Category: New Releases
Tread: Mayhem in a small town
by Matt Ward
Granby, Colorado feels like the sort of small town you’d find in every state across America. Industrious, hardworking, the kind of place where neighbors know all the scuttlebutt within a few hours and there’s hardly a stranger because everyone is on a first name basis. The fact that the events depicted in director Paul Solet’s gripping documentary “Tread” could plausibly happen in any small … Read More Tread: Mayhem in a small town
Radioactive: Experimentation in biopic film
by Matt Ward
It’s unclear exactly why an avant-garde, cinematic biopic of the adult life of famed scientist Marie Curie was needed, but such is the world of film in 2020. Opting not for the sidesplitting, yet emotional dramedy that powered 2016’s “Hidden Figures,” the demure albeit strange film “Radioactive” from director Marjane Satrapi presents Curie in a traditional light before mixing her journey to multiple Nobel … Read More Radioactive: Experimentation in biopic film
Palm Springs: Hot film at the right time
by Matt Ward
It’s often said that a movie can feel of the moment, that it came out at exactly the right place and time for audiences to identify with and feel heard. “Palm Springs,” a small romantic comedy that debuted at this year’s Sundance Film Festival when things were normal, has a very “of the moment” vibe that no one – not even first-time director Max … Read More Palm Springs: Hot film at the right time
Greyhound: Sailing in cinematic circles
by Matt Ward
Four months have passed since most audiences have traveled to their local cinema to catch a new release film. Ardent cinephiles have binged their way through the adventures of tiger kings, classic films, the latest miniseries to drop on streaming services and more in an endless quest for something new to watch. And as they continue to spend less and less on a cinematic … Read More Greyhound: Sailing in cinematic circles
Hamilton: The revolution has begun
by Matt Ward
This is how capturing live theater experiences needs to be done. Lin-Manuel Miranda’s game-changing, revolutionary stage musical “Hamilton” arrives in cinematic form with a pitch-perfect ability to harness a moment in American pop culture history and preserve it for the annals of time. Filmed in June 2016 at the Richard Rodgers Theatre, this nearly three-hour extravaganza is a compilation of several performances of the … Read More Hamilton: The revolution has begun
My Spy: Spy games gone bad
by Matt Ward
Promos for the new family action movie “My Spy” have been popping up on television and on social media for the better part of a year now. This isn’t because this flick starring that former pro wrestler from the “Guardians of the Galaxy” movies has been eagerly anticipated for so long, rather that multiple studios had little to no idea what to do with … Read More My Spy: Spy games gone bad
Artemis Fowl: A truly fractured fairy tale
by Matt Ward
There are two key components keeping the theatrical cinema system alive these days: film franchises and kids’ movies. It’s why almost every new feature aimed at a target audience is virtually guaranteed a sequel or reboot – Hello, “Sonic The Hedgehog” and “Mulan!” – within the first month of release. At the forefront of this trend for the better part of a decade is … Read More Artemis Fowl: A truly fractured fairy tale
Da 5 Bloods: Battle scars never fully heal
by Matt Ward
Four men – aging Vietnam vets laden with the scars of their service – return to the land that forged them in search of their fallen commander’s grave and the gold bullion that lies with it. For a filmmaker like Oliver Stone, this story would be a bombastic tale of frustration and anger boiling to the surface without much humanity under the surface. Director … Read More Da 5 Bloods: Battle scars never fully heal
The Half of It: Dig deeper into Netflix’s vault
by Matt Ward
Two out of every three Netflix Original films aren’t worth the price of admission. They’re the bargain bin, direct-to-DVD level fodder usually starring David Spade or that one girl who used to be on that one television show back in the day. You don’t remember her name, but it doesn’t really matter. With the coronavirus pandemic keeping movie theaters closed, it’s prime ground for … Read More The Half of It: Dig deeper into Netflix’s vault
Emma: Comedic matters of the heart
by Matt Ward
Smaller films – like independent features or period dramas – usually require word of mouth to jump start their box office success and get in front of as many eyes as possible. Autumn de Wilde made her feature directorial debut in February with a modest period comedy that was about to take off commercially after early critical success. Then the novel coronavirus pandemic forced … Read More Emma: Comedic matters of the heart
Extraction: Violence in the melodrama
by Matt Ward
Sam Hargrave’s directorial debut couldn’t have gone much better. The former stunt coordinator and second unit director landed Thor himself, Australian actor Chris Hemsworth to play the film’s lead with a script written by “Avengers: Endgame” co-director Joe Russo. Within its first month, over 90 million people have seen Hargrave’s “Extraction” and a sequel to the Netflix original action thriller has already been greenlit … Read More Extraction: Violence in the melodrama
Arkansas: One too many slashes
by Matt Ward
When actors make the transition from being in front of the camera to behind it in the director’s chair, the quality of their work can vary greatly depending on not just their talent in a new role on a film set. First time directors may lean on key assistants or department heads to help shape their vision or these actors may want to direct … Read More Arkansas: One too many slashes
Cinematic Considerations 