Month: September 2018
Life Itself: Worlds collide
by Matt Ward
There are elements of a good movie in “Life Itself,” a deeply thoughtful melodrama from Emmy-winning “This Is Us” creator Dan Fogelman. Slowly, painfully over the course of two hours, this is all stripped away as viewers are consistently ripped apart emotionally with jarring, contrived twists of fate. It’s all in service of Fogelman’s overarching premise, that life itself is the ultimate unreliable narrator … Read More Life Itself: Worlds collide
The Wife: Close delivers career-best work layer by layer
by Matt Ward
“Behind every great man…” It’s a phrase used all too often to describe an underappreciated woman, yet the first word also expressly implies her place. A critical examination of this concept — both in its positive and negative suggestions — forms the basis of the latest Glenn Close film, a slow burning relationship drama that packs in the tension below layers of context and … Read More The Wife: Close delivers career-best work layer by layer
The Children Act: Impact of a choice
by Matt Ward
Religion, morality and the law play a large role in “The Children Act,” a very exacting, almost clinical British courtroom drama. But it’s in the interpersonal relationships of the main characters where the film shines in spite of the otherwise stuffy, cold narrative. A collaboration between a group of producers including BBC Films and indie-heavyweight A24, “The Children Act” takes audiences on the other … Read More The Children Act: Impact of a choice
To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before: Bringing back the rom-com
by Matt Ward
Romantic comedies are making a comeback. Three decades after the now classic John Hughes movies and more than five years since “Silver Linings Playbook” was the last rom-com nominated for an Oscar, the genre is seeing a revival thanks to diversity in filmmaking and unlikely distributor support. Films like “Book Club,” “Love Simon” and “Crazy Rich Asians” have sprinkled into theaters in 2018, but … Read More To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before: Bringing back the rom-com
Operation Finale: Conventionally telling the unconventional
by Matt Ward
Spies executing covert missions on foreign soil to kidnap and extract prisoners is action thriller plot 101. “Operation Finale,” based on true accounts, opts to reflect on the emotional and mental tolls war, hatred and loss can inflict with the high-stakes machinations taking a relative backseat. L Director Chris Weitz’s latest feature is the smallest possible version of a film about a group of … Read More Operation Finale: Conventionally telling the unconventional
Cinematic Considerations 