21 September 2018. CHRIS THE SWISS ***1/2 This mix of black and white hand-drawn animation and documentary is a very personal search by Swiss director Anja Kofmel into the mysteries surrounding the death of her journalist cousin Christian Wurtemberg, who met his end in Croatia in the early 1990s. He had gone to report on […]
FILM: SEARCHING for a daughter completely from a computer screen and a smartphone
14 September 2018. SEARCHING ***1/2 You cannot get more today than this! In a format that I have never seen before, this film that comes to us completely from a computer screen and a smartphone, is innovative to say the least. And captivating, as it evolves from a portrait of a loving family into a […]
FILM: BLACKKLANSMAN – true story of a black police officer infiltrating the Ku Klux Klan
24 August 2018. BLACKKLANSMAN ***1/2 Spike Lee has been on the warpath against discrimination and the continued lack of true equality for his black brothers and sisters since the beginning of his career back in 1979. Rightfully so. His determination and talent have kept him on the radar all these years, with multi-awarded films such […]
FILM: WOMAN AT WAR – a heroic environmental terrorist – 4 stars
17 August 2018. WOMAN AT WAR **** (vo Icelandic) If you’re looking for a heroine, here is one in all her glory. Played by the excellent Halldora Geirhardsdottir, she is a real woman, a smart environmental terrorist, a choir leader on the side, and nimble as a gazelle…make that a reindeer. She’s a one-woman bow-and-arrow […]
FILM: MISSION IMPOSSIBLE – FALLOUT – Action as we’ve never seen
MISSION IMPOSSIBLE – FALLOUT ***1/2 For a complete turnabout, run to this movie and don’t ask why or how, just flow with the action! And glory be, this is action as we’ve never seen, even from the intrepid Tom Cruise, who is brilliant at performing his own dare-devil stunts and upping the thrills in each […]
FILM: THE CHILDREN ACT – Adult drama at its very best. 4 stars.
3 August 2018. THE CHILDREN ACT (My Lady) **** This film is an elegant, mature balancing act of sorts. One that will have you enthralled by its passionate reserve, a decidedly British trait, while it juggles moral questions and emotional issues. Public responsibility versus personal anguish. And Richard Eyre, the renowned English theater and TV […]
FILM: HOTEL ARTEMIS – Jody Foster deserves an Oscar nomination
27 July 2018. HOTEL ARTEMIS ***1/2 Jodie Foster deserves an Oscar nomination for her sad, tender portrayal of the woman who runs this peculiar hotel. It has been some time since we’ve seen her in such a meaty role and she does it justice, as she always has – ever since her turn as the […]
FILM: 3 FACES – wisdom from Iran
6 July 2018. 3 FACES **** (vo Farsi) The unending wisdom and gentleness of Jafar Panahi are once again here to delight us. The veteran Iranian director, who is supposedly still under house arrest and prohibited from making films, is back with another tale from a corner of his country. One can only wonder how […]
FILM: SICARIO 2 – day of the soldado
6 July 2018. SICARIO 2 (Day of the soldado) *** But if you’re looking for nerve-wracking tension and thrills, then this film about the Mexican drug cartels is for you. Both Benicio del Toro and Josh Brolin are back in their roles as U.S. agents dealing with cross-border drug problems. Their connections with the highest […]
FILM: BLUE NOTE RECORDS – BEYOND THE NOTES ****
29 June 2018. BLUE NOTE RECORDS – BEYOND THE NOTES **** If you love music, especially jazz, this is your documentary. I couldn’t say it better than the blurb for the film: “A revelatory, thrilling and emotional journey behind the scenes of Blue Note Records, the pioneering label that gave voice to some of the […]
