new and ongoing cinema releases, UK/Ire, Dec 19–20
A simple listing of movies opening this week and in continuing release.
movies by or about women opening UK/Ire Dec 19–20
Daisy Ridley costars in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker; more… [This post is for Patreon patrons only for the first month.]
Little Women (2019) movie review: looking askance, with love, at a classic
A very welcome feminist interpretation of Alcott’s beloved novel, layered in sly, winking awareness of Hollywood clichés and the cultural pressures on women. Alive and electric, an absolute treasure.
new and ongoing dvd/blu/vod releases, US/Can, Dec 17–20
A simple listing of new releases and other stuff currently available.
new and ongoing dvd/blu/vod releases, UK/Ire, Dec 16–20
A simple listing of new releases and other stuff currently available.
new and ongoing cinema releases, US/Can, Dec 13
A simple listing of movies opening this week and in continuing release.
movies by or about women opening US/Can Dec 13
Sophia Takal directs and writes, with April Wolfe, Black Christmas, starring Imogen Poots and Aleyse Shannon; more… [This post is for Patreon patrons only for the first month.]
What She Said: The Art of Pauline Kael documentary review: art and trash in measured quantities
A terrific portrait of the legendary critic, as objective as she was proudly subjective. Pulls no punches on her complicated life and work but rightly hails how she revolutionized thinking about film.
new and ongoing cinema releases, UK/Ire, Dec 11–13
A simple listing of movies opening this week and in continuing release.
movies by or about women opening UK/Ire Dec 13
Sophia Takal directs and writes, with April Wolfe, Black Christmas, starring Imogen Poots and Aleyse Shannon; more… [This post is for Patreon patrons only for the first month.]
Richard Jewell movie review: innocent man, guilty movie
Cluelessly simplistic rendering of a 1990s media injustice ignores all the context in which it happened and demonizes the one journalist who acted professionally. Fails even as a conservative screed.
Jumanji: The Next Level movie review: this game needs to be over
It’s more of the same tedious nonsense, all action sequences bereft of excitement and body-swap comedy minus any real laughs. An abysmal lack of fun with stakes way too low to generate much suspense.
new and ongoing dvd/blu/vod releases, US/Can, Dec 10
A simple listing of new releases and other stuff currently available.
new and ongoing dvd/blu/vod releases, UK/Ire, Dec 09–14
A simple listing of new releases and other stuff currently available.
I’m hosting a postscreening Q&A at London’s Regent Street Cinema on Sunday Dec 15th (CANCELLED)
Fancy checking out Estonia’s submission to last year’s Oscars, drama Take It or Leave It? (Q&A cancelled, but the screening will go on.)
Ordinary Love movie review: marriage story
A Cancer Movie but not a horror story. Funny, moving, hopeful; an intimate portrait of a couple who know how to support each other and why that matters. Oh, and it’s also a love letter to the NHS.
new and ongoing cinema releases, US/Can, Dec 06
A simple listing of movies opening this week and in continuing release.
movies by or about women opening US/Can Dec 06
Jessica Hausner directs and writes, with Géraldine Bajard, Little Joe, starring Emily Beecham; more… [This post is for Patreon patrons only for the first month.]
new and ongoing cinema releases, UK/Ire, Dec 06
A simple listing of movies opening this week and in continuing release.
movies by or about women opening UK/Ire Dec 06
Lisa Barros D’Sa codirects and Lesley Manville costars in Ordinary Love; more… [This post is for Patreon patrons only for the first month.]
The Whistleblower movie review: action drama with a big cultural barrier to overcome
Chinese film is coming for Western audiences, but this ludicrous thriller, full of coincidence and contrivance, ain’t it. Still, nice to see a global story that doesn’t center the US or Europe.
new and ongoing dvd/blu/vod releases, US/Can, Dec 03–06
A simple listing of new releases and other stuff currently available.
new and ongoing dvd/blu/vod releases, UK/Ire, Dec 02–07
A simple listing of new releases and other stuff currently available.
Playmobil: The Movie movie review: a cheap ad disguised as a movie (barely)
This plastic horror — horrifically, it’s a musical — is a head-smackingly dumb exercise in corporate filmmaking and mercenary marketing. So crass it makes me rethink my love of the toys themselves.
Frozen II movie review: the thaw sets in
There’s magic here, and elemental spirits, but no magic and nothing elemental, metaphorically speaking. Rote and smaller than its predecessor. Even the songs are bland and forgettable.
new and ongoing cinema releases, US/Can, Nov 27
A simple listing of movies opening this week and in continuing release.
movies by or about women opening US/Can Nov 27–29
Melina Matsoukas directs and Lena Waithe cowrites Queen & Slim, costarring Jodie Turner-Smith; more… [This post is for Patreon patrons only for the first month.]
new and ongoing cinema releases, UK/Ire, Nov 27–29
A simple listing of movies opening this week and in continuing release.
movies by or about women opening UK/Ire Nov 27–29
Elizabeth Banks cowrites and directs Charlie’s Angels, starring Kristen Stewart, Naomi Scott, and Ella Balinska; more… [This post is for Patreon patrons only for the first month.]
2019’s films ranked (a teaser as we head into the awards-season final stretch)
My on-the-fly, as-I-see-movies ranking of the new theatrical releases of 2019 is shaping up nicely as we head into the home stretch of the awards season. I still have a few major contenders to see, but here are all of my five-star movies at the moment.
new and ongoing dvd/blu/vod releases, US/Can, Nov 26–29
A simple listing of new releases and other stuff currently available.
new and ongoing dvd/blu/vod releases, UK/Ire, Nov 25–29
A simple listing of new releases and other stuff currently available.
Knives Out movie review: catch your death of fun (#LFF2019)
An entirely entertaining murder-mystery jape; dryly funny, deliciously retro yet decidedly modern. Whenever you think you’ve got it figured out, it trips you up again… and you love it for doing so.
new and ongoing cinema releases, US/Can, Nov 22
A simple listing of movies opening this week and in continuing release.
movies by or about women opening US/Can Nov 22
Jennifer Lee codirects and cowrites Frozen II, starring Kristen Bell and Idina Menzel; more… [This post is for Patreon patrons only for the first month.]
A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood movie review: the importance of radical kindness (#LFF2019)
This wonder of a film wrecked me. In the best possible way. It directly confronts cynicism and misanthropy, and asks us to let them go if we can. I really needed its message. The whole world does now.
new and ongoing cinema releases, UK/Ire, Nov 22
A simple listing of movies opening this week and in continuing release.
movies by or about women opening UK/Ire Nov 22
Kasi Lemmons cowrites and directs Harriet, starring Cynthia Enrivo; more… [This post is for Patreon patrons only for the first month.]
21 Bridges movie review: roads to nowhere
Bland, predictable cop and crime clichés lacking all urgency and any of the claustrophobia that should come from its high-concept premise. Shutting down Manhattan has zero impact on anything here.
new and ongoing dvd/blu/vod releases, US/Can, Nov 19
A simple listing of new releases and other stuff currently available.
new and ongoing dvd/blu/vod releases, UK/Ire, Nov 18–22
A simple listing of new releases and other stuff currently available.
Radioflash movie review: it’s got no juice
Inept post-EMP survival thriller is no more thrilling than it is plausible, and inexcusably casts its resourceful teen heroine as a victim constantly at the mercy of others and in need of rescuing.
The Cave and For Sama documentaries review: life inside a war zone
Two intimate documentaries from inside the Syrian civil war, diaries of women who stayed to fight for their nation and help their people, pay tribute to human perseverance and chide Western apathy.
new and ongoing cinema releases, US/Can, Nov 15
A simple listing of movies opening this week and in continuing release.
movies by or about women opening US/Can Nov 15
Elizabeth Banks cowrites and directs Charlie’s Angels, starring Kristen Stewart, Naomi Scott, and Ella Balinska. [This post is for Patreon patrons only for the first month.]
new and ongoing cinema releases, UK/Ire, Nov 15
A simple listing of movies opening this week and in continuing release.
movies by or about women opening UK/Ire Nov 15
Emma Thompson and Bryony Kimmings write Last Christmas, starring Emilia Clarke; more… [This post is for Patreon patrons only for the first month.]
Last Christmas movie review: give it your heart, get your heart stomped
Love and life are pain, the glitz and sparkle of Christmas are but a momentary reprieve from it, and everything is pretty much unrelentingly awful. But Emilia Clarke and Henry Golding are adorable!
The Good Liar movie review: mangled web
We expect a film about a con man to con us, but it’s not fun here: it’s absurd. This limp thriller might fancy itself smart, sharp, twisty, and probably feminist, but it just made me groan out loud.
Le Mans ’66 (aka Ford v Ferrari) movie review: when “circle back” meant something else in corporatespeak
A winning (if overearnest) depiction of manly friendship, with some pretty thrilling (if only technically so) racing stuff. But it doesn’t see its potential to be actually culturally significant.
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