Hot Frosty review — Seasonal fantasy wins by a carrot nose

December 7, 2024 flawintheiris

Directed by Jerry Ciccoritti | Written by Russell Hainline | 92 min | ▲▲▲△ △ | Netflix It's a bit of a mystery how it happened, but this Christmas romcom has become something of a hit. Everyone's talking about Hot Frosty, even me. Every year these Christmas movies are pumped out, quickie productions shot in…Read More

The Return review — Fiennes and Binoche elevate Homeric adaptation

December 5, 2024 flawintheiris

Directed by Uberto Pasolini | Written by Pasolini, Edward Bond, and John Collee, based on Homer's epic poem The Odyssey | 116 min | ▲▲▲△△ This is a loose adaptation of the final segment of The Odyssey. The film tells the part of the story where Odysseus (Ralph Fiennes) finally arrives in Ithaca, Greece after…Read More

The Best Christmas Pageant Ever review — Faith-based charmer brings seasonal cheer

December 2, 2024 flawintheiris

Directed by Dallas Jenkins | Written by Platte F. Clark, Darin McDaniel, and Ryan Swanson, based on a novel by Barbara Robinson | 99 min | ▲▲▲▲△ | Crave As someone who tends to avoid seasonal fare before December, I'm now leaning in to new Christmas movies. I'd seen no marketing around this one, but noticed…Read More

Maria review — Jolie impresses, but the aria misses a few notes

December 2, 2024 flawintheiris

Directed by Pablo Larraín | Written by Steven Knight | 124 min | ▲▲▲△△ One of the most famous women of the 21st Century plays one of the most famous of the 20th. You can see why Angelina Jolie would choose the role, to be Maria Callas. Anyone can see their parallel relationships with the…Read More

A Real Pain review — Facing generational trauma (with a little laughter)

November 24, 2024 flawintheiris

Written and Directed by Jesse Eisenberg | 90 min | ▲▲▲▲△ I look at Jesse Eisenberg and I think of his work in movies like The Social Network, Adventureland, and the creative casting of Lex Luthor in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. Along the way he's become a filmmaker, and A Real Pain is…Read More

Scala!!! review — An ode to world’s wildest independent cinema

November 24, 2024 flawintheiris

Written and Directed by Ali Catterall and Jane Giles, based on the book by Giles, Scala Cinema 1978-1993 | 96 min | ▲▲▲▲△ | On Blu-Ray (from Severin Films) The full title of this terrific documentary is Scala!!! or, The Incredibly Strange Rise and Fall of the World's Wildest Cinema and How It Influenced a Mixed-up…Read More

Wicked: Part 1 review — Too sweet and too long, but thoughtful

November 23, 2024 flawintheiris

Directed by Jon M Chu | Written by Winnie Holzman and Dana Fox, based on the musical by Stephen Schwartz and the novel by Gregory Maguire | 160 min | ▲▲▲△△ | Amazon Prime I don't think it's outrageous to say that 2021 was a peak year for the movie musical. The highest point for…Read More

Gladiator II review — We are entertained, but this movie doesn’t echo in eternity

November 22, 2024 flawintheiris

Directed by Ridley Scott | Written by David Scarpa and Peter Craig | 148 min | ▲▲▲△△ I was never a part of Gladiator's rabid cult. I recognized it as an unexpectedly popular throwback entertainment, swords and sandals at a time when neither were cool, but to anoint it with five Oscars in 2000, including…Read More

Allen Sunshine review — Warm first feature from Harley Chamandy

November 19, 2024 flawintheiris

Written and Directed by Harley Chamandy | 76 min | ▲▲▲△△ | Digital and VOD Montreal raised, New York-based director Harley Chamandy is receiving the 2024 Werner Herzog Film Prize for this feature, chosen by the German filmmaking legend himself. The award recognizes young directors, and Chamandy was in his early 20s when he made…Read More

Widow Clicquot review — Champagne drama goes flat

November 17, 2024 flawintheiris

Directed by Thomas Napper | Written by Erin Dignam and Christopher Monger, from a book by Tilar J. Mazzeo | ▲▲△△△ | Netflix At first it's hard to say why this picture is a dud, given the talent arrayed in front of the camera and even behind, and the cinematography is lovely. The themes are…Read More