REVIEW – “Flee”: Animated Documentary Redefines the Simple Art of Escaping
[NOTE: Winner of Best Animated Feature 2021 by the Seattle Film Critics Society] What is life if not lived to its truest light? Can we even call it living if…
Joe Hammerschmidt
REVIEW – “Cyrano”: Classic Literary Hero Gets Fresh Musical Voice
Wandering around the wild world of Joe Wright’s Cyrano encompasses the same rampant emotions aligning with one’s first adventure in a figurative time machine. Far enough from Bill and Ted,…
REVIEW – “Hotel Transylvania: Transformania”: Checking Out with a Whimper, not a Bang
What is it about Hotel Transylvania: Transformania that even the biggest name involved opted out of returning? And how is it that one individual’s lack of presence somehow opens all…
REVIEW – “The 355”: Girl Power Spy Thriller (Nearly) Fulfills Its Mission
Just as there is no rest for films arriving in theaters, right after the holidays no less, there is never a moment’s break for the realm of international espionage. Its…
REVIEW – “Sing 2”: Illumination Sequel Patiently Goes All In on Grand Spectacle
2016 feels like a bit of a simpler time, doesn’t it? We were less worried about personal safety, and more on the trust we place in governmental authority. It was…
REVIEW – “The Matrix Resurrections”: Wachowski Celebrates the Meaning of Reunion with Franchise Jumpstart
Take one step past the thick green curtain, and you may be in one of two realms. One with witches, or another involving the bending of reality if it were…
REVIEW – “The King’s Man” – Vaughn Tries Franchise Prequel, Gets Burned
Connoisseurs of cheesy, though fulfilling action features may not be able to forget the goodwill Matthew Vaughn had built over twenty years, between Layer Cake, Kick-Ass, producing Rocketman, and championing…
REVIEW – “Licorice Pizza”: Paul Thomas Anderson Revisits the 70s, Carefree and Enterprising
Despite my near-inexperience with the genre-laden charms within Paul Thomas Anderson’s body of work (working backwards, I have yet to encounter Boogie Nights), I was hooked almost immediately with the…
REVIEW – “The Tragedy of Macbeth”: Coen Throws Back to Classic Shakespeare, with a Modern Twist
Spend only five minutes with Joel Coen’s dream-like, dizzying spin on Shakespeare, and you may find yourself unwilling to escape. The Tragedy of Macbeth absolutely carried that stunning effect on…
REVIEW – “The Tender Bar”: Affleck Shines, Clooney Can’t Settle on Heads or Tails in Literary Dramedy
I will be blunt to start: George Clooney may be as acquired a taste as his endorsement for Nescafe. His stock may be slowly rising more behind the camera as…