Archives for : Drama
“Solène, a 40-year-old single mom, begins an unexpected romance with 24-year-old Hayes Campbell, the lead singer of August Moon, the hottest boy band on the planet.”
I got a chance to speak with incredibly talented filmmaker, Michael Showalter about his new romantic comedy that digs deep and pulls at your heartstrings.
I highly recommend everyone watch “The Idea of You” when it streams on Prime Video on May 2, 2024.
This week I review the highly anticipated sequel to the action/adventure, “Dune: Part Two”. Did I like it more than the first movie? Watch my full review to find out.
“Dune: Part Two” is currently playing in theaters.
The Von Erich’s ruled the pro-wrestling community right here in DFW. A family united by a sport they loved but one that would ultimately cause their untimely deaths. “The Iron Claw” tells the true story of the Von Erich legacy. I was at the world premiere of the film in Dallas and spoke with star, Zac Efron, and other cast members about the movie.
“The Iron Claw” opens in theaters December 22.
Emerald Fennell won her first Oscar for the 2020 mystery, drama “Promising Young Woman”. Now she brings us another twisted story, this time about a lower-class outsider, desperate to fit in with his rich classmates. I had the opportunity to speak with Fennell about her new thriller, “Saltburn”.
“Saltburn” opens in theaters November 17.
“The story of Marie-Laure, a blind French teenager, and Werner, a German soldier, whose paths collide in occupied France as both try to survive the devastation of World War II.”
I got a chance to chat with the stars of ALL THE LIGHT WE CANNOT SEE, Aria Mia Loberti and Louis Hofmann to discuss the addicting min-series. We discussed their favorite part of playing their role, what brings them light during darkness, and more! It was an absolute pleasure speaking with them! Check out the full interview and the series!
“All the Light We Cannot See” is currently streaming on Netflix.
This week I review “Killers of the Flower Moon”. It’s Martin Scorsese’s newest Oscar contender starring Leonardo Di Caprio. Critics rave this is one to look out for this award season, but is worth the 3 and half hour runtime? Watch my video review below to find out!
“Killers of the Flower Moon” opens in theaters on October 20, 2023.
It disappoints me to say that not even the brilliant talents of Michelle Williams and Hong Chau help liven up the slow pace of the less than mildly entertaining new dramedy, “Showing Up”.
Directed/Co-written by Kelly Reichardt, the film follows Williams who plays Lizzy, an unfashionable sculptor who barely speaks and is desperately trying to finish her work that will soon be displayed at an art exhibition. She and her landlord/sort of friend, Jo (Chau) are both working on their art for separate shows.
When Lizzy does speak, it’s in a monotoned and dry voice. She’s bitter, whiny and unfriendly. The opposite of Jo. It seems the only thing that gets her a bit riled up is the fact that she has to repeatedly ask Jo to fix the hot water in her place. That is until the day that Jo finds an injured bird. Unexpectedly, the two of them begin to care of him. This is the first sign of compassion we see come from Lizzy. Though she acts very bitter towards Jo, when the birds fall into her care, she seems to be truly concerned for him. Continue reading
Rating: C-
“Showing Up” opens in theaters April 21, 2023.
This week in Feature Flix Susan discusses two films that are generating a lot of Oscar buzz. One of them is sure to get nominated in multiple categories and the other one might just take home the gold for Best Actor! Check out Susan’s thoughts on “Women Talking” and “The Whale” in this video.
I got a chance to speak with Director/Writer, Sarah Polley about the film. Listen to our full discuss in the link below!
“Women Talking” opens in theaters on December 23, 2022 and “The Whale” opens on December 9th.
We already knew that Steven Spielberg hadn’t lost his touch after his remarkable remake of “West Side Story”. But in his newest drama, “The Fabelmans”, he pulls from his own personal experience as he digs at the family roots that helped shape him into the iconic filmmaker.
If I am being completely honest, as a little kid, the only director I knew of was Spielberg. His films are such a huge part of my upbringing. I don’t think I even understood completely what a director did until I put a face to the creator of “E.T.” and “Jaws”. As we all know, he has an amazing resume of monumental films. So, to get a chance to peep into what started his craft and an insight into his family, is a true honor.
In “The Fabelmans”, we follow Sammy Fabelman (Gabriel LaBelle) from a young boy through college as he navigates family drama while chasing his dream of making movies. Without giving too much away, the biggest drama stems from Sammy’s mother, Mitzi (Michelle Williams). She’s naturally the more melodramatic member of the family. She’s an artist/pianist who encourages Sammy to embrace his creativity. Her children adore her free-spirited, performative behavior, while also admiring their father’s (Paul Dano) intelligence. They actually come off as the perfect family, until Sammy takes a closer look through his lens and sees flaws in his parents’ marriage. This and other trials and tribulations will prove to mold Sammy into a stronger man and help him find solace in his films.
The story is told through fantastic performances by the entire cast. The standout is LaBelle, who I expect we will be seeing plenty more of after such an authentic and vulnerable portrayal of the young director. And easily one of the best performances of the year, Williams as Mitzi. Your feelings about her may be conflicting at first, but by the end, she’s the one you won’t be able to stop thinking about. Such a layered character we have the pleasure of diving into. Mitzi is a loving, and at times erratic mother whose behavior is “unique”. However, she’s absolutely mesmerizing. Williams deserves an obvious nomination, if not a win for this role.
Now, I may sound like a broken record with this one negative, but the film could have been about 30 minutes shorter and been just as effective. However, the characters are engaging enough to distract you from the runtime.
“The Fabelmans” serves as an ode to the power of filmmaking. Movies have the ability to make people feel what you want them to, and through that you can ignite emotions of laughter, fear, joy, love, and so much more. Spielberg was gifting us with his movie-magic, while also using his art as a therapeutic escape. “The Fabelmans” is a rare gem for movie buffs and an enjoyable film for the whole family.
Rating: A-