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3/5
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Champions
(2023)
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Mark Jackson
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"Champions" is wholesome and uplifting family fare. You can't go too wrong with it, even though some of it is sort of wrong. Many decent chuckles available here.
Posted Mar 11, 2023
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3/5
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Creed III
(2023)
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Mark Jackson
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Not bad for Michael B. Jordan's freshman directing debut. The fight scenes are good. But if Stallone is out for good, it would seem the RU (Rocky Universe), quality-wise at least, is in danger of imploding.
Posted Mar 05, 2023
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3.5/5
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Count Me In
(2021)
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Mark Jackson
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A fun doc about rock drumming, especially women drummers. If you'd told me in the 70s that in 2022 there'd be a 19-year-old girl (Madden Klass) who could blow the doors off legendary jazz drummer Max Roach I'd have told you you were taking strong drugs.
Posted Mar 05, 2023
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4.5/5
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Inglourious Basterds
(2009)
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Michael Clark
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If Tarantino had trimmed 15 or so minutes from the final cut, this might have been the “masterpiece” that he himself unsubtly suggests in the movie’s final scene. Still, “Inglourious Basterds” is a vital addition to Tarantino’s impressive career canon.
Posted Mar 02, 2023
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1/5
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Heart of a Champion
(2023)
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Mark Jackson
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Heart of a Champion's content is very family friendly, but parents will need to sacrifice their own entertainment quality and let this one just be for the kids.
Posted Feb 27, 2023
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3.5/5
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The Secret of Santa Vittoria
(1969)
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Ian Kane
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“The Secret of Santa Vittoria” is a lengthy (in a good way), fun, and mostly funny drama that features memorable characters, an intriguing plot, and the ever-gorgeous natural scenery of the Italian countryside.
Posted Feb 25, 2023
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4/5
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One Fine Morning
(2022)
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Michael Clark
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As for Seydoux, best known to American audiences for her role as the love interest in the most recent James Bond flick, Sandra is just the latest in a line of characters she’s played who keep their cards close to the vest and their emotions in check.
Posted Feb 24, 2023
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2.5/5
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Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania
(2023)
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Mark Jackson
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It's nice Hollywood's been scouring metaphysical and cosmological texts and translating them into comic book popcorn entertainment (The Quantum Realm!) but the over-usage of CGI as a lazy replacement for the craft of good storytelling is tedious.
Posted Feb 22, 2023
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5/5
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Emily
(2022)
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Michael Clark
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Recalling the visual style and spare storytelling acumen of Stanley Kubrick and Terrence Malick, O’Connor’s film is among the most assured and daring debuts ever executed. Her level of confidence exhibited here is otherworldly.
Posted Feb 16, 2023
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2/5
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Your Place or Mine
(2023)
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Michael Clark
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YPOM delivers enough of the goods to fans of “upbeat and passable if you don’t think about it too much” rom-coms. They aren’t high art (or even medium art) but they do serve a purpose and enough people watch them to ensure they’ll never stop being made.
Posted Feb 14, 2023
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4.5/5
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Network
(1976)
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Ian Kane
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“Network” is both a highly entertaining drama with lots of laugh-out-loud humor and a film that carries some very timely messages, ones that are extremely prescient in modern times.
Posted Feb 13, 2023
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4.5/5
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Tender Mercies
(1983)
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Ian Kane
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If you’re looking for an inspiring movie that has an unusual sense of authenticity, heartfelt drama, and a good splash of romance, you can do no better than “Tender Mercies.”
Posted Feb 13, 2023
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5/5
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Sharper
(2023)
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Michael Clark
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A veteran of high-end, episodic TV and winner of Golden Globe, Emmy, and BAFTA awards, Caron makes the most of his feature debut while delivering a fat-free, streamlined, and enthralling crime thriller that all but begs for repeat viewings.
Posted Feb 08, 2023
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4/5
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All That Breathes
(2022)
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Michael Clark
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All things that breathe—humans, animals, vegetation, and the land—are all under God’s dominion. It’s all quite stirring and inspiring without being heavy-handed or sanctimonious.
Posted Feb 06, 2023
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3/5
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You People
(2023)
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Mark Jackson
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Jonah Hill and Kenya Barris have found a way to navigate a large swath of America’s racial and cultural minefield in a manner that will make you laugh hard, but also stop and think about stuff. And that’s good stuff.
Posted Feb 05, 2023
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1.5/5
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Alice, Darling
(2022)
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Mark Jackson
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The multi-talented Kendrick can't save this well-intended project from being a stultifying bore.
Posted Feb 05, 2023
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3.5/5
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Plane
(2023)
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Mark Jackson
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Plane, much like 1994's "Speed," 2014's "Non-stop," and last year's "Ambulance," is a one-word-titled thriller-adventure-actioner that mostly takes place in a vehicle. Lots of old-school fun.
Posted Feb 05, 2023
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4/5
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The Alpinist
(2021)
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Mark Jackson
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Ups the ante on 2018's "Free Solo" by quite a bit. Imagine climbing 9,000 feet using crampons and ice axes to hang off 8th-of-an-inch rock ledges and shaky ice pillars... with no rope. Not for the faint of heart.
Posted Feb 05, 2023
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4/5
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The Pale Blue Eye
(2022)
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Mark Jackson
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Bale utilizes the heavily mustachioed beardfulness he employs in all his 1800's roles, and while he can chew the scenery with the best of them, he allows Melling's scary-doll, wide-eyed E.A. Poe to upstage him. A plodding but highly engrossing watch.
Posted Feb 05, 2023
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4/5
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Stutz
(2022)
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Mark Jackson
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Actor/director Jonah Hill honors his psychiatrist. A great introduction to the world of therapy, and an opportunity to see what kinds of things a world-class therapist, who genuinely cares about his patients, can bring to the table of your life.
Posted Feb 05, 2023
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3.5/5
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Let It Be Morning
(2021)
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Michael Clark
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One fact few rational people will argue with: no country is secure without borders and restricted, legal immigration, rules almost every country on the planet except the U.S. seems to understand, embrace, and enforce.
Posted Feb 01, 2023
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4.5/5
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Filmmakers for the Prosecution
(2022)
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Michael Clark
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The film also points out the beyond-skewed perspective of the U.S. government at the time as it applied to art, truth, politics, international relations and most importantly censorship. It eerily smacks of what’s taking place in our own country right now.
Posted Jan 27, 2023
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4.5/5
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Missing
(2023)
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Michael Clark
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This is not a movie that can be watched on autopilot. Not only can you not take a bathroom break without being left out in the cold upon return - you also literally can’t blink at the wrong time.
Posted Jan 24, 2023
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5/5
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Gladiator
(2000)
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Michael Clark
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When the dust finally settled, “Gladiator” pulled off a few minor miracles. It catapulted Crowe into super-stardom, removed any doubt that Scott could work within any particular genre with success, and took a dusty old genre and made it new again.
Posted Jan 19, 2023
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4.5/5
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Witness for the Prosecution
(1957)
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Ian Kane
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In the end, “Witness for the Prosecution” is a taut, fascinating character study featuring crisp acting, excellent direction, and a compelling plot with many unexpected twists that will keep you guessing...
Posted Jan 17, 2023
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1.5/5
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Dog Gone
(2023)
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Michael Clark
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If it is indeed “based on true events” as stated, the filmmakers either added things they shouldn’t have or failed to remove parts thoroughly inappropriate for preteen children or families thinking they’re getting a Hallmark knockoff.
Posted Jan 17, 2023
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4/5
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Cinema Paradiso
(1988)
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Michael Clark
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The theatrical cut left a major sub-plot thread dangling, which didn’t seem to bother many other viewers or critics. After seeing the original cut on Blu-ray, I can say without trepidation or hesitation that it is absolutely the best version of the film.
Posted Jan 10, 2023
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3.5/5
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"Sr."
(2022)
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Michael Clark
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“Sr.” follows the exact blueprint of many of Sr.'s films. It’s a novel way to approach a documentary and it’s easy to understand why it is winning so many people over. For those who prefer order and focus, it feels disjointed and not fully realized.
Posted Jan 09, 2023
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3/5 stars
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The Front Page
(1974)
|
Ian Kane
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If anything else, simply watch it to witness the incredible chemistry between Walter Matthau and Jack Lemmon, two outstanding actors who are at the top of their game.
Posted Jan 05, 2023
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2.5/5
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The Old Way
(2023)
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Michael Clark
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“The Old Way” is an odd duck in Cage’s canon as it is too low-key, low-budget, and dark for the masses, yet too lightweight and not daring enough for those looking for something off the beaten path.
Posted Jan 04, 2023
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4/5
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The Sound of 007
(2022)
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Michael Clark
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Much like any great performance, “The Sound of 007” understands that brevity is preferable over excess, and it’s always better to leave the audience wanting more instead of wearing them out, or worse, boring them.
Posted Jan 02, 2023
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4/5
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Sahara
(1943)
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Ian Kane
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... what we get with “Sahara” is a gritty, riveting war drama that transports us to another place and time, far off in a no man’s land, with characters who are believable and multidimensional.
Posted Jan 01, 2023
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3.5/5
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Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence
(1983)
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Ian Kane
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...instead of seeing one-dimensional automatons, we get to enjoy multifaceted characters who interact with each other in interesting ways, and the overall experience is better for it.
Posted Dec 31, 2022
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3/5
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A Man Called Otto
(2022)
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Michael Clark
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For those who never saw [the original Swedish] “Ove” (and that’s, well, almost everyone), “Otto” will dutifully suffice. It’s not steak but neither is it, Hamburger Helper. There are far worse ways to spend two-plus hours of your life.
Posted Dec 28, 2022
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5/5
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Little Sister
(2015)
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Michael Clark
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It could prove to be too safe for a few, but for those seeking a true reflection of real life in a foreign land and want to witness a fractured family repairing itself under unorthodox circumstances, “Our Little Sister” is an uplifting endearing must-see.
Posted Dec 27, 2022
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3.5/5
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The Bellboy
(1960)
|
Ian Kane
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It’s great to see Lewis, arguably at the height of his incredible stardom, playing a humble bellboy, and it’s quite apparent that he’s channeling parts of his own life...
Posted Dec 26, 2022
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4/5
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The Inspector General
(1949)
|
Ian Kane
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In the end, “The Inspector General” is highly entertaining with some hilarious, often satirical dialogue that is elevated further by Danny Kaye’s infectious brand of physical humor.
Posted Dec 25, 2022
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3.5/5
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Pocketful of Miracles
(1961)
|
Ian Kane
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"There are also a number of other films that may not specifically be Christmas-y films per se, but evoke a similar spirit of cheer and goodwill."
Posted Dec 25, 2022
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5/5
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Big Sonia
(2016)
|
Ian Kane
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"In the end, I’d practically consider “Big Sonia” to be mandatory watching in the tumultuous and challenging times that we all currently find ourselves in."
Posted Dec 25, 2022
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4/5 stars
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Silence Patton
(2018)
|
Ian Kane
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"Director Robert Orlando examines the untimely death of an American war hero."
Posted Dec 25, 2022
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4.5/5
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Living
(2022)
|
Michael Clark
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What is most impressive about this particular performance is its understatement. Playing “small,” as Nighy does here, is nowhere as easy as it looks; in fact, the exact opposite is true and only heightens our suspension of disbelief.
Posted Dec 23, 2022
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5/5
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Avatar: The Way of Water
(2022)
|
Mark Jackson
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If for nothing else, see it to enjoy the stunning smorgasbord of visual marine delights bequeathed by the director who dove 2.3 miles down in the pitch black ocean, all by himself, to the Mariana Trench. Who does that? Talk about your thorough research.
Posted Dec 22, 2022
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4.5/5
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All In: Miracle at St. Bernard's
(2022)
|
Michael Clark
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As tense and nail-biting as any modern thriller, “AIMSB” is also a “truth is stranger than fiction” type of story that, if pitched to a studio, would be deemed as impossible to believe; hence, the word “miracle” in the title.
Posted Dec 21, 2022
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4.5/5
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The Late Show
(1977)
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Michael Clark
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The crowning achievement of the film was the unlikely pairing of Carney and Tomlin, both regarded as comic masters. This changed after Carney’s Oscar-win turn in “Harry & Tonto” and Tomlin’s, non-comic Academy Award-nominated performance in “Nashville.”
Posted Dec 16, 2022
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4/5
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Ruby Sparks
(2012)
|
Michael Clark
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How empowered would you feel if you knew that whatever you wrote could immediately be physically realized? Would you tempt fate knowing that you could always go back and edit it, or would you try to try to stay true to your own inner core values?
Posted Dec 10, 2022
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5/5
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Empire of Light
(2022)
|
Michael Clark
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Beginning with her Oscar-winning turn in “The Favourite,” Colman has delivered one tremendous role after another, and has firmly established herself as the world’s greatest living actress.
Posted Dec 09, 2022
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5/5
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The Scottish Play
(2019)
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Michael Clark
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This film is a tremendous example of the fluid nature of creativity as it applies to performance arts. There have been many adaptations of “Macbeth” set in modern times, and most are quite good, offering a testament to its universal staying power.
Posted Dec 07, 2022
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4.5/5
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Midnight in Paris
(2011)
|
Michael Clark
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In the 11 years since “Midnight” was released, Allen has made eight more features and, sadly, all but one of them—the brilliant “Blue Jasmine,” a clever reworking of “A Streetcar Named Desire” are out-and-out stinkers. The man has simply run out of ideas.
Posted Dec 04, 2022
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3.5/5
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The Wonder
(2022)
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Mark Jackson
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A staid drama of a nurse examining a case of breatharianism. Similar to "The Good Nurse." Both movies examine worlds where some would prefer people die than admit they’d made mistakes. Also another punch to the face of patriarchal societies. Pugh shines.
Posted Nov 29, 2022
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4/5
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Navalny
(2022)
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Michael Clark
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Navalny succeeded in waking up the Russian people and the world regarding Putin and for that, he will go down in history as a revolutionary game-changer, not unlike the way we view our own Founding Fathers. He can and should hold his head forever high.
Posted Nov 25, 2022
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