melissa Barrera ‘A Marvelous Musical’  It … More

“Dune: Part Two” (2024) – Sensational Science-Fiction Sequel

Writer/Director: Denis Villeneuve  Starring: Timothee Chalamet, Zendaya, Rebecca Ferguson                       … More

“Cruella” (2021) – Devilishly Delightful Disney Remake

Director: Craig Gillepsie Writers: Dana Fox and Tony McNamara Starring: Emma Stone, Emma Thompson and Paul Walter Hauser ‘Delightful Disney … More

“CODA” (2021) – Powerful Deaf Community Drama

Writer/Director: Sian Heder Starring: Emilia Jones, Troy Kotsur and Marlee Matlin  ‘Powerful Disability Drama’ Silenced stories of celebrities without hearing … More

“Avatar: The Way of Water” (2021) – Awe-Inspiring Avatar Sequel

Writer/Director: James Cameron Starring: Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldana, Sigourney Weaver                     … More

“The Trial of the Chicago 7” (2020) – Compelling Courtroom Drama

Writer/Director: Aaron Sorkin   Starring: Sacha Baron Cohen, Eddie Redmayne and Mark Rylance ‘Captivating Courtroom Drama’ Few court cases in American … More

“Soul” (2020) – Soul-Stirring Animated Achievement

Writer/Director: Pete Docter Co-writers: Mike Jones and Kemp Powers Starring: Jamie Foxx, Tina Fey and Graham Norton ‘Soulful Animated Achievement’ … More

“Pieces of a Woman” (2020) – Heartbreaking Homebirth Drama

Director: Kornél Mundruczó Writer: Kata Webér Starring: Vanessa Kirby, Shia LaBeouf and Ellen Burstyn ‘Heartbreaking Homebirth Drama’ It is never … More

“One Night in Miami” (2020) – Spectacular Stage Adaptation

Director: Regina King Writer: Kemp Powers (based on stage play) Starring: Kingsley Ben-Adir, Leslie Odom Jr. and Eli Goree ‘Spectacular … More

“News of the World” (2020) – Wonderful Tom Hanks Western

Writer/Director: Paul Greengrass Co-writer: Luke Davies (Based on Paulette Jiles’ book) Starring: Tom Hanks, Helena Zengel and Ray McKinnon ‘A … More

“Mulan” (2020) – Marvelous Mulan Remake

Director: Niki Caro Writers: Rick Jaffa and Amanda Silver Starring: Yifei Liu, Donnie Yen and Tzi Ma ‘Remarkable Live-Action Remake’ … More

“Minari” (2020) – Mesmerizing Immigration Masterpiece

Writer/Director: Lee Isaac Chung Starring: Steven Yeun, Alan Kim and Youn Yuh-jung ‘A Mesmerizing Masterpiece’ Foreign films are rarely rewarded … More

“Mank” (2020) – Magnificent Period Piece

Director: David Fincher Writer: Jack Fincher  Starring: Gary Oldman, Amanda Seyfried and Lily Collins ‘Filmmaking at its Finest’ When discussing … More

“Hillbilly Elegy” (2020) – Mediocre Memoir Adaptation

Director: Ron Howard Writer: Vanessa Taylor (based on book by J.D. Vance) Starring: Amy Adams, Glenn Close and Gabriel Basso … More

“Hamilton” (2020) – Breathtaking Broadway Adaptation

Director: Thomas Kail Writer: Lin-Manuel Miranda Starring: Lin-Manuel Miranda, Leslie Odom Jr. and Jonathan Groff ‘A Must-See Musical’ Broadway musicals … More

“The Father” (2020) – Magnificent Dementia Masterpiece

Writer/Director: Florian Zeller Co-writer: Christopher Hampton Starring: Anthony Hopkins, Olivia Colman and Mark Gatiss ‘Powerful Dementia Drama’ Dementia is a … More

“Enola Holmes” (2020) – Extraordinary Period Piece

Director: Harry Bradbeer  Writer: Jack Thorne (based on book by Nancy Springer) Starring: Millie Bobby Brown, Henry Cavill and Sam … More

“Emma” (2020) – Amazing Jane Austen Adaptation

Director: Autumn de Wilde Writer: Eleanor Catton (based on book by Jane Austen) Starring: Anya Taylor-Joy, Johnny Flynn and Bill … More

“The Disciple” (2020) – Mesmerizing Indian Music Drama

Writer/Director: Chaitanya Tamhane Starring: Aditya Modak, Arun Dravid and Sumitra Bhave ‘Mesmerizing Music Drama’ Over the past decade or so, … More

“The Devil All the Time” (2020) – Terrific Crime Thriller

Writer/Director: Antonio Campos  Co-writer: Paulo Campos (based on book by Donald Ray Pollock) Starring: Tom Holland, Robert Pattinson and Jason … More

“Da 5 Bloods” (2020) – Extraordinary Vietnam War Epic

Writer/Director: Spike Lee  Co-writers: Danny Bilson, Paul De Meo and Kevin Willmott Starring: Delroy Lindo, Jonathan Majors and Clarke Peters … More

“Bo Burnham: Inside” (2020) – Spectacular Stand-up Special

Writer/Director: Bo Burnham Starring: Bo Burnham ‘Spectacular Stand-up Special’ Never has it been more challenging for comedians with hectic routines … More

“Waves” (2019) – Powerful Family Drama

Writer/Director: Trey Edward Shults Starring: Kelvin Harrison Jr., Sterling K. Brown and Taylor Russell ‘A Powerful Family Drama’ Family tragedy … More

“The Personal History of David Copperfield” (2019) – Delightful Charles Dickens Adaptation

Writer/Director: Armando Iannucci Co-writer: Simon Blackwell (based on book by Charles Dickens) Starring: Dev Patel, Hugh Laurie and Tilda Swinton … More

“Once Upon a Time in Hollywood” (2019) – Tarantino’s Powerful Period Piece

Writer/Director: Quentin Tarantino Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Brad Pitt and Margot Robbie ‘Powerful Period Piece’ Few filmmakers in the world have … More

“The Mustang” (2019) – Powerful Prison Drama

Writer/Director: Laure de Clermont-Tonnerre Co-writers: Mona Fastvold and Brock Norman Brock Starring: Matthias Schoenaerts, Jason Mitchell and Bruce Dern ‘A … More

“Honey Boy” (2019) – Amazing Autobiographical Drama

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

“Blinded by the Light” (2019) – Breathtaking Bruce Springsteen Musical

Writer/Director: Gurinder Chada Co-writers: Paul Mayeda Berges and Sarfraz Manzoor Starring: Viveik Kalra, Kulvinder Ghir and Hayley Atwell ‘A Marvelous … More

“Mission: Impossible – Fallout” (2018) – Magnificent Mission Accomplished

Writer/Director: Christopher McQuarrie Starring: Tom Cruise, Henry Cavill and Rebecca Ferguson ‘A Mission Accomplished’ When it comes to the most … More

“Solo: A Star Wars Story” (2018) – Superb Han Solo Prequel

Director: Ron Howard Writers: Jonathan and Lawrence Kasdan Starring: Alden Ehrenreich, Woody Harrelson and Donald Glover ‘Superb Solo Prequel’ When … More

“Mary Poppins Returns” (2018) – Marvelous Mary Poppins Musical

Director: Rob Marshall Writer: David Magee Starring: Emily Blunt, Lin Manuel-Miranda and Ben Whishaw ‘A Marvelous Musical’ Before I begin … More

“Green Book” (2018) – Remarkable Racism Period Piece

Writer/Director: Peter Farrelly Co-writers: Nick Vallelonga and Brian Hayes Currie Starring: Viggo Mortensen, Mahershala Ali and Linda Cardellini ‘Powerful Period … More

“Black Panther” (2018) – Breathtaking Comic-Book Blockbuster

Writer/Director: Ryan Coogler Co-writer: Joe Robert Cole Starring: Chadwick Boseman, Michael B. Jordan and Lupita Nyong’o ‘A Marvelous Blockbuster’ Over … More

“Ant-Man and the Wasp” (2018) – Marvelous Ant-Man Sequel

Director: Peyton Reed Writers: Chris McKenna and Erik Sommers Starring: Paul Rudd, Michael Douglas and Evangeline Lilly ‘Fun but Flawed … More

“Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker” (2019) – Satisfying Star Wars Finale

Writer/Director: J.J. Abrams Co-writer: Chris Terrio Starring: Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver and John Boyega ‘A Satisfactory Finale’ When it comes … More

“Star Wars: The Last Jedi” (2017) – Spectacular Star Wars Sequel

Writer/Director: Rian Johnson Starring: Daisy Ridley, Mark Hamill and Adam Driver ‘A Spectacular Sequel’ Before I begin this review, I … More

“Spider-Man: Homecoming” (2017) – Soaring Spider-Man Reboot

Director: Jon Watts Writers: Jonathan Goldstein and John Francis Daley Starring: Tom Holland, Robert Downey Jr. and Michael Keaton ‘A … More

“The Shape of Water” (2017) – Extraordinary Fantasy Epic

Writer/Director: Guillermo Del Toro Co-writer: Vanessa Taylor Starring: Sally Hawkins, Octavia Spencer and Michael Shannon ‘Fantastic Fantasy Epic’ So far, … More

“Phantom Thread” (2017) – Powerful Fashion Period Piece

Writer/Director: Paul Thomas Anderson Starring: Daniel Day-Lewis, Vicky Krieps and Lesley Manville ‘Powerful Period Piece’ Few filmmakers in the world … More

“Maudie” (2017) – Powerful 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

“Lady Bird” (2017) – Captivating Coming-of-Age Drama

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

“The Glass Castle” (2017) – Astonishing Literary Adaptation

Writer/Director: Destin Daniel Cretton Co-writer: Andrew Lanham Starring: Brie Larson, Woody Harrelson and Naomi Watts ‘Astonishing Adaptation’ When it comes … More

“Dunkirk” (2017) – Wonderful War Drama

Writer/Director: Christopher Nolan Starring: Fionn Whitehead, Mark Rylance and Tom Hardy ‘Breathtaking Achievement’ War is a difficult subject to capture … More

“The Big Sick” (2017) – Remarkable Romantic Comedy

Director: Michael Showalter Writers: Kumail Nanjiani and Emily V. Gordon Starring: Kumail Nanjiani, Zoe Kazan and Holly Hunter ‘A Hilarious … More

“Southside With You” (2016) – Remarkable Obama Romantic Drama

Writer/Director: Richard Tanne Starring: Tika Sumpter and Parker Sawyers ‘Remarkable Romantic Drama’ Let me start off by saying that I’m … More

“Lion” (2016) – Inspirational Indian Orphan Drama

Director: Garth Davis Writer: Luke Davies (based off novel by Saroo Brierley) Starring: Dev Patel, Nicole Kidman and Rooney Mara … More

“Kubo and the Two Strings” (2016) – Awe-Inspiring Asian Animation

Directed by Travis Knight Written by Marc Haimes and Chris Butler Starring Art Parkinson, Charlize Theron and Matthew McConaughey ‘Awe-Inspiring … More

“The Jungle Book” (2016) – Remarkable Live-Action Remake

Director: Jon Favreau Writer: Justin Marks (based on the novel by Rudyard Kipling) Starring: Neel Sethi, Bill Murray and Sir … More

“Hidden Figures” (2016) – Inspiring NASA Historical Drama

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

“Steve Jobs” (2015) – Spectacular Steve Jobs Biopic

Director: Danny Boyle Writer: Aaron Sorkin (based on novel) Starring: Michael Fassbender, Kate Winslet and Seth Rogen ‘Brilliant Business Biopic’ … More

“Me and Earl and the Dying Girl” (2015) – Captivating Coming-of-Age Comedy

Director: Alfonso Gomez-Rejon Writer: Jesse Andrews (based on novel) Starring: Thomas Mann, RJ Cyler and Olivia Cooke ‘A Breath of … More

“Irrational Man” (2015) – Wonderful Woody Allen Drama

Writer/Director: Woody Allen Starring: Joaquin Phoenix, Emma Stone and Parker Posey ‘An Overlooked Gem’ Few actors in the world have … 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

“Ant-Man” (2015) – Marvelous Ant-Man Blockbuster

Director: Peyton Reed Writers: Edgar Wright, Joe Cornish, Adam McKay and Paul Rudd Starring: Paul Rudd, Michael Douglas, and Evangeline … More

“The Hundred-Foot Journey” (2014) – Delicious Indian Cooking Drama

Director: Lasse Hallstrom Written by Steven Knight (based off novel by Richard C. Morais) Starring Helen Mirren, Om Puri and … More

“Edge of Tomorrow” (2014) – Terrific Time-Travel Thriller

Director: Doug Liman Writers: Christopher McQuarrie and Jez Butterworth Starring: Tom Cruise, Emily Blunt and Bill Paxton ‘A Mind-Bending Marvel’ … More

“Boyhood” (2014) – Meaningful Childhood Masterpiece

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

“Warm Bodies” (2013) – Remarkable Zombie Romance

Writer/Director: Jonathan Levine Based on novel by Isaac Marion Starring: Nicholas Hoult, Teresa Palmer, and John Malkovich ‘Captivating Zombie Comedy’ … More

“This is the End” (2013) – Captivating Doomsday Comedy

Writer/Directors: Evan Goldberg and Seth Rogen Starring: Seth Rogen, Jay Baruchel, James Franco and Jonah Hill ‘Captivating Comedy’ Hollywood is … More

“The Spectacular Now” (2013) – Spectacular Romantic Drama

Director: James Ponsoldt Writer: Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber Starring: Miles Teller, Shailene Woodley and Brie Larson ‘Spectacular Romantic … More

“Pacific Rim” (2013) – Marvelous Monsters Blockbuster

Writer/Director: Guillermo del Toro Co-writer: Travis Beacham  Starring: Idris Elba, Charlie Hunnam and Rinko Kikuchi ‘Exhilarating Entertainment’ Over the last … More

“Oz: The Great and the Powerful” (2013) – Wonderful Wizard of Oz Prequel

Director: Sam Raimi Writers: Mitchell Kapner and David Lindsay-Abaire Starring: James Franco, Michelle Williams, and Mila Kunis ‘Powerful Prequel’ I … More

“Jobs” (2013) – Brilliant Steve Jobs Biopic

Director: Joshua Michael Stern Writer: Matt Whiteley Starring: Ashton Kutcher, Josh Gad and J.K. Simmons ‘Brilliant Business Biopic’ One of … More

“Despicable Me 2” (2013) – Dazzling Animated Sequel

Director: Pierre Coffin and Chris Renaud Writers: Ken Daurio and Cinco Paul Starring: Steve Carell, Kristen Wiig, Benjamin Bratt ‘Spectacular … More

“Captain Phillips” (2013) – Captivating Hostage Crisis Thriller

Director: Paul Greengrass Writer: Billy Ray Starring: Tom Hanks and Barkhad Abdi ‘Captivating Hijacking Thriller’ “Captain Phillips” is the most … More

“American Hustle” (2013) – Amazing Period Piece

Writer/Director: David O. Russell Co-writer: Eric Warren Singer Starring: Christian Bale, Amy Adams and Bradley Cooper ‘Powerful Period Piece’ In … More

“About Time” (2013) – Remarkable Romantic Drama

Writer/Director: Richard Curtis Starring: Domhnall Gleeson, Rachel McAdams and Bill Nighy ‘Remarkable Romantic Drama’ Romantic comedies are almost always predictable. … More

“Snow White and the Huntsman” (2012) – Superb Snow White Reboot

Director: Rupert Sanders Starring: Kristen Stewart, Chris Hemsworth and Charlize Theron ‘Enjoyable Entertainment’ “Snow White and the Huntsman” is directed … More

“Skyfall” (2012) – Spectacular Bond Sequel

Director: Sam Mendes Writers: Neal Purvis, Robert Wade, and John Logan Starring Daniel Craig, Judi Dench, Ralph Fiennes ‘Brilliant Bond … More

“Silver Linings Playbook” (2012) – Magnificent Mental Health Masterpiece

Writer/Director: David O. Russell Based on novel by Matthew Quick Starring: Bradley Cooper, Jennifer Lawrence, Robert De Niro ‘Magnificent Masterpiece’ It’s … More

“Looper” (2012) – Terrific Time Travel Thriller

Writer/Director: Rian Johnson Starring: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Bruce Willis and Emily Blunt ‘Original Entertainment’ “Looper” is written and directed by Rian … More

“Life of Pi” (2012) – Life-Affirming Literature Adaptation

Director: Ang Lee Writer: David Magee (based off novel by Yann Martel) Starring: Suraj Sharma, Irrfan Khan, Tabu ‘Beautiful Book … More

“Flight” (2012) – Powerful Alcohol Addiction Drama

Director: Robert Zemeckis Writer: John Gatins Starring Denzel Washington, Bruce Greenwood, Don Cheadle ‘Astonishing Alcoholism Drama’ It’s not often that … More

“Barfi” (2012) – Brilliant Bollywood Musical

Writer/Director: Anurag Basu Co-writer: Sanjeev Dutta Starring: Ranbir Kapoor, Priyanka Chopra, Ileana, and Saurabh Shukla ‘Bollywood at its Best’ Indian … More

“The Avengers” (2012) – Marvelous Comic-Book Blockbuster

Writer/Director: Joss Whedon Starring: Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans and Mark Ruffalo ‘Marvel-ous Entertainment’ “The Avengers” is written and directed … More

“Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone” (2001) – Magical Franchise Beginning

Director: Chris Columbus Starring: Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint and Emma Watson ‘Magical Beginning’ “Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone” is … More

“George Harrison: Living in the Material World” (2011) – Brilliant Beatles Documentary

Director: Martin Scorsese Starring: George Harrison, Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr ‘Dazzling Documentary’ “George Harrison: Living in the Material World” is … More

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

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

“The Fall Guy” (2024) – Captivating Stuntman Comedy

Director: David Leitch Starring: Ryan Gosling, Emily Blunt, Aaron Taylor-Johnson                      … More

“Challengers” (2024) – Remarkable Tennis Romance Drama

Director: Luca Guadagnino Starring: Zendaya, Mike Faist, Josh O’ Connor                     … More

“Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse” (2023) – Spectacular Animated Sequel

Director: Joaquim Dos Santos Starring: Shameik Moore, Hailee Steinfeld, Jake Johnson                   … More

“Poor Things” (2023) – Movie Review

Director: Yorgos Lanthimos Starring: Emma Stone, Mark Ruffalo, Willem Dafoe                      … More

“Past Lives” (2023) – Mesmerizing Korean Masterpiece

Writer/Director: Celine Song Starring: Greta Lee, Teo Yoo, John Magaro                     … More

“Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation” (2015) – Movie Review

Writer/Director: Christopher McQuarrie Co-Writers: Drew Pearce and Bruce Geller Starring: Tom Cruise, Simon Pegg and Rebecca Ferguson ‘A Mission Accomplished’ … More

“Mission: Impossible – Fallout” (2018) – Movie Review

Writer/Director: Christopher McQuarrie Starring: Tom Cruise, Henry Cavill and Rebecca Ferguson ‘A Mission Accomplished’ When it comes to the most … More

“Maestro” (2023) – Movie Review

Writer/Director: Bradley Cooper Starring: Bradley Cooper, Carey Mulligan, Matt Bomer                     … More

“Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny” (2023) – Movie Review

Writer/Director: James Mangold Starring: Harrison Ford, Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Mads Mikkelsen                      … More

“The Holdovers” (2023) – Movie Review

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

“A Haunting in Venice” (2023) – Movie Review

Writer/Director: Kenneth Branagh Starring: Kenneth Branagh, Michelle Yeoh, Tina Fey                     … More

“Fair Play” (2023) – Movie Review

Writer/Director: Chloe Domont Starring: Alden Ehrenreich, Phoebe Dynevor, Eddie Marsan                      … More

“BlackBerry” (2023) – Movie Review

Writer/Director: Matt Johnson  Starring: Jay Baruchel, Glenn Howerton, Matt Johnson                      … More

“Are You There God? It’s Me Margaret” (2023) – Movie Review

Writer/Director: Kelly Fremon Craig Starring: Abby Fortson, Rachel McAdams, Benny Safdie ‘Astonishing Adaptation’  Few novels about teenagers captivate readers like … More

“American Fiction” (2023) – Movie Review

Writer/Director: Cord Jefferson Starring: Jeffrey Wright, Issa Rae, Sterling K. Brown                   … More

“Air” (2023) – Movie Review

Director: Ben Affleck Starring: Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, Viola Davis                     … More

“Top Gun: Maverick” (2022) – Movie Review

Director: Joseph Kosinski Writers: Christopher McQuarrie Starring: Tom Cruise, Miles Teller and Val Kilmer             … More

“Thor: Love and Thunder” (2022) – Movie Review

Writer/Director: Taika Waititi Starring: Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman and Christian Bale ‘Thor-oughly Entertaining’ Wonder-Woman beauties rarely wield hammers belong bo-Thor-some … More

“The Fabelmans” (2022) – Movie Review

Writer/Director: Steven Spielberg Starring: Gabriel LaBelle, Michelle Williams, Paul Dano                     … More

“Enola Holmes 2” (2022) – Movie Review

Director: Harry Bradbeer Starring: Millie Bobby Brown, Henry Cavill and Louise Partridge                 … More

“Aftersun” (2022) – Movie Review

Writer/Director: Charlotte Wells Starring: Frankie Corio, Paul Mescal                         … More

“Spider-Man: No Way Home” (2021) – Movie Review

Directed by Jon Watts Starring Tom Holland, Zendaya and Benedict Cumberbatch ‘Spectacular Sequel’ It’s always necessitated battle-Garfield companies s-Parker-ling powers … More

“Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings” (2021) – Movie Review

Writer/Director: Destin Daniel Cretton Starring: Simu Liu, Awkwafina and Tony Leung ‘Marvel-ous Martial-Arts Epic’  Crazy rich abilities of Asian communities … More

“No Time to Die” (2021) – Movie Review

Writer/Director: Cary Fukunaga Starring: Daniel Craig, Lashana Lynch and Rami Malek ‘Satisfying Swansong’ Brawny beauties are seldom rewarded licenses to … More

“The Dig” (2021) – Movie Review

Directed by Simon Stone Written by Moira Buffini (Based on John Preston’s book) Starring Carey Mulligan, Ralph Fiennes and Lily … More

“CODA” (2021) – Movie Review

Writer/Director: Sian Heder Starring: Emilia Jones, Troy Kotsur and Marlee Matlin  ‘Powerful Disability Drama’ Silenced stories of celebrities without hearing … More

“Black Widow” (2021) – Movie Review

Director: Cate Shortland Writer: Eric Pearson Starring: Scarlett Johansson, Florence Pugh and David Harbour ‘A Satisfying Spin-off’ Strong superheroines that … More

“Annette” (2021) – Movie Review

Writer/Director: Leos Carax Co-writer: Sparks Brothers Starring: Adam Driver, Marion Cotillard and Simon Helberg ‘Magnificent Musical’ Is it just me … More

“Avatar: The Way of Water” (2021) – Movie Review

Writer/Director: James Cameron Starring: Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldana, Sigourney Weaver                     … 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

“Soul” (2020) – Movie Review

Writer/Director: Pete Docter Co-writers: Mike Jones and Kemp Powers Starring: Jamie Foxx, Tina Fey and Graham Norton ‘Astonishing Animated Achievement’ … More

“One Night in Miami” (2020) – Movie Review

Director: Regina King Writer: Kemp Powers (based on stage play) Starring: Kingsley Ben-Adir, Leslie Odom Jr. and Eli Goree ‘Spectacular … More

“Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom” (2020) – Movie Review

Director: George C. Wolfe Writer: Ruben Santiago-Hudson (based on August Wilson’s play) Starring: Viola Davis, Chadwick Boseman and Colman Domingo … More

“Mank” (2020) – Movie Review

Director: David Fincher Writer: Jack Fincher  Starring: Gary Oldman, Amanda Seyfried and Lily Collins ‘Filmmaking at its Finest’ When discussing … More

“Hamilton” (2020) – Movie Review

Director: Thomas Kail Writer: Lin-Manuel Miranda Starring: Lin-Manuel Miranda, Leslie Odom Jr. and Jonathan Groff ‘A Must-See Musical’ Broadway musicals … More

“Emma” (2020) – Movie Review

Director: Autumn de Wilde Writer: Eleanor Catton (based on book by Jane Austen) Starring: Anya Taylor-Joy, Johnny Flynn and Bill … More

“Toy Story 4” (2019) – Movie Review

Director: Josh Cooley Writers: Andrew Stanton and Stephany Folsom Starring: Tom Hanks, Tim Allen and Keanu Reeves ‘Terrific Toys Sequel’ … More

“Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker” (2019) – Movie Review

Writer/Director: J.J. Abrams Co-writer: Chris Terrio Starring: Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver and John Boyega ‘A Satisfactory Finale’ When it comes … More

“Portrait of a Lady on Fire” (2019) – Movie Review

Writer/Director: Céline Sciamma Starring: Noémie Merlant, Adèle Haenel and Valeria Golino ‘Powerful Period Piece’ Lesbian love stories are rarely depicted … More

“The Personal History of David Copperfield” (2019) – Movie Review

Writer/Director: Armando Iannucci Co-writer: Simon Blackwell (based on book by Charles Dickens) Starring: Dev Patel, Hugh Laurie and Tilda Swinton … More

“Pain and Glory” (2019) – Movie Review

Writer/Director: Pedro Almodóvar Starring: Antonio Banderas, Penélope Cruz and Asier Etxeandia ‘A Glorious Achievement’ Few filmmakers from Spain have achieved … More

“Once Upon a Time in Hollywood” (2019) – Movie Review

Writer/Director: Quentin Tarantino Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Brad Pitt and Margot Robbie ‘Powerful Period Piece’ Few filmmakers in the world have … More

“Little Women” (2019) – Movie Review

Writer/Director: Greta Gerwig Starring: Saoirse Ronan, Florence Pugh and Laura Dern ‘An Astonishing Adaptation’ When it comes to the most … More

“Judy” (2019) – Movie Review

Director: Rupert Goold Writer: Tom Edge (based on stage play) Starring: Renée Zellweger, Jessie Buckley and Finn Wittrock ‘Gorgeous Garland … More

“Harriet” (2019) – Movie Review

Writer/Director: Kasi Lemmons Co-writer: Gregory Allen Howard Starring: Cynthia Erivo, Leslie Odom Jr. and Janelle Monáe  ‘Brilliant Historical Biopic’ When … More

“Blinded by the Light” (2019) – Movie Review

Writer/Director: Gurinder Chada Co-writers: Paul Mayeda Berges and Sarfraz Manzoor Starring: Viveik Kalra, Kulvinder Ghir and Hayley Atwell ‘A Marvelous … More

“Avengers: Endgame” (2019) – Movie Review

Directors: Anthony and Joe Russo Writers: Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely Starring” Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans and Chris Hemsworth … More

“A Quiet Place” (2018) – Movie Review

Writer/Director: John Krasinski Co-writers: Bryan Woods and Scott Beck Starring: John Krasinski, Emily Blunt and Millicent Simmonds ‘An Intense Thriller’ … More

“Mary Poppins Returns” (2018) – Movie Review

Director: Rob Marshall Writer: David Magee Starring: Emily Blunt, Lin Manuel-Miranda and Ben Whishaw ‘A Marvelous Musical’ Before I begin … More

“Incredibles 2” (2018) – Movie Review

Writer/Director: Brad Bird Starring: Craig T. Nelson, Holly Hunter and Samuel L. Jackson ‘An Incredible Sequel’ When it comes to … More

“Green Book” (2018) – Movie Review

Writer/Director: Peter Farrelly Co-writers: Nick Vallelonga and Brian Hayes Currie Starring: Viggo Mortensen, Mahershala Ali and Linda Cardellini ‘Powerful Period … More

“The Shape of Water” (2017) – Movie Review

Writer/Director: Guillermo Del Toro Co-writer: Vanessa Taylor Starring: Sally Hawkins, Octavia Spencer and Michael Shannon ‘Fantastic Fantasy Epic’ So far, … More

“Star Wars: The Last Jedi” (2017) – Movie Review

Writer/Director: Rian Johnson Starring: Daisy Ridley, Mark Hamill and Adam Driver ‘A Spectacular Sequel’ Before I begin this review, I … More

“Spider-Man: Homecoming” (2017) – Movie Review

Director: Jon Watts Writers: Jonathan Goldstein and John Francis Daley Starring: Tom Holland, Robert Downey Jr. and Michael Keaton ‘A … More

“Phantom Thread” (2017) – Movie Review

Writer/Director: Paul Thomas Anderson Starring: Daniel Day-Lewis, Vicky Krieps and Lesley Manville ‘Powerful Period Piece’ Few filmmakers in the world … 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

“The Glass Castle” (2017) – Movie Review

Writer/Director: Destin Daniel Cretton Co-writer: Andrew Lanham Starring: Brie Larson, Woody Harrelson and Naomi Watts ‘Astonishing Adaptation’ When it comes … More

“Call Me By Your Name” (2017) – Movie Review

Director: Luca Guadagnino Writer: James Ivory (based on novel by Andre Aciman) Starring: Timothee Chalamet, Armie Hammer and Michael Stuhlbarg … More

“Southside With You” (2016) – Movie Review

Writer/Director: Richard Tanne Starring: Tika Sumpter and Parker Sawyers ‘Remarkable Romantic Drama’ Let me start off by saying that I’m … More

“La La Land” (2016) – Movie Review

Writer/Director: Damien Chazelle Starring: Ryan Gosling, Emma Stone and J.K. Simmons ‘A Musical Masterpiece’ Before I begin this review, I … More

“Kubo and the Two Strings” (2016) – Movie Review

Directed by Travis Knight Written by Marc Haimes and Chris ButlerStarring Art Parkinson, Charlize Theron and Matthew McConaughey ‘Awe-Inspiring Animation’ … More

“The Jungle Book” (2016) – Movie Review

Director: Jon Favreau Writer: Justin Marks (based on the novel by Rudyard Kipling) Starring: Neel Sethi, Bill Murray and Sir … 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

“Star Wars: The Force Awakens” (2015) – Movie Review

Writer/Director: J.J. Abrams Co-writers: Lawrence Kasdan and Michael Arndt Starring: Daisy Ridley, John Boyega and Harrison Ford ‘A Dream Come … More

“Spy” (2015) – Movie Review

Writer/Director: Paul Feig Starring: Melissa McCarthy, Jason Statham and Jude Law ‘A Spy-tacular Comedy’ You rarely ever come across comedies … More

“Me and Earl and the Dying Girl” (2015) – Movie Review

Director: Alfonso Gomez-Rejon Writer: Jesse Andrews (based on novel) Starring: Thomas Mann, RJ Cyler and Olivia Cooke ‘A Breath of … More

“Inside Out” (2015) – An Animation Masterpiece

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

“22 Jump Street” (2014) – Movie Review

Directors: Phil Lord and Christopher Miller Writers: Michael Bacall, Oren Uziel and Rodney Rothman Starring: Jonah Hill, Channing Tatum and … More

“The Hundred-Foot Journey” (2014) – Movie Review

Director: Lasse Hallstrom Written by Steven Knight (based off novel by Richard C. Morais) Starring Helen Mirren, Om Puri and … More

“Guardians of the Galaxy” (2014) – Movie Review

Writer/Director: James Gunn Co-Writer: Nicole Perlman Starring: Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana and Bradley Cooper ‘Marvel-ous Entertainment’ You’re immediately hooked on … 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

“The World’s End” (2013) – Movie Review

Writer/Director: Edgar Wright Co-writer: Simon Pegg Starring: Simon Pegg, Nick Frost and Martin Freeman ‘Captivating Comedy’ Halfway through Edgar Wright’s … More

“This is the End” (2013) – Movie Review

Writer/Directors: Evan Goldberg and Seth Rogen Starring: Seth Rogen, Jay Baruchel, James Franco and Jonah Hill ‘Captivating Comedy’ Hollywood is … More

“The Reluctant Fundamentalist” (2013) – Movie Review

Director: Mira Nair Writer: William Wheeler (based on Mohsin Hamid’s novel) Starring: Riz Ahmed, Kate Hudson and Liev Schreiber ‘Riveting … More

“Monster’s University” (2013) – Movie Review

Director: Dan Scanlon Writers: Daniel Gerson, Robert L. Baird and Dan Scanlon Starring: Billy Crytal, John Goodman and Helen Mirren … More

“Jack the Giant Slayer” (2013) – Movie Review

Director: Bryan Singer Writers: Darren Lemke and Christopher McQuarrie Starring: Nicholas Hoult, Stanley Tucci and Ewan McGregor ‘A Giant Disappointment’ … More

“Her” (2013) – Movie Review

Writer/Director: Spike Jonze Starring: Joaquin Phoenix, Scarlett Johansson and Amy Adams ‘A Mesmerizing Masterpiece’ You rarely ever see movies that … More

“Gravity” (2013) – Movie Review

Writer/Director: Alfonso Cauron Co-writer: Jonas Cauron Starring: Sandra Bullock, George Clooney and Ed Harris ‘A Groundbreaking Achievement’ How often do … More

“Silver Linings Playbook” (2012) – Movie Review

Writer/Director: David O. Russell Based on novel by Matthew Quick Starring: Bradley Cooper, Jennifer Lawrence, Robert De Niro ‘Magnificent Masterpiece’ It’s … More

“The Perks of Being a Wallflower” (2012) – Movie Review

Writer/Director: Stephen Chbosky Starring: Logan Lerman, Emma Watson, Ezra Miller ‘Meaningful Masterpiece’ “Why do nice people choose the wrong people … More

“Lincoln” (2012) – Movie Review

Director: Steven Spielberg Writer: Tony Kushner (based off novel by Doris Kearns Goodwin)               … More

“The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey” (2012) – Movie Review

Writer/Director: Peter Jackson Co-Writers: Fran Walsh, Philippa Boyens, and Guillermo del Toro (based off book by J.R.R. Tolkien) Starring: Martin Freeman, Ian … More

“Hitchcock” (2012) – Movie Review

Director: Sacha Gervasi Writer: John J. McLaughlin (based off book by Stephen Rebello) Starring: Anthony Hopkins, Helen Mirren, Scarlett Johansson … More

“Argo” (2012) – Movie Review

Director: Ben Affleck Starring: Ben Affleck, Alan Arkin and John Goodman ‘Captivating CIA Thriller’ “Argo” is directed by Ben Affleck. … More

“The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel” (2011) – Movie Review

Directed by John Madden Written by Ol Parker Starring Judi Dench, Bill Nighy, and Maggie Smith ‘A Charming Comedy’ Sometimes … More

“Arthur Christmas” (2011) – Movie Review

Directors: Sarah Smith and Barry Cook Starring: James McAvoy, Hugh Laurie, Billy Nighy ‘Astonishing Animation’ “Arthur Christmas” is directed by … More

“Furiosa” (2024) – Powerful Mad Max Prequel

Writer/Director: George Miller Starring: Anya Taylor-Joy, Chris Hemsworth, Tom Burke                     … More

“Challengers” (2024) – A Sports Classic

Director: Luca Guadagnino Starring: Zendaya, Mike Faist, Josh O’ Connor                     … More

“Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse” (2023) – Movie Review

Director: Joaquim Dos Santos Starring: Shameik Moore, Hailee Steinfeld, Jake Johnson                   … More

Why “Past Lives” was the Best Movie of 2023

Do you remember the time when you fell in love with your first crush?  Memories of crushes have shaped my … More

“The Last Black Man in San Francisco” (2019) – Movie Review

Writer/Director: Joe Talbot Co-writer: Rob Richert Starring: Jimmie Fails, Jonathan Majors and Rob Morgan ‘Powerful Gentrification Drama’ Gentrification is a … More

“Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom” (2018) – Movie Review

Director: J.A. Bayona Writers: Derek Connolly and Colin Trevorrow Starring: Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard and Jeff Goldblum ‘An Enjoyable … More

“Kubo and the Two Strings” (2016) – Movie Review

Directed by Travis Knight Written by Marc Haimes and Chris Butler Starring Art Parkinson, Charlize Theron and Matthew McConaughey ‘Awe-Inspiring … More

“Jurassic World” (2015) – Movie Review

Writer/Director: Colin TrevorrowCo-writers: Rick Jaffa, Amanda Silver, and Derek ConnollyStarring: Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard, and Irrfan Khan ‘Enjoyable Entertainment’ … More

“Inside Out” (2015) – Movie Review

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

“Captain America: The Winter Solider” (2014) – Movie Review

Directors: Anthony and Joe Russo Writers: Christopher Markus, Stephen McFeely and Ed Brubaker Starring: Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson and Samuel … More

“Star Trek: Into Darkness” (2013) – Movie Review

Director: J.J. Abrams Writers: Roberto Orci, Alex Kurtzman and Damon Lindelof Starring: Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto and Benedict Cumberbatch ‘Spectacular … More

“Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga” (2024) – Movie Review

Writer/Director: George Miller Starring: Anya Taylor-Joy, Chris Hemsworth, Tom Burke                     … More

“Past Lives” (2023) – Movie Review

Writer/Director: Celine Song Starring: Greta Lee, Teo Yoo, John Magaro                     … More

“The Holdovers” (2023) – Movie Review

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

“American Fiction” (2023) – Movie Review

Writer/Director: Cord Jefferson Starring: Jeffrey Wright, Issa Rae, Sterling K. Brown                   … More