According to actor/writer/director Edward Norton, his relationship with Jonathan Lethem’s 1999 novel Motherless Brooklyn began before the book hit shelves. As he explains in the featurette “Making-Of: Edward Norton’s Methodical Process,” he was tipped off by a friend about the… Read More ›
based on a book
Greta Gerwig’s adaptation of “Little Women” masterfully captures the timelessness of the novel with a top-level ensemble cast.
Published in 1868, Louisa May Alcott’s novel Little Women continues to be read, studied, and poured over by readers of all ages and stripes. Alcott’s story of the four March sisters is timeless in nature, despite being anchored in the… Read More ›
Novel adaptation “The Goldfinch” is beautifully constructed and executed, yet feels somehow disconnected.
Published in 2013, Donna Tartt’s The Goldfinch went on to earn best-selling status, along with the coveted Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 2014. It’s a book that — it seems — entranced readers, including future cast member Sarah Paulson (Ocean’s… Read More ›
Despite the trappings of a thoughtful noir, Edward Norton’s “Motherless Brooklyn” adaptation doesn’t seem to coalesce.
The cinematic adaptation of Jonathan Lethem’s book Motherless Brooklyn by Edward Norton (Keeping the Faith) possesses all the hallmarks of a great noir: mystery, a dame in trouble, and a gumshoe in over his head. When you add in a… Read More ›
“Motherless Brooklyn” possesses a strong statement on gentrification, which is mired by cliché noir tropes and bland filmmaking. [Film Fest 919]
Being from Durham, North Carolina, I have seen a lot of changes happen in my city over the last few years. Durham kept a large, mostly black, working-class population due to the employment of so many citizens at the tobacco… Read More ›
“Neither Wolf Nor Dog” challenges our unconscious bias in an adaptation of the award-winning book.
There are many ways to deal with the past. For some, it’s easier to move on and look to the future rather than process deeds done. For others, ignorance is a way of life, though it doesn’t excuse them from… Read More ›
YA adaptation “The Sun Is Also a Star” indulges in romance more than the real world.
While there’re varying degrees with which one can look at themselves in relation to the universe, there are two distinct perspectives which stand in opposition. Either the universe is an uncaring, vast space born out of chaos and we are… Read More ›
Teen drama “Saving Zoë” shines a reflective light on the teenage experience.
Note: Saving Zoë deals with some dark elements that might trigger some, specifically in regards to sexual violence and/or violence against women. The concept of the “teen movie” has evolved over the years. Initially used as a rebellion against the… Read More ›
IFC Film’s “Ophelia” reimagines Shakespeare’s “Hamlet” and, in doing so, reinvigorates the centuries old play.
There exists a problem in classic literature and it resides in the presentation of women. They are rarely given any agency, any sense of control over their fates, and are, instead, merely fodder for whatever Hero’s Journey the male lead… Read More ›
“The Bastards’ Fig Tree” is an inelegant adaptation with an engaging narrative.
Ana Murugarren’s The Bastards’ Fig Tree tells the story of Rogelio (Karra Elejalde), a soldier who’s fighting on the side of the fascist Nationalists during the Spanish Civil War. One night, he and several colleagues raid a house and execute… Read More ›
“J.T. LeRoy” is a soft entry point to learn more about the once-and-former literary icon, J.T. LeRoy.
All art walks a line between reality and intention. This is made more complicated when the reality and intention the artist puts forth conflicts with that of the receivers. In many ways, the artist themselves becomes unimportant in comparison to… Read More ›
When times are hard, faith can help us “Breakthrough”.
January 19th, 2015, John Smith (portrayed by Marcel Ruiz) was playing on an iced-over lake in Missouri with some friends when the ice broke underneath them. While the other two got out, John remained in the water for 20 minutes… Read More ›
Actor Chiwetel Ejiofor’s “The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind” makes a strong impression for a directorial debut.
Oscar-nominated actor Chiwetel Ejiofor makes his screenwriting and directorial debut with The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind, based on the autobiographical book from William Kamkwamba. Detailing the remarkable story of a young man in an extremely poverty-stricken region of Malawi… Read More ›
Shudder’s new documentary “Horror Noire: A History of Black Horror” is a must-watch.
When George A. Romero was casting Night of the Living Dead, he hired Duane Jones to portray Ben, a man whom kept a small group of survivors safe to the best of his ability. Ben’s a strong character, both physically… 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 ›
Foster and Fanning bring “Galveston” to life.
More often than not, the best stories are the ones that take risks, that play with convention, and defy expectations. Other times, the risks fail to pay off and leave the audience with a diminishing sense of fulfillment. So rarely… Read More ›
Brutal & harrowing, “22 July” explores the violence perpetrated within a single afternoon. [Film Fest 919 Review]
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. This review of 22 July is merely… Read More ›
Director Damien Chazelle’s “First Man” explores the man behind the legend.
There’s something undeniably alluring about space. The way it feels both intimately close and desperately far; in range of our eyes, yet out from our hands. To quest beyond our atmosphere, to journey into the deep black, to discover what… Read More ›
“We the Animals” explores family dynamics through the perspective of a child.
In a cinematic landscape filled with large, loud options, sometimes it’s the quietest ones that make the boldest impact. Such is the case with director Jeremiah Zagar’s We the Animals, an adaptation of Justin Torres’s 2011 award-winning novel of the… Read More ›
“Down A Dark Hall” is a surprisingly elegant and beautifully constructed YA adaptation.
Lois Duncan deserves more respect as an author, at least from people of a certain age who grew up reading her books. To many people, Duncan’s novels, however silly they could sometimes be, were the first tastes of dark, twisted… Read More ›