Director: Martin Scorsese Starring: Andrew Garfield, Adam Driver, Tadanobu Asano, Ciarán Hinds, Liam Neeson The world is not short on stories in which faith is tested. Yet "Silence" is a Scorsese - so naturally, it’s done so well that the movie feels like a brand new story. This specific trial of faith happens for two Jesuit … Continue reading Silence (2016)
Director: Damien Chazelle Starring: Emma Stone, Ryan Gosling, John Legend, Rosemarie DeWitt They don’t make ‘em like this anymore. No, actually - when was the last time anyone saw the Cinemascope logo in opening credits? Since premiering in late August at the Venice Film Festival, La La Land has been receiving unparalleled praise from critics and audiences … Continue reading On Dreams in ‘La La Land’
When young girls look to the media for representations of the female gender in society, they find a variety of limiting roles. The common tract of “women as love interests” is one of the more harmful roles, as it reinforces a particular trope: women need romance to be happy. Too often in movies and television … Continue reading “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend” is Comedic Gold with a Feminist Agenda
Director: Clint Eastwood Starring: Tom Hanks, Aaron Eckhart, Laura Linney As those who have seen the trailers know, “Sully” tells the story of Captain Chesley Sullenberger and the emergency water landing of US Airways flight 1549 – which has come to be known as The Miracle on the Hudson, due to the fact that all 155 … Continue reading Sully (2016)
Director: John Krasinski Starring: Sharlto Copley, Charlie Day, Richard Jenkins, Anna Kendrick, John Krasinski, Margo Martindale American movie-goers and sitcom fans love a good dysfunctional family. It makes for some great humor, occasionally an emotionally satisfying confrontation of the family’s issues, and above all, lets the audience feel better about their own familial turmoil. “The Hollars” … Continue reading The Hollars (2016)
Director: Mike Birbiglia Starring: Keegan-Michael Key, Gillian Jacobs, Mike Birbiglia, Kate Micucci, Chris Gethard, Tami Sagher It’s always heartwarming to see one of our friends develop a passion for the performing arts. Each time we see them up on stage, we’re in awe and thinking to ourselves, “Wow, Jamie should be famous for this!” Jamie … Continue reading Don’t Think Twice (2016)
Director: Todd Phillips Starring: Jonah Hill, Miles Teller, Ana de Armas No summer is complete without at least one good buddy comedy, and this year we’ve seen a myriad of films battling out to be the best of the season: “The Nice Guys”, “Neighbors 2”, and “Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates”, to name a few. … Continue reading War Dogs (2016)
Director: Taika Waititi Starring: Sam Neill, Julian Dennison Thug life has never been so endearing as it is in “Hunt for the Wilderpeople”. New kid on the block Julian Dennison and “Jurassic Park”’s Sam Neill make an adorable pair in this unique comedy-drama, as they traipse through the wild bush in New Zealand. Everything about this film … Continue reading Hunt for the Wilderpeople (2016)
Director: Paul Feig Cast: Melissa McCarthy, Kristen Wiig, Kate McKinnon, Leslie Jones, Charles Dance, Michael Kenneth Williams, Chris Hemsworth In 1998, an American made “Godzilla” film was released – and despite critics’ utter loathing of it, the film ultimately grossed $379 million. Most importantly, nobody acted like it was the end of the world. In 2016, … Continue reading Ghostbusters (2016)
Director: Jaume Collet-Sera Starring: Blake Lively Just in case cinema hasn’t monsterized sharks enough since “Jaws”, here’s another go. Although “The Shallows” is yet another shark movie (and admittedly, made me fear going into the ocean even a couple of weeks after I’d seen it), it’s got a real bite to it, taking on the “human vs. … Continue reading The Shallows (2016)
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