Drama
Eternity
Eternity takes an idea – life after death – a potentially heavy idea and turns it into something light, funny, and surprisingly enjoyable. The story begins when Joan (Elizabeth Olsen) dies and arrives at the big train station in the sky where everyone goes to choose their eternity. Her main dilemma is choosing between eternity…
Chocolat
Chocolat is still a remarkably meaningful and stylish film 25 years after its release. Set in a small fictious French village in 1959, the story follows Vianne (Juliette Binoche), and her young daughter Anouk as the two wander from town to town driven on by a family tradition of restlessness. When Vianne and Anouk settle…
Hamnet
Hamnet is an outstanding, emotionally charged drama set in Shakespeare’s world. However, this film is not a story about William Shakespeare (Paul Mescal), instead, the film centers on Agnes, Shakespeare’s wife. Jessie Buckley is brilliant as Agnes, who is a commanding presence in nearly every scene. While Paul Mescal offers a restrained, thoughtful take on…
If I Had Legs I’d Kick You
The wonderful actress Rose Byrne (Platonic, Physical, Bridesmaid, Neighbors) is the only focus of If I Had Legs I’d Kick You. Rose plays a therapist named Linda – a stressed out therapist. She is home alone with an elementary school aged child who refuses to eat and must be tube fed. Her Naval husband (Christian…
- 2025
- Drama
The Pelican Lessons
The Pelican Lessons is a timely movie set in 1976 Argentina. Why is it timely? In 1976, Argentina lost their democracy to a tyrant – sound familiar. General Jorge Rafael Videla held power until 1983, “disappearing” (i.e., torturing and killing) 30,000 liberals who did not agree with him. The tyrant goes to jail following his…
- 2025
- Drama
My Dead Friend Zoe
My Dead Friend Zoe is a film that explores themes of grief, humor, and PTSD through its main character, Merit (Sonequa Martin-Green), an Afghanistan war veteran. The story presents Merit as interacting with the ghost of her deceased military comrade, Zoe (Natalie Morales). This ghost figure serves as a companion and source of dialogue, contributing…
The Great Lillian Hall
Jessica Lange portrays a much-loved theater actress in the film “The Great Lillian Hall.” Lillian Hall begins to show signs of dementia during rehearsals of the Chekhov play in which she stars. As Lillian Hall accepts this next phase in life, she reflects upon her life and begins to regret some of it. Ongoing with…
- 2024
- Drama
Flamin’ Hot
FLAMIN’ HOT Did you ever eat Flamin’ Hot Cheetos? I haven’t and this film doesn’t make me want to run out and buy Flamin’ Hot Cheetos. But, like Flamin’ Hot Cheetos, this film is a good 99 minute snack – a worthy snack. Flamin’ Hot stays positive and upbeat even through the darkest times-and the…
Hustle
HUSTLE Hustle is a basketball drama that is enjoyable to watch even if you don’t know the names of the NBA players in the film, that is, if you are like me. There are sixty past and present players and owners listed in the credits as HIMSELF or HERSELF, so if you are a sports…
Four Quick Movie Reviews
Metal Lords and Kimi
- 2026
Windfall
WINDFALL Windfall is a psychological drama that takes a jab at the class structure in the U.S., but the story is slow, and some of the actors don’t sell it. However, the ending is surprising in a weirdly satisfying way, almost making it worth watching the short 92-minute movie. The Director, Charlie McDowell, married to…
Death on the Nile
DEATH ON THE NILE The detective Hercule Poirot (Kenneth Branagh) is back, traveling with a group of entitled and resentful rich people as he attempts to solve a murder committed during a wedding celebration in the newest installment of the Agatha Christie murder mystery series, Death on the Nile. Hindsight shows that the viewer…
Sold Out
Sold Out What does the wife think of her husband John’s music, his art, his passion – “It’s fine. – but it’s time he grows up.” Not the correct answer, wifey! The other central character in Sold Out, a music-based drama, is Kat, an independent music scout. Kat just got her band a record contract,…
Munich – The Edge of War
MUNICH – THE EDGE OF WAR Munich – The Edge of War filming occurred at the end of 2020. The film is a historical drama centered around the 1938 meeting in Munich. England’s Neville Chamberlain (Jeromy Irons) and the French prime minister attempt to appease Hitler by “giving him” Czechoslovakia. However, the main story is…
The Fallout
THE FALLOUT The Fallout is a high school drama with a teen vibe; however, the film has value, so it is worthwhile and entertaining for all to watch. The film deals with the lives of four teenagers and how they cope with a shooting in their high school. The first 15-minutes of the film depicts…
- 2022
- Drama
Finding You
FINDING YOU Practically, every cliché in the book is in Finding You, a coming-of-age romance film based on the book, There You’ll Find Me by Jenny B. Jones. Even though the film is predictable, utterly moral, bordering on religious, by the end, you still hope for the best for the heroine and the movie star….
Belfast
BELFAST Buddy’s idyllic childhood comes to a sudden end on August 15, 1969, when The Troubles begin on Buddy’s street. The hatred toward the Irish Nationalists (who are usually Catholic and want to be part of Ireland, not England) finally erupts into violence. Belfast is a semi-autobiographical drama seen through the eyes of 8-year old…
- 2021
- Drama
The Tender Bar
THE TENDER BAR Girls have Edge of Seventeen, Lady Bird, All the Boys I’ve Loved Before, Juno, Little Women, and many more coming-of-age movies. Boys have Stand By Me in 1986, which is relatable for me. Boys also have superb coming-of-age films such as Moonlighting and Billy Elliot, which I do not connect with. Finally,…
- 2021
- Drama
The Power of the Dog
THE POWER OF THE DOG Thought to be one of the best movies of the year, The Power of the Dog is a psychological drama set in 1925 Montana. Think of the TV series Yellowstone in the 1920s with less soap opera, less action, but more male machismo intimidation of all things good, and a…