Category: GENRE
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Get In (Aka Furie) [2020] ★★
Netflix’s french thriller “Get In” has an intriguing premise: when they return from a vacation, a family discovers that a couple is now occupying their house. They can’t come in, and, worst of all, the authorities won’t help them. This incident causes the family man (who happens to be a history teacher) to get in…
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The Half Of It [2020] ★★★
With “The Half of It”, Netflix may have finally dropped their finest coming-of-age movie yet. You heard me. Alice Wu directs this sweet and tender film about Ellie Chu (Leah Lewis, a revelation), a smart teen girl who writes essays for other students in exchange for cash (a piece of cake for her). Her most…
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Dangerous Lies [2020] ★½
“Generic” doesn’t even begin to describe “Dangerous Lies”, Netflix’s latest thriller that was clearly made by people who have never seen a thriller before. This film oozes 90’s B-movies, and that’s not necessarily a good thing in this case. Camilla Mendes (a Netflix regular) plays a caretaker for an old man. When he unexpectedly dies…
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Bad Education [2019] ★★★
This fact-based story starring Hugh Jackman like you’ve never seen him before is the perfect film to stream during confinement. Jackman transforms himself completely to play happy-go-lucky superintendent Frank Tassone, who, in 2002 became a prime suspect in an embezzlement scandal. The film , directed with a keen eye for detail by Cory Finley, focuses…
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Love Wedding Repeat [2020] ★½
I’m always on the lookout for the next Netflix comedy. Will it be worse than its predecessor? In the case of “Love Wedding Repeat”, the answer is yes. This is a disastrous film that has no redeeming qualities, except the fact that it was shot in Italy. If beautiful sceneries were enough, then this movie…
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After The Wedding [2019] ★★½
Quarantine life means two things: catching up on shows and movies that I missed in 2019. Case in point: “After The Wedding”, a well-made, albeit predictable drama that features a good cast. Michelle Williams plays a woman who has dedicated her life to helping orphaned children in Calcutta. One day, she receives a generous donation…
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The Way Back [2020] ★★½
Hate on Ben Affleck all you want, but the man can deliver some emotional performances at times. Case in point: “The Way Back”, a lowkey but effective drama about an everyday man trying to get his life back on track. Affleck’s Jack Cunningham is a mess when we first meet him, struggling with alcohol addiction…
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Onward [2020] ★★★
The folks at Disney/Pixar have done it again. As soon as their latest film opened, I felt at home. You could tell that a lot of effort has been put to bring this story to life, with clever staging, hilarious moments and spectacular action scenes. So what is “Onward” about? It’s basically several things at…
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The Invisible Man [2020] ★★★
Surprise. This remake of a remake of a remake is actually good. Who would have thought that the least hyped Universal monster movie of the modern era would turn out to be the best one yet? Certainly not me. But here’s the deal: “The Invisible Man” gets everything right, from a terrifying plot to pulse…
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Fantasy Island [2020] ★★
If you bought a ticket to Blumhouse’s “Fantasy Island”, you probably know exactly what you’re getting yourself into. As an avid fan of horror films, I can tell you straight away that this movie isn’t great, not by a long shot, but it has a few intriguing ideas, starting with the plot itself: 5 guests…
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Ordinary Love [2020] ★★★
I was reluctant to see this film when I first saw it playing in theaters this week. I didn’t think a movie about a couple dealing with cancer was something I needed to experience right now. But having heard all the good buzz, I finally caved in. This is a well-crafted drama that has all…
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Sonic The Hedgehog [2020] ★★½
Ok ok, I might be a little bit biased here, but this live-action version of one of the most influential video games of the 90’s is actually…fun? I know, I’m a bit surprised myself. But get this: as someone who grew up with the blue hedgehog (I pretty much owned every Sonic game on the…
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Birds Of Prey (And The Fantabulous Emancipation Of One Harley Quinn) [2020] ★★★
Doubters can relax: this is the Harley Quinn movie we’ve all been waiting for. 2016’s “Suicide Squad” briefly introduced us to this flamboyant character (at least on the big screen), but “Birds of Prey” moves things forward in ways you don’t always see coming. It’s a colorful, over-the-top and often hilarious film that rarely pulls…
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Uncut Gems [2019] ★★★½
To say that “Uncut Gems” is Adam Sandler’s best movie in years would truly be the understatement of the year. But here’s the thing: when he’s not being a goofball in lazy, recycled comedies, Sandler can act. For further proof, check him out in Paul Thomas Anderson’s underrated “Punch-Drunk Love” or in Judd Apatow’s “Funny…
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Little Women [2019] ★★★★
I didn’t think I’d care for another version of “Little Women”, but now that I’ve seen what writer-director Greta Gerwig has managed to achieve, I have to apologize. This is a beautiful film from start to finish, a staggering achievement from a filmmaker that doesn’t play by the rules. How can a story written by…
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Just Mercy [2019] ★★★
Jamie Foxx plays a man wrongfully convicted of a murder he did not commit. Michael B. Jordan is the lawyer who vowed to clear his name and get him out of death row. That’s “Just Mercy” in a nutshell, a straightforward but deeply touching film that you need to experience before it gets lost in…
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The Gentlemen [2020] ★★★
After “King Arthur” and last year’s “Aladdin”, Guy Ritchie finds himself revisiting old grounds in “The Gentlemen”. It’s not the director’s best work, but it has all the right ingredients to satisfy his loyal followers. A great ensemble cast? Check. An intriguing story? Check. Richie’s usual trademark? Double Check. In telling the story of how…
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Bad Boys For Life [2020] ★★½
It doesn’t reinvigorate the genre or take the franchise in completely different directions, but “Bad Boys For Life” has a pair of live wires that would make any action flick rise above the routine. I’m talking about Will Smith and Martin Lawrence, who are still just as entertaining to watch as they were 25 years…
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Like A Boss [2020] ★
This painfully unfunny comedy, courtesy of Miguel Arteta, is easily the worst film of the decade so far. Tiffany Haddish and Rose Byrne are wasted as Bffs who run a small, local cosmetics company. Enter Claire Luna (Salma Hayek, so bad), a giant in the industry who offers to cover their huge debts, as long…
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Richard Jewell [2019] ★★★
Simply put, “Richard Jewell” is director Clint Eastwood’s best film since 2016’s “Sully”. Yep, Eastwood, 89, is still out there making films that resonate with audiences in 2020. It’s a thing to admire, but I expect nothing less from the man who gave us “Gran Torino”, “Invictus”, “American Sniper” and “Sully” in the span of…
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