The Burial
SimilarAlmost Famous (2000), Anatomy of a Murder (1959), Anna and the King (1999), Apollo 13 (1995),
Boys Don't Cry (1999) Brubaker (1980), Donnie Brasco (1997), Erin Brockovich (2000), Freedom Writers (2007), Gandhi (1982), GoodFellas (1990), Gridiron Gang (2006), Manhattan (1979), Mississippi Burning (1988), Monster (2003), Schindler's List (1993), The Elephant Man (1980), The Last Emperor (1987), The Pursuit of Happyness (2006), The Straight Story (1999), Titanic (1997),
Watch afterBarbie (2023) Killers of the Flower Moon (2023), Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One (2023), The Equalizer 3 (2023), The Killer (2023),
StarringAlan Ruck,
Whenever a crowd pleasing movie hits theaters or streaming, people lament, “They don’t make ‘em like they used to.” Often, these people refer to middle-of-the-road movies from the 80s and 90s, the type of film that would play on cable television in the middle of a Sunday afternoon, something that people watch over and over again, simply because it makes them feel lighter. The Burial, the new courtroom drama from writer/director Maggie Betts, falls firmly into this category. It’s dad-fare, set in 1995 when it also likely would’ve had mainstream success in popular culture. Continue Reading →
On a Wing and a Prayer
Watch afterAnt-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania (2023), Avatar: The Way of Water (2022), The Whale (2022),
StudioMetro-Goldwyn-Mayer,
It’s 2009: Owl City changed the way people looked at fireflies, America was gripped by the reality TV exploits of a couple with eight kids. Oh, and an ordinary man with little flying experience named Doug White had to land a private plane with his family onboard after the pilot fell unconscious. The year of Balloon Boy was a wild one. Continue Reading →
Shazam! Fury of the Gods
SimilarBring It On (2000), Hellboy (2004), Night at the Museum (2006), Superman Returns (2006), The Legend of Zorro (2005),
Watch afterAnt-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania (2023), Avatar: The Way of Water (2022), John Wick: Chapter 4 (2023), The Super Mario Bros. Movie (2023),
StudioDC Films, New Line Cinema,
If only there were a word I could scream that would turn me into a superhero. I wouldn’t fight crime or fly in the heavens above. Instead, I would run really fast until time went backward. Then I would sprint into the DC Film offices circa 2020 and yell, “Please do not make Shazam! Fury of the Gods. Nobody needs this!” Alas, I have no such power. So, here we are. Continue Reading →
Dear Evan Hansen
SimilarAlex Strangelove (2018), The Big Blue (1988), The Fisher King (1991), West Side Story (2021),
Ben Platt's age is the least of our problems in Stephen Chbosky's misguided adaptation of an already misguided high school musical.
(This review is part of our coverage of the 2021 Toronto International Film Festival.)
There’s a scene toward the middle of Dear Evan Hansen where Larry (Danny Pino) finally allows himself to grieve the loss of his stepson, Connor (Colton Ryan). With his reserve and face crumbling in tandem, he bursts into the family home and reaches for his wife. The camera lingers behind Cynthia (Amy Adams) as Larry tucks himself into her shoulder and her hair sweeps to the side a little. This means that, in this moment of catharsis, the audience is treated to a perfectly framed Lululemon logo on the back of her jacket, right in the middle of the screen, right between a ponytail and a portrait of conquered repression. Continue Reading →