If you’re interested in a World War II period mystery, thriller, courtroom drama with a bit of art history, you may want to check out this Quick Take movie review of the Tri-Star pictures flick The Last Vermeer. This based-on… Read More ›
adaptation
Horror thriller comic adaptation “The Owners” reminds that maybe it’s best to leave well-enough alone.
The horror genre is all about taking what terrifies you and giving it life so you can explore that terror in relative safety. Scared of the dark? Let’s personify it. Unnerved by the unknown? Let’s give it physical form. Chilled… Read More ›
Unexpectedly, “Spontaneous” offers much needed catharsis during a time of pandemic.
It’s in the strangest of places that we often find that which affirms life. It could be a sunrise, a child’s laugh, a taste of pumpkin spice pick-a-thing, a song you’ve heard a million times, or a film you’re experiencing… Read More ›
Stanley Kubrick’s “Full Metal Jacket” shows off what 4K UHD can really bring to the table.
Joining the list of catalogue titles Warner Bros. Home Entertainment is re-releasing on 4K UHD comes the widely beloved Stanley Kubrick Vietnam film Full Metal Jacket. Even if you haven’t seen the film, you’re likely familiar with many of the… Read More ›
Nancy Springer’s “Enola Holmes Mysteries” is given the YA “Fleabag” treatment in Netflix’s playful “Enola Holmes.”
Since the first Sherlock Holmes story from author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle was published in 1891, there have been countless iterations of the consulting detective in print, stage, and screen. Thanks to modern performances from Robert Downey Jr. (Sherlock Holmes),… Read More ›
True story “Critical Thinking” is a gripping drama powered by strong performances and fantastic direction.
May 8th – 10th of 1998 marked the 30th anniversary of the U.S. Chess Federation’s National High School Championship. With 230 schools from 32 states, the Wyndham Hotel at Los Angeles Airport was filled with some of the brightest minds… Read More ›
Charlie Kaufman’s “i’m thinking of ending things” pulls off the seemingly impossible task of adapting Ian Reid’s book with ease and grace.
When I read a book, I feel accomplished. When I read a book based on a film, I feel elitist. When I read a book based on a film before its release, I feel completely untouchable. I know I shouldn’t,… Read More ›
“Words on Bathroom Walls” offers an astonishingly frank presentation of schizophrenia within a YA package.
Author Julia Walton’s 2017 young adult novel Words on Bathroom Walls centers on Adam Petrazelli, a high school senior whose dreams of culinary school seem destined for tragedy soon after he’s diagnosed with schizophrenia. Adapted for the big screen by… Read More ›
Disney+’s “The One and Only Ivan” is a bittersweet tale that’ll encourage empathic development in younger audiences.
Sometime around 1964, an infant silverback gorilla was rescued from poachers, was brought to the U.S., and lived with a family in their home until he grew too large. At that point, the silverback, called Ivan, became the headlining act… Read More ›
STX Entertainment’s “The Secret Garden” adapts the classic novel into something familiar, yet new.
In the years since its original publishing in 1911, author Frances Hodgson Burnett’s The Secret Garden has been replicated for stage and screen and has often been assigned for summer reading for many students, as was the case for this… Read More ›
Adaptation of Indonesian comic superhero “Gundala” kicks off the beginning of a grand adventure.
Take the brilliant stunt choreography of Indonesian action film The Night Comes for Us (2018), the intrigue of Indonesian thriller The Raid: Berandal (2014), and mix with superhero elements you know from various Marvel and DC storylines and you’ll get… Read More ›
Keep on rollin’ with your homies in this stylish 25th Anniversary Steelbook release of ‘90s classic “Clueless.”
There are a few films which define a generation. The Wizard of Oz speaks to those born 1922 -1945, a group which survived not just the Great Depression, but also World War II. For the Boomers, those born post-World War… Read More ›
Historical fiction drama “Greyhound” tells a WWII story that’s significant today.
Perseverance is the key to survival. We’re not just talking evolution here, but the willingness to push-back against any obstacles made by man or nature. In the case of the film Greyhound by director Aaron Schneider (Get Low), working from… Read More ›
Reaction-inducing stunts & kinetic cast chemistry pull up a predictable plot in Netflix’s “The Old Guard.”
The list of films that deserve a theatrical release grows longer the further into 2020 quarantine goes. April brought the kinetic and pulse-pounding Extraction; May offered up the colorful escapism of The High Note and comedic hijinks of The Lovebirds;… Read More ›
Autumn de Wilde’s feature debut “EMMA.” is a delightful take on a classic scruples comedy.
There are some films which, upon even the briefest of beginnings, you realize are something special. Such is the case with director Autumn de Wilde’s first feature film EMMA., an adaption of the Jane Austen novel from writer Eleanor Catton… Read More ›
Chinese YA adaptation “Better Days” is a genre-bending coming of age story.
Trigger Warning for discussion of bullying, suicide, sexual assault, and violence. In a conversation between an older and younger cop early into the 135-minute Better Days, one says to the other something to the effect that either you were the… Read More ›
Netflix Original “Extraction” is a theater-quality adventure that deserves a big screen.
The names Joe and Anthony Russo have become synonymous with big blockbuster comic book films thanks to their work with Marvel Studios directing Captain America: The Winter Solider, Captain America: Civil War, Avengers: Infinity War, and Avengers: Endgame. However you… Read More ›
Get over here and watch the latest Warner Bros. Animation home release “Mortal Kombat Legends: Scorpion’s Revenge.”
There are a handful of video games who proved so resilient, they seemed to transcend their release date and extend into generations of play. We’re talking Nintendo’s Super Mario franchise, Sega’s Sonic, Capcom’s Street Fighter, and, the series that just… Read More ›
Inspired by true events, law drama “Just Mercy” is now available on home video.
In June of 1987, Walter “Johnny D” McMillian was arrested by Sherriff Tom Tate of Monroeville, Alabama, for the murder of eighteen-year-old Ronda Morrison. The case had been unsolved for a year and Tate was keen to close it. Placed… Read More ›
Now may be the best time to curl up at home with a modern adaptation of the classic “Little Women.”
The art we engage with critically shapes who we become as adults. It molds how we view and engage with the world. It shapes our perspective, often subconsciously guiding us through the choices we make. For this review, it was… Read More ›