ROBOT DREAMS: THE OTHER NEW ANIMATED FEATURE
Of course moviegoers turned out en masse for Inside Out 2 this weekend. Who wouldn’t want to enjoy more of the experience the original film provided in 2015? My only quibble is that the new release is a sequel and therefore…
FURIOSA: A MAD MAX STORY
After forty-five years, it’s amazing that Aussie filmmaker George Miller can still derive compelling ideas from the car-crazy world of Mad Max that he created so long ago. I’d never seen anything like the scrappy stunt work and go-for-broke…
WOODY ALLEN’S COUP DE CHANCE
Woody Allen likes telling stories. It’s what made his stand-up comedy sets so distinctive. He didn’t simply recite a string of jokes (although he is a masterful joke writer); he told a story and punctuated it with hilarious one-liners.…
MONKEY MAN: MAYHEM WITH A PURPOSE?
Actor Dev Patel, who won over audiences around the globe in Danny Boyle’s Slumdog Millionaire, is flexing his muscles by co-writing, directing, and starring in Monkey Man. By diving into Indian culture, myths, and traditions he attempts to ground his brutal story…
ORDINARY ANGELS: CYNICS BEWARE
Ordinary Angels is a true story and a remarkable one at that. Living with our two-year old granddaughter has made me especially vulnerable to dramas about young children in peril, and it didn’t take long for this one to open…
IO CAPITANO: ITALY’S OSCAR CONTENDER
I must admit I haven’t followed Matteo Garrone’s career closely since he burst onto the world stage with Gomorrah. This grueling but captivating film reaffirms his place in the front ranks of filmmakers, as he puts us in lockstep with…
THE PROMISED LAND: A SCANDINAVIAN SLEEPER
I’ve come to trust Danish actor Mads Mikkelsen—his good taste in movie roles is seasoned with a sense of daring, as we’ve seen in such outstanding imports as The Hunt and Another Round. I’m also an admirer of screenwriter Anders Thomas Jensen,…
