Review: “Promising Young Woman”

Almost every year, a movie comes along that—for better or for worse—feels completely fresh, bold, and unpredictable. “Promising Young Woman,” the debut feature film from writer/director Emerald Fennell, is that movie for 2020. A timely and provocative revenge thriller that serves as a scathing indictment of a misogynistic society that protects abusers, “Promising Young Woman” […]

Review: “Wander Darkly”

What was, what is, and what could have been—these things and more are explored in the metaphysical wanderings of Adrienne (Sienna Miller) following a traumatic accident. A new mother whose relationship with her boyfriend and daughter’s father Matteo (Diego Luna) is on the rocks, Adrienne re-experiences their love story—its high points, low points, and everything […]

Review: “Ammonite”

From the get-go, comparisons of “Ammonite” to last year’s “Portrait of a Lady on Fire” were inevitable. A lesbian period romance between a working woman and the woman she is caring for, set at the seaside? There aren’t too many of those. But the comparison really isn’t all that fair, as “Ammonite”—which no, is not […]

Review: “A Call to Spy”

“A Call to Spy” contains many of the typical hallmarks of a World War II movie. We follow the heroes through action, espionage, struggle, and sacrifice, all performed on behalf of their country. But these movies usually follow male heroes, whether they be soldiers on the front lines, spies trying to covertly gather intelligence against […]

Review: “Ottolenghi and the Cakes of Versailles”

A bevy of beautiful desserts delight the eyes of the viewer throughout “Ottolenghi and the Cakes of Versailles.” But this documentary directed by Laura Gabbert doesn’t delve much deeper beyond what we see on the surface, despite touching on some very serious and fascinating issues. The film revolves around a 2018 gala at New York’s […]

Review: “The Nest”

A move across the ocean uncovers dysfunction in a marriage in “The Nest,” writer and director Sean Durkin’s first feature film since his 2011 film festival darling “Martha Marcy May Marlene.” Drawing on his own experiences growing up in both England and America, Durkin explores changes in relationships that occur with a change in location […]

Review: “Rent-A-Pal”

Navigating online relationships safely is a topic that many of us are familiar with nowadays. But writer and director Jon Stevenson explores a different kind of virtual relationship in his debut feature “Rent-A-Pal,” a thoroughly weird but impressive throwback/horror/drama/comedy commentary on loneliness. Set in 1990, “Rent-A-Pal” follows David (Brian Landis Folkins), a 40-year-old single man […]

Review: “Tenet”

Before we get into the review, I want to mention that I was able to safely see “Tenet” at a drive-in movie theater. If you do decide to go to a indoor movie theater to watch it, be sure to follow all of the theater’s safety protocols, and don’t go if you are feeling sick. […]

Review: “Centigrade”

The scariest aspect of “Centigrade” is that the catalyst for the events that unfold over the course of the film could happen to anyone: while driving through a snowstorm in Norway, a couple decide that the weather is too bad for them to continue, so they pull over to wait out the storm. When they […]

Review: “Tesla”

The first several minutes of writer/director Michael Almereyda’s “Tesla” unfold in fairly typical biopic fashion. We see young inventor Nikola Tesla (Ethan Hawke) working under fellow inventor Thomas Edison (Kyle MacLachlan) upon first arriving in New York. He soon leaves to strike out on his own. But a meeting between Tesla, Edison, and other associates […]