Some well-meaning films, no matter how big or small in scale or scope, have the undeniable power to reveal truths however biting they may be. Noted Bay Area-based writer-director Boots Riley’s (from the political hip-hop group known as “The Coup”) dark satirical comedy Sorry to Bother You is just such one of those unassuming and…
“How many roads must a man walk down, before you call him a man?” — Bob Dylan For many, playing a game of soccer on a Sunday afternoon is a pleasant way to spend time with friends before the next work week begins. For a group of undocumented workers living in the Sunset Park neighborhood…
Night Comes On is a powerfully told and emotionally intelligent feature debut from director Jordana Spiro. By focusing on creating a connection with their characters, Spiro and co-writer Angelica Nwandu infuse an otherwise typical story with not only originality, but also care and empathy. Night Comes On thus becomes neither a coming-of-age tale nor a…
If the “Mission Impossible” film series hadn’t solidified itself as one of the most thrilling action franchises to date, it surely has subscribed to the title after its latest installment, Mission: Impossible – Fallout. The sixth installment to the franchise tracks the return of the battle-tested and highly qualified IMF agent Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise,…
2036 Origin Unknown, an obvious and rather ridiculous ripoff of “2001: A Space Odyssey” is aggressively dumb, purporting to be more for fans of science than fans of fiction, but really disappointing fans of both. It’s a time-consuming cure for insomnia, is what it is. It’s the year 2036 (duh). Mankind has replaced most of…
Though the story has been told before (again recently in the New York Post of June 24th), seeing how three young lives were damaged in the name of scientific research turns the story from an interesting read into a visceral and ultimately heartbreaking experience. Tim Wardle’s (“One Killer Punch”) investigative documentary Three Identical Strangers traces…
Ignacio “Nacho” Vigalondo is such a breath of fresh air. He values creative concepts and playful storytelling over exhaustive explanations and trite plot turns. He is fully aware of the tropes he’s toying with and knows when to tweak them and by how much. He’s very good at engaging the audience and then recognizing that…
