Month: October 2016
Inferno: Hanks, Howard can’t bring the heat
by Matt Ward
It’s difficult to imagine a film called “Inferno” would be one to pull its punches. But aside from a few interesting moments early, Ron Howard’s adaptation of the Dan Brown novel by the same name goes out of its way to play it safe. This makes Tom Hanks’ third turn as expert symbologist Robert Langdon a largely flat, uninspiring jaunt around Europe on par … Read More Inferno: Hanks, Howard can’t bring the heat
Florence Foster Jenkins: Loving the un-pretty voices
by Matt Ward
Award season doesn’t hit for another several months, with major contenders typically not hitting theaters until mid-December. There’s usually one exception to this rule annually and in 2016, it comes in the form of Meryl Streep, an actress so synonymous with Academy Award nominations that her mere involvement in a feature vaults it to the top of prognosticators’ lists. Her latest film, the comedic … Read More Florence Foster Jenkins: Loving the un-pretty voices
The Birth Of A Nation: Personal conflict
by Matt Ward
It’s been nearly a week since I drove an hour away to see The Birth Of A Nation.
It was incredibly difficult for me to put my thoughts into words then while hammering away a few notes on my cell phone.
It’s incredibly difficult for me to write about this film now. And it shouldn’t have had to be.
The Accountant: Action, drama combine for largely successful thriller
by Matt Ward
There’s a scene early in Gavin O’Connor’s “The Accountant” where a young boy completes a complex 1,000-piece puzzle with the cardboard side up. It’s a scene meant to inform viewers how Christian Wolff (played in adult form by Academy Award winner Ben Affleck) handles his inherent duality as an exceptionally bright person who just so happens to have high-functioning autism. Instantly, it establishes the … Read More The Accountant: Action, drama combine for largely successful thriller
The Girl On The Train: Hell on wheels
by Matt Ward
Best selling books don’t usually translate all that well onto the big screen in major motion picture adaptations. It’s why the ones that work – like “Fight Club,” “The Godfather,” “The Wizard of Oz” and more – are widely heralded. Book to film is an inexact science, one that requires a deft hand at the director’s chair and especially in the screenplay adaptation. “The … Read More The Girl On The Train: Hell on wheels
Deepwater Horizon: Heroes amid disaster
by Matt Ward
You’ll probably leave the theater a little upset and pretty angry. That doesn’t mean audiences shouldn’t flock to the theater in droves to see “Deepwater Horizon,” the based-on-a-true-story disaster film from “Lone Survivor” director Peter Berg and star Mark Wahlberg. The new film follows veteran driller Mike Williams (Wahlberg) and assorted crew members of the offshore oil drilling unit Deepwater Horizon as they prepare … Read More Deepwater Horizon: Heroes amid disaster
Cinematic Considerations 