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The Favourite Review: Yorgos Lanthimos Holds Uproarious Royal Court

Yorgos Lanthimos’ latest is a droll, hilarious dramedy about the challenges of female power and competition, with three amazing performances from Olivia Colman, Emma Stone, and Rachel Weisz. This piece was originally posted on Alcohollywood When it comes to acid-tongued, deadpan humor, few do it better than Greek director Yorgos Lanthimos. While works like the ... The Favourite Review: Yorgos Lanthimos Holds Uproarious Royal Court

Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse Review – A Web-Slinging Animated Classic in the Making

Miles Morales gets the big-screen treatment he deserves, an aesthetically vibrant, action-packed story that might just be one of the best animated superhero films of all time. This piece was originally posted on Alcohollywood What if I were to tell you that one of the most dazzling, innovative, hilarious and poignant animated films of the ... Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse Review – A Web-Slinging Animated Classic in the Making

Twisted Pair Review: Neil Breen’s Latest Exercise in Baffling Anti-Cinema

The deeply strange Neil Breen returns with an even more deeply strange entry in his filmography of homespun, barely-coherent ‘psychological thrillers.’ This piece was originally posted on Alcohollywood One doesn’t review a Neil Breen movie so much as ponder its existence. It’s not even a question of how it got made—we know it was financed ... Twisted Pair Review: Neil Breen’s Latest Exercise in Baffling Anti-Cinema

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The Spool is an irreverent, informative source for film and television coverage, focused on diverse, thoughtful opinions that seek out a greater understanding of the media we love.

Dr Seuss’ The Grinch Review: Illumination’s Slick Remake is Two Sizes Too Bland

Diving deep into Minions territory, Illumination’s revamp of the holiday classic sands off the Grinch’s hard edges and turns him into a blandly grumpy uncle. This piece was originally posted on Alcohollywood The billboards for Dr Seuss’ The Grinch feature the eponymous antihero dishing out insults to the viewer. From the ads, you would think that ... Dr Seuss’ The Grinch Review: Illumination’s Slick Remake is Two Sizes Too Bland

Olympia’s Cast and Crew on Capturing Millennial Malaise in Chicago (Interview)

We talk to star/writer McKenzie Chinn, director Gregory Dixon, and actor Charles Andrew Gardner about their vibrant, Chicago-set indie about a young woman navigating her thirties. This piece was originally posted on Alcohollywood As we continue to wrap up our coverage of the Chicago International Film Festival, it’s important to take a look at some ... Olympia’s Cast and Crew on Capturing Millennial Malaise in Chicago (Interview)

What They Had: Elizabeth Chomko and Robert Forster on Crafting Sensitive Family Drama (Interview)

The first-time filmmaker and the veteran actor sit down to talk about Chomko’s experiences with Alzheimer’s in her own family, the switch from studio to auteur filmmaking, and more. This piece was originally posted on Alcohollywood While dysfunctional family dramas are arguably a dime a dozen, Elizabeth Chomko’s Chicago-centric debut What They Had stands out substantially ... What They Had: Elizabeth Chomko and Robert Forster on Crafting Sensitive Family Drama (Interview)

Can You Ever Forgive Me? Review: Melissa McCarthy Compels in Awards-Hungry Journalism Drama

While it’s patently hungry for awards, Melissa McCarthy’s biopic of infamous letter forger Lee Israel is compelling and darkly accessible, with some great supporting turns from Richard E Grant and Jane Curtin. This piece was originally posted on Alcohollywood Oscar baiting: we know it when we see it, and Can You Ever Forgive Me? is ... Can You Ever Forgive Me? Review: Melissa McCarthy Compels in Awards-Hungry Journalism Drama

Trouble Review: A Modest Small-Town Dramedy With an Overqualified Cast

While Theresa Rebeck’s low-budgeted rural hangout comedy sports a fine cast, they can’t quite elevate the proceedings beyond the occasional modest laugh. This piece was originally posted on Alcohollywood Movies that are remembered are generally on a spectrum of cinematic triumph to shoddy exercise for an inexperienced rube’s hubris. Then there are the films that ... Trouble Review: A Modest Small-Town Dramedy With an Overqualified Cast

Trouble: Writer/Director Theresa Rebeck on Wrangling Low Budgets and Big Stars (Interview)

This piece was originally posted on Alcohollywood Novelist, screenwriter and Pulitzer-nominated playwright Theresa Rebeck is a woman of many hats – the latest of which is the director of the independent ensemble comedy Trouble. A film with modest ambitions but no small amount of charm, its tale of a small-town sibling rivalry is bolstered by tremendous ... Trouble: Writer/Director Theresa Rebeck on Wrangling Low Budgets and Big Stars (Interview)

All About Nina Review: Mary Elizabeth Winstead Struggles to Succeed in the Standup Boys’ Club

Mary Elizabeth Winstead lashes back at the stiflingly male-dominated world of standup comedy in Eva Vives’ acerbic, stunning debut. This piece was originally posted on Alcohollywood “Isn’t it great how all of the sudden they know that we’re funny?” comedy club owner and former stand-up Pam (Pam Murphy) tells her younger counterpart, Nina Geld (Mary ... All About Nina Review: Mary Elizabeth Winstead Struggles to Succeed in the Standup Boys’ Club

The Sisters Brothers Review: Joaquin Phoenix and John C. Reilly Upend the Western

Joaquin Phoenix and John C. Reilly are a pair of offbeat gunslingers in Jacques Audiard’s unconventional, gorgeously energetic Western. This piece was originally posted on Alcohollywood The American Western has been told in every conceivable fashion, but they often feature the same sort of lead – a man who, when faced with great adversity, buries ... The Sisters Brothers Review: Joaquin Phoenix and John C. Reilly Upend the Western

The House with a Clock in its Walls Review: Eli Roth Tries (and Succeeds) at Spooky Kid’s Fare

Fresh off a string of failed horror flicks, Eli Roth bounces back with an unexpectedly fun, faithful adaptation of John Bellairs’ classic kid’s adventure books. This piece was originally posted on Alcohollywood The prospect of grindhouse provocateur Eli Roth directing a four-quadrant kid’s flick is a dicey, but fascinating one – yet here we are ... The House with a Clock in its Walls Review: Eli Roth Tries (and Succeeds) at Spooky Kid’s Fare