Category: 3/4
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Series Review: Hollywood [2020] ★★★
It’s not the best series you’ll ever see about Hollywood, but I can’t say I wasn’t entertained from start to finish either. Creator Ryan Murphy and his collaborators have crafted a lavish limited series about old Hollywood, which feels damn near irresistible. The time is post-World War II and a group of ambitious actors and…
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Dolemite Is My Name [2019] ★★★
Simply put, “Dolemite is my Name” is one of Netflix’s finest movies. It gives Eddie Murphy the role of a lifetime, playing Rudy Ray Moore, the underground comedian who rose to fame in the 1970’s and inspired a generation of artists. This is Murphy’s territory, and he lets it bleed, giving a comeback performance that impressed…
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The King [2019] ★★★
It’s not a classic in the making, but Netflix’s “The King” has an interesting history lesson to tell, and a great ensemble cast to bring it to life. I do not know how the real Henry V talked or acted, but I do know that Timothée Chalamet makes a believable young King, who was crowned…
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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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Jojo Rabbit [2019] ★★★
It doesn’t always hit all the right notes, but there’s something charming and irresistible about this World War II satire, courtesy of Taika Waititi. “Jojo Rabbit” is just as quirky as it sounds, as we follow Johannes “Jojo” Betzler, a 10-year-old German boy who also happens to be a die-hard Hitler fan. One day, he…
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The Farewell [2019] ★★★
I ended the year with a movie and I’m starting my 10th year on this blog with a review about it. “The Farewell”, written and directed by Lulu Wang and starring Awkwafina in a superior performance, is a film that you need to experience. In telling the story of how a Chinese woman living in…
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The Lighthouse [2019] ★★★
As someone who didn’t fully embrace Robert Eggers’ directorial debut “The Witch”, I thought his latest effort was a much superior exercise in psychological terror. “The Lighthouse”, co-written by Eggers and his brother Max and starring Willem Dafoe and Robert Pattinson as lighthouse keepers trying to maintain their sanity while living on a remote island,…
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The Two Popes [2019] ★★★
It’s the news that rocked the world back in 2013: Pope Benedict stepped down as the head of the Catholic church, leaving millions in doubt, before his successor Pope Francis emerged as an unlikely savior. And the rest, as they, is history. But what exactly went on behind closed curtains? This is where “The Two…
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Star Wars: The Rise Of Skywalker [2019] ★★★
It’s the epic conclusion we’ve all been waiting for. The “Star Wars” saga comes full circle in “The Rise of Skywalker”, a film many deemed “impossible” to make, following its controversial predecessor. Having enjoyed the new trilogy so far (yes, including “The Last Jedi”, and if this makes me part of a minority, then so…
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Judy [2019] ★★★
If you want to see Renee Zellweger transform herself completely to play an older Judy Garland, then this film is definitely for you. As someone who heard a lot about her sad demise, I was curious to know more about this legendary Hollywood actress/singer. And the movie does not disappoint. After an opening sequence that…
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Doctor Sleep [2019] ★★★
When asked about “Doctor Sleep”, Stephen King said that he wanted to “check up” on Dan Torrance, years after the events of “The Shining”. And indeed, this sequel set over 30 years after the first film gives Ewan McGregor the chance to shine (no pun intended) in a movie that tries to juggle a lot…
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Zombieland: Double Tap [2019] ★★★
Yes, it took a decade for director Ruben Fleischer to cook-up a sequel to his 2009 surprise hit. As a huge fan of the first film, this was damn worth the wait. But before that, and in true “Zombieland” fashion, let’s take a closer look at what the cast and crew had been up to…
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