Yes, I'm a Top 10 straggler, but I'd rather be sure about my choices than second-guess them down the road. Rushing out a list during the onslaught of screening season, simply to meet the obligatory date of December 31st, doesn't allow for proper consideration, especially with so many contenders dumped out en masse at year's [...]
** out of **** Rated R (for strong violence and language throughout, and some sexual and drug material) Released: February 7, 2020 Runtime: 109 minutes Directed by: Cathy Yan Starring: Margot Robbie, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Rosie Perez, Ewan McGregor, Jurnee Smollett-Bell, Ella Jay Basco, Chris Messina Harley Quinn’s emancipation is a manic mess. Birds of Prey – [...]
Released: January 31, 2020 Runtime: 101 minutes (5 short films) Program: Oscar Nominated Live Action Shorts for 2019 (Parental Discretion advised; strong language and occasional instances of sexuality -- some including violence -- would put this slate in Rated R territory) There’s a stretch of categories during every Oscar telecast that virtually no one has ever even heard of, [...]
Released: January 31, 2020 Runtime: 83 minutes (5 short films) Program: Oscar Nominated Animated Shorts for 2019 There’s a stretch of categories during every Oscar telecast that virtually no one has ever even heard of, let alone seen: the shorts. Divided into three competitive groups – Animated, Live Action, and Documentary – the Academy Award nominated shorts can make-or-break [...]
Released: January 31, 2020 in select theaters Runtime: 160 Minutes (5 short films) Program: Oscar Nominated Documentary Shorts for 2019 (Parental Discretion advised; the final documentary short film "St. Louis Superman" has strong adult language) There’s a stretch of categories during every Oscar telecast that virtually no one has ever even heard of, let alone seen: the shorts. [...]
**** out of **** Rated R (for strong language, some violence and sexual content) Released: November 8, 2019 Runtime: 132 minutes Directed by: Bong Joon-ho Starring: Song Kang-ho, Cho Yeo-jeong, Choi Woo-sik, Park So-dam, Lee Sun-kyun, Jang Hye-jin, Lee Jeong-eun, Jung Ji-so Think of this as a Jordan Peele movie for South Korea. In the same spirit [...]
It’s David Lynch’s birthday but he’s the one giving away a present. On the day he turned 74, the singularly offbeat director of films like Mulholland Drive and Blue Velvet (as well as TV’s Twin Peaks) dropped a new short film online via Netflix: What Did Jack Do?. This 17-minute avant-garde two-hander is set in [...]
*** out of **** Rated PG-13 (for thematic content including some racial epithets, and some language) Released: December 25, 2019 limited; wide January 10, 2020 Runtime: 136 minutes Directed by: Destin Daniel Cretton Starring: Michael B. Jordan, Jamie Foxx, Brie Larson, Rob Morgan, Tim Blake Nelson, O’Shea Jackson Jr., Karan Kendrick, Rafe Spall Even in the face [...]
**1/2 out of **** Rated R (for war violence, some disturbing images, and language) Released: December 25, 2019 limited; expands January 10, 2020 Runtime: 118 minutes Directed by: Sam Mendes Starring: George MacKay, Dean-Charles Chapman, Mark Strong, Colin Firth Director Sam Mendes’ so-called “one shot” war movie makes the case -- albeit unintentionally -- for editing. A [...]
**** out of **** Rated R (for pervasive strong language, strong violence, some sexual content, and brief drug use) Released: December 25, 2019 Runtime: 135 minutes Directed by: Benny Safdie, Josh Safdie Starring: Adam Sandler, Julia Fox, LaKeith Stanfield, Kevin Garnett, Eric Bogosian, Idina Menzel, Judd Hirsch, Keith Williams Richards Never in my life have I had [...]