Mary Queen of Scots Review: A Riveting, if Ahistorical, Royal Drama
While it won’t win any awards for historical accuracy, Josie Rourke’s royal drama shines thanks to some gorgeous cinematography and the performances of Saiorse Ronan and Margot Robbie. This piece was originally posted on Alcohollywood Whenever someone watches a Hollywood movie that focuses on a historical figure, they must ask themselves, “how important is accuracy?” ... Mary Queen of Scots Review: A Riveting, if Ahistorical, Royal Drama
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
Green Book Review: Playing the Same Old Song About Jim Crow Racism
Peter Farrelly’s period road movie about a black piano player and his Italian driver in Jim Crow America doesn’t dig deep into American racism, but charms and moves nonetheless. This piece was originally posted on Alcohollywood The discussion of racism in America is a Pandora’s box for Hollywood. On one hand, it’s a vastly important ... Green Book Review: Playing the Same Old Song About Jim Crow Racism
The Ballad of Buster Scruggs Review: The Coen Brothers Spin Six Tales of Old West Tragicomedy
The Coen brothers return to the Old West for a darkly comic anthology of six stories of doomed men and women out on the frontier. This piece was originally posted on Alcohollywood Watching a Western movie means feeling a strange surge of patriotism, of pride and awe for the American men and women who made ... The Ballad of Buster Scruggs Review: The Coen Brothers Spin Six Tales of Old West Tragicomedy
Overlord Review: Nazi Zombie Shoot-Em-Up Is Fast and Furhrer-ious
The JJ Abrams-produced Nazi zombie flick provides plenty of schlock and scares, but stumbles over its own rotting feet when it reaches for profundity. This piece was originally posted on Alcohollywood If Indiana Jones has taught us anything, it’s that Jehovah starts with a ‘Y’ and there’s nothing more satisfying that watching someone kick the ... Overlord Review: Nazi Zombie Shoot-Em-Up Is Fast and Furhrer-ious
Outlaw King Review: Chris Pine Frees Scotland in Tepid Historical Drama
David McKenzie reunites with Chris Pine for a Braveheart-esque historical epic that plays out more like a filler episode of Game of Thrones. This piece was originally posted on Alcohollywood Before you read any further, know this: yes, Chris Pine does hang dong in Outlaw King. For a certain subset of the population, this may ... Outlaw King Review: Chris Pine Frees Scotland in Tepid Historical Drama
10 Movie Witches to Hex Your Halloween
This piece was originally posted on Alcohollywood Halloween season is here, which means it’s the season of the witch. The witch has long been a part of our collective unconscious, mostly in our nightmares where she tended to be a convenient scapegoat. And she continues to be a part of our culture today, albeit in ... 10 Movie Witches to Hex Your Halloween
Bohemian Rhapsody Review: Malek’s Mercury Will Rock You, Its Queer Politics Less So
While Bryan Singer’s biopic takes some uncomfortable liberties with Freddie Mercury’s life, Malek’s eye-catching performance elevates the proceedings into a rocking ride. This piece was originally posted on Alcohollywood In a pivotal scene in Bohemian Rhapsody, Freddie Mercury (Rami Malek) tells his manager and future lover, Paul (Allen Leech) that he doesn’t know who he ... Bohemian Rhapsody Review: Malek’s Mercury Will Rock You, Its Queer Politics Less So
Suspiria (2018) Review: A Bone-Chilling Descent Into Existential Horror
Luca Guadagnino’s disturbing, cerebral remake of the Dario Argento giallo original is an ice-hot knife to the cerebellum, its scares shrouded in terrifying mystique. This piece was originally posted on Alcohollywood It’s been three days since I’ve seen Luca Guadagnino’s Suspiria, and I still can’t get it out of my head. Two and a half ... Suspiria (2018) Review: A Bone-Chilling Descent Into Existential Horror
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
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
Film Review: Oscar Isaac Hunts Nazis in Compelling, if Spotty, Operation Finale
Despite two incredible lead performances from Oscar Isaac and Ben Kingsley, this dramatization of the Mossad extradition of Adolf Eichmann feels a bit too safe. This piece was originally posted on Alcohollywood In 1960, a group of Mossad and Shin Bet agents, let by Peter Malkin, traveled to Argentina on an undercover mission to capture ... Film Review: Oscar Isaac Hunts Nazis in Compelling, if Spotty, Operation Finale
Alpha Stands Out from the Pack with a Prehistoric Boy and His Dog Story
Despite some familiar story beats, Alpha puts a novel, prehistoric spin on the classic tale of canine friendship, along with some stunning visuals. This piece was originally posted on Alcohollywood Alpha doesn’t seem like the typical Albert Hughes film -the idea that a man who’s made a name for himself by directing urban crime thrillers ... Alpha Stands Out from the Pack with a Prehistoric Boy and His Dog Story
Ponderous and Disconnected, Nico, 1988 Will Not Let You Be its Mirror
Susanna Nicchiarelli’s biopic of the German singer and artist is as impermeable as it is impermanent – those seeking a window into the artist’s life should look elsewhere. This piece was originally posted on Alcohollywood Some may applaud Nico, 1988 for being a film with zero fucks to give. Much like its central subject, and ... Ponderous and Disconnected, Nico, 1988 Will Not Let You Be its Mirror
Gauguin: Voyage to Tahiti is a Meditative Portrait of Depression and Obsession
Despite a charismatic performance by Vincent Cassel, this meditative biopic of the French painter fails to match the vibrancy of the artist’s work. This piece was originally posted on Alcohollywood Often, in biographical films, we are given glimpses of the subject’s genius, while supporting characters wait on deck to expound on the profundity of his ... Gauguin: Voyage to Tahiti is a Meditative Portrait of Depression and Obsession
Fantasia 2018: Hanagatami Review – The Director of Hausu Confuses and Delights in His Final Epic
Hausu’s Nobuhiko Obayashi starts wrapping up his 60-year career in filmmaking with a deeply weird, compellingly stream-of-consciousness wartime drama. This piece was originally posted on Alcohollywood Nobuhiko Obayashi is one of Japan’s veteran suppliers of the weird and fantastical – despite a career spanning nearly forty films, his most famous international export is 1977’s kaleidoscopic, ... Fantasia 2018: Hanagatami Review – The Director of Hausu Confuses and Delights in His Final Epic
Review: Westwood Provides a Compelling Portrait of the Godmother of Punk
Showcasing her career from punk provocateur to a mainstay of English culture, Westwood is a love letter to one of fashion’s most iconic personalities This piece was originally posted on Alcohollywood Westwood: Punk, Icon, Activist details the creative passions of Vivienne Westwood, the English designer who helped catapult London’s punk aesthetic into the mainstream. While ... Review: Westwood Provides a Compelling Portrait of the Godmother of Punk
INTERVIEW: Bruce LaBruce on The Misandrists, Pornography and Feminist Brain-Swapping
We interview queersploitation provacateur Bruce LaBruce about queer cinema, working on a low budget, and his latest feminist satire The Misandrists. This piece was originally posted on Alcohollywood Arthouse queer enfant terrible Bruce LaBruce has crafted an interesting career as an underground director of gory, sexy, splatter-ific screeds on radical topics like terrorism, feminism, and gay ... INTERVIEW: Bruce LaBruce on The Misandrists, Pornography and Feminist Brain-Swapping