When audiences attend a children’s film, they don’t expect much: a few laughs, some sort of adventure, and perhaps a moral or two tucked in to give the adults something to discuss with the kids. Generally, expectations are pretty low…. Read More ›
In Theaters
Move aside Reeves and Theron, Ngo Thanh Van’s bringing the “Furie”.
Despite being in films such as Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: Sword of Destiny, Star Wars: Episode VIII The Last Jedi, and Bright, American audiences still haven’t caught on to the talent that is Ngo Thanh Van, known in the U.S…. Read More ›
Documentary “A Tuba to Cuba” is a celebration of a shared rhythm.
Established in 1961 by Allan and Sandra Jaffe, Preservation Hall functions as a living monument to New Orleans Jazz. Preservation Hall is never stagnant due to the changing membership of the Preservation Hall Jazz Band, as well as the various… Read More ›
While not perfect, “Alita: Battle Angel” still warrants the expense of an IMAX and/or 3D viewing.
Adaptations from novel to film are notoriously difficult to pull off, with the chances of success dwindling when the adaptation includes a jump from one culture to another, often because the cultural elements of the source material are intrinsic to… Read More ›
Director Peter Jackson’s “They Shall Not Grow Old” brings the past to life like nothing before it.
Roughly four years ago, the Imperial War Museum began working with director Peter Jackson (The Lord of the Rings trilogy) to develop a documentary focused on World War I. His only directives: make it fresh and original. As a self-professed… Read More ›
Dark drama “Everybody Knows” focuses on character to create a compelling and beautiful film. [Film Fest 919]
Representing EoM as press, contributor Hunter Heilman attended the first annual Film Fest 919 in Raleigh, NC, to review several films that are either in limited release now or are yet to be released. For a filmmaker, at least from… Read More ›
“A Violent Man” is a crime thriller with surprising depth.
Athleticism and cinema go hand-in-hand. Whether it’s Harold Lloyd appearing to climb the side of a building in 1923’s Safety Last!, Sylvester Stallone in the Rocky series, or Dwayne Johnson in anything from the last 23 years, actors continuously find ways… Read More ›
There’s genuine magic to be found “Under the Eiffel Tower”.
Love stories are rich fodder for cinema and, especially come February, pop up everywhere. Typically, these stories are focused on the young: first love, young love, naïve love in high school or college, or right at the start of the… Read More ›
Quiet and bold, “The Man Who Killed Hitler and Then the Bigfoot” ruminates on heroism and the consequences of actions.
When you hear a title like The Man Who Killed Hitler and Then the Bigfoot, you’re likely to imagine some kind of grindhouse-esque action thriller filled with gun fights, explosions, and absurd badassery, something, perhaps, akin to Iron Sky, a… Read More ›
“The LEGO Movie 2: The Second Part” isn’t just another brick in a cinematic wall.
In the five years since directors Phil Lord and Christopher Miller confirmed that everything was, indeed, awesome, the LEGO Cinematic Universe has seen two more official entries, but no direct sequel to the film which spawned them all. The world… Read More ›
Shout! Studios’s latest release “Then Came You” deifies love, not illness in their coming-of-age rom-com.
When a film comings along touting a relationship between a terminally ill character and a clearly healthy one, there’s a big chance said film is going to fall into a heap of expected tropes. Even a charming cast can’t save… Read More ›
Hallucinogenic nightmare “Braid” warps reality in the first feature from Mitzi Peirone.
There’s a moment in writer/director Mitzi Peirone’s Braid where you’re either all in or all out. When the mayhem’s rising, the blood flowing, and the veil of reality’s so thin it’s barely perceivable, a choice has to be made: embrace… Read More ›
“Piercing” manipulates your expectations to great satisfaction.
February is becoming a strange month. Like January, February tends to be a dumping ground for films not likely to find an audience or for films leaning into Hallmark’s notion of love. While some aspects of this remain true (markets… Read More ›
Like the phrase itself suggests, “In Like Flynn” is incredibly charming, but not charming enough.
When anyone mentions the name Errol Flynn, those familiar likely think of the 1938 film The Adventures of Robin Hood, a portrayal of the infamous bandit to which every future performance has been compared. Working in Hollywood for 26 years,… Read More ›
“King of Thieves” steals nothing but your time.
The concept of ensemble pieces has long been a staple of films since its inception. Films like The Towering Inferno, The Grand Budapest Hotel, and The Dark Knight trilogy have all been incredibly successful pieces which use their casts to… Read More ›
RLJE’s “The Standoff at Sparrow Creek” is a quietly unnerving character study.
As a millennial, seeing mass shootings has become the norm. Since the Columbine High School shooting in 1999 (when I was 2), which was far from the first mass shooting, it seems like the number has increased exponentially. It’s not… Read More ›
“All These Small Moments” is a surprisingly refreshing mix of clever dialogue and fabulous performances.
The idea of a coming-of-age teen comedy-drama is far from original in the film industry. If anything, it’s one of the most heavily-treaded upon sub-genres. From Stand by Me to Lady Bird to The 400 Blows, these films come in… Read More ›
“Don’t Come Back From the Moon” is a meditation on the complexities of growing up and parenthood.
Parenthood is an experience which changes you in ways you can’t imagine until it happens to you. You can hear about it, you can be adjacent to it, but not until you become responsible for someone else’s everything does the… Read More ›
Documentary “Who Will Write Our History” examines the past as it cautions about the future.
On January 27th, 1945, the Soviet Red Army liberated those individuals the Nazis had imprisoned at Auschwitz-Birkenau, the largest concentration and death camp in operation. In recognition of that act, the United Nations established International Holocaust Remembrance Day in 2005… Read More ›
“Swing Kids” celebrates the promise of freedom.
Films are often more than an escape from your lives or a distraction from politics, family, friends, or whatever ails you. Even hidden within the most harmless looking story is a thematic nugget propelling everything forward, desperately asking the audience… Read More ›