“The Crown” Season 3 (Netflix) Created by Peter Morgan So…now that we’ve moved on from QEII’s initial, and one might say, tentative first steps (and brilliant first two seasons) as the bearer of The Crown, can the show hang on … Continue reading “The Crown” Season 3 (Netflix)
“Sorry We missed You” (U.K.) Directed by Ken Loach I don’t know. Call me crazy, but I love Ken Loach films. Let’s be frank, they’re kind of a genre unto themselves. Technically “slice-of-life” films, to me they epitomize what it … Continue reading “Sorry We Missed You” (U.K.) – 55th Chicago Film Festival #5
“Les Misérables” (France) Directed by Ladj Ly I should point out right off the top that this film bears no resemblance to the period musical of the same name. I mention that not as a spoiler, but to avoid the … Continue reading “Les Misérables” (France) – 55th Chicago Film Festival #4
Three highly anticipated series…all of an utterly different style and genre. The first, “Dublin Murders” a classic BBC UK-style murder mystery that happens to take place in Ireland. Next, the second season of a beloved American action/spy thriller, “Jack Ryan,” … Continue reading “Dublin Murders” (S1), “Jack Ryan” (S2) and “Wu-Tang: An American Saga” (S1)
“Let There Be Light” (Slovakia) Directed by Mario Skop One of many official entries for the Oscars’ Best International Film Award (formerly Best Foreign Language FIlm) at this year’s Chicago Film Festival, “Let There Be Light” is an excellent slice … Continue reading “Let There Be Light” (Slovakia) – 55th Chicago Film Festival #3
“Picture.Perfect” (Hong Kong) Directed by Shengze Zhu What starts out as an incredibly interesting look in to the ways in which the internet has affected and illuminated Chinese culture in the strangest of ways, ends up becoming a tedious exercise … Continue reading “Picture.Perfect” (Hong Kong) – 55th Chicago Film Festival #2
“The Whistlers” (Romania) Directed by Corneliu Porumboiu Italian thrillers are an odd lot. Filled with humor, an interesting procedural, good (and occasionally exceptional) performances and beautiful locales. But when all is said and done, I always leave feeling more like … Continue reading “The Whistlers” (Romania) – 55th Chicago Film Festival #1
“Joker” Directed by Todd Phillips Let’s get this out of the way up front. Todd Phillips’ “Joker,” in terms of film-craft, atmosphere, focus, and performance, is one of the greatest films of this decade. Maybe any decade. That statement, while … Continue reading “Joker”
There is nothing I can write to tie these three shows together, other than that they were the last three shows I watched beginning to end. So…we’ll just get to it, shall we? Let’s go in order of quality, and, … Continue reading The Great, The Good, and The SMH: “Peaky Blinders” (S5), “Carnival Row” & “Knightfall” (S2)
There’s been a slate of theatrically released music icon film bios released in to theaters over the last few years. No doubt this was a response to the success of “Searching For Sugarman”, “Twenty Feet From Stardom” and “Amy” – … Continue reading Two from Laurel Canyon: “Linda Ronstadt: The Sound of My Voice” & “David Crosby: Remember My Name”
