Wiener-Dog
Todd Solondz (Welcome to the Dollhouse, Happiness) doesn't make mainstream movies. They're dark and quirky and you either buy into his sad worlds or you don't. In this one, he…
Genius
Growing up in small town Asheville, North Carolina, we didn't have many famous people we could claim. But the great writer Thomas Wolfe was ours. So when they made a…
Marguerite
Every few years two movies come out about the same subject at the same time, and one is lauded, while the other is overlooked. I hope that doesn't happen with…
Love and Friendship
When you think of Jane Austen, you think of young women in dire straights IF they don't marry well. You think of a constrained society and English estates where the…
The Lobster
Without doubt, The Lobster is one of the most unconventional love stories I've seen. The film stars Colin Farrell as David, a recently dumped man in an alternate world where…
Hockney
David Hockney has to be one of the most famous living artists. His work is in every major modern art museum and verging on 80 he is still going strong,…
Creative Control
Before going to this film, you might want to look up augmented reality (AR). Yes, it's a thing. Instead of virtual reality, which is entirely created in a computer, AR…
The Lady in the Van
Are you having Maggie Smith withdrawal now that Downton Abbey has ended? Never fear! She's starring in a quirky little dramedy in theaters now (though it won't lose anything going…
The Big Short
I'm behind on my Oscar nominees viewing, but I finally caught this one. I'd expected it to be more like Margin Call, but thankfully, though its subject matter is kind…
Hail, Caesar!
The Coen Brothers are prolific filmmakers, but for me their films are hit or miss. I loved No Country for Old Men, and Fargo was amazing. But then there are…
45 Years
Going into the Academy Awards, Charlotte Rampling had a very good chance of winning a Best Actress statue -- for a while. But her ill-conceived remarks about the diversity problems…
Oscar Nominees — Short Film [Live Action]
The Short Film category is where new filmmakers get to shine. Several of this year's directors show a lot of promise, both in terms of directing actors and in creating…
Oscar Nominees — Documentary [Feature]
I've seen all of the nominees this year, thanks to attending the AFI DOCS and Full Frame festivals and Netflix. If you're filling out your Oscar ballot, here are my…
Oscar Nominees — Animated Short Film
I always love seeing all the shorts before the Oscars. And I always lament that we don't get to see one of them before a feature, as we should. Sure,…