“Office Christmas Party” Directed by Josh Gordon, Will Speck Okay…short review here: “Office Christmas party” is far funnier than you think it will be, yet at least twenty minutes longer than it needs to be. If it had been … Continue reading “Office Christmas Party”
“Hidden Figures” Directed by Theodore Melfi It’s been a VERY long time since I was so pleasantly surprised by a Hollywood picture. The trailer promised a saccharin, paint-by-numbers, safe version of an incredible story. The actual film was so … Continue reading “Hidden Figures”
“Fences” Directed by Denzel Washington The effect of live theater is to take us to a place of intimate connection. Theater focuses our attention directly at the people on a stage, speaking words on a set which is, itself, merely … Continue reading “Fences”
“Jackie” Directed by Pablo Larrain Not a bad year for Mr. Larrain. His first feature of 2016, “Neruda” (which I reviewed here), was a brilliant historical cat-and-mouse thriller. Examining how the personal and political co-exist (or don’t), “Neruda” is meaningful, … Continue reading “Jackie”
“Passengers” Directed by Morten Tyldum In 1944, Alfred Hitchcock, for all intents and purposes, invented a genre with a great film called “Lifeboat” (I’m sure someone will correct me on an earlier incarnation). Hollywood has been remaking it ever … Continue reading “Passengers”
Post election night, while dealing with the ensuing overwhelming shock, dismay and depression, I decided to practice some self-care for a few days and hunker down with the major current streaming mini- and limited-series: “Bron” (“The Bridge”) , “The Crown”, … Continue reading Binge? Fall/Winter ’16
“La La Land” Directed by Damien Chazelle It’s been a while (decades?) since a Hollywood film attempted to showcase a Studio-era romance via the way we experience it in our heads. Every new relationship feels like it should be accompanied … Continue reading “La La Land”
“Rogue One: A Star Wars Story” Directed by Gareth Edwards THERE WILL BE NO PLOT SPOILERS IN THIS REVIEW! Oh, thank god! The national nightmare that is the George Lucas’ humorless, self-important myth-building has really and truly ended. What “Force … Continue reading “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story”
“Sully” Directed by Clint Eastwood I’m not the best flyer, so I was putting off seeing this as long as I could. But I wanted to see it in a theater before it disappeared in the maelstrom of Christmas … Continue reading “Sully”
“Hacksaw Ridge” Directed by Mel Gibson There is absolutely nothing new, or remotely original about Mel Gibson’s gorefest, “Hacksaw Ridge”. The story is old, the dialogue is hackneyed and the violence is SUPER SUPER SUPER ultra-violent. And yet, there are … Continue reading “Hacksaw Ridge”
The No Spoiler Critic 