Category: New Releases
Patriots Day: Extraordinary acts of heroism
by Matt Ward
It’s been less than four years since two radicals planted homemade bombs near the finish line at the 2013 Boston Marathon, and already, filmmakers are racing to dramatize one of the most senseless acts of violence in our nation’s history. The first of two films on the subject slated to come out in 2017, Peter Berg’s “Patriots Day” is a flag-waving, symbolic memorial to … Read More Patriots Day: Extraordinary acts of heroism
Moonlight: Golden Globe winner a wonderfully affecting drama
by Matt Ward
Three hours in, it seemed pretty safe to assume Barry Jenkins’ subtle and powerful independent character drama would go home empty handed Sunday. Things changed drastically, though, when “Moonlight” ended the night with the Hollywood Foreign Press Association’s biggest prize: the Golden Globe for Best Motion Picture – Drama. “Moonlight” was an unexpected winner after coming up just short in Best Supporting Actor (Mahershala … Read More Moonlight: Golden Globe winner a wonderfully affecting drama
La La Land: City of stars
by Matt Ward
Believe the hype. Unless you’ve been hiding under the proverbial rock, chances are you’ve seen the trailer for Damien Chazelle’s musical love letter to Los Angeles, the Academy Award frontrunner “La La Land” starring Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone. This modern take on vintage Hollywood storytelling leaps off the screen and pulls viewers in for a classy, adventurous ride about struggling artists falling in … Read More La La Land: City of stars
2016: A Cinematic Year In Review
by Matt Ward
It’s been a tough year. Just saying the word “2016” induces cringes from a vast majority of people, offering up painful thoughts of a highly divisive political campaign that may or may not have gone your way to general malaise about the state of the world to the seemingly endless rash of celebrity deaths that robbed us of talent far too soon. In the … Read More 2016: A Cinematic Year In Review
Fences: It’s all about the acting
by Matt Ward
Broadway doesn’t usually translate to the silver screen all that well. Oscar winner Denzel Washington’s film adaptation of August Wilson’s Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award winning play “Fences” might just be the truest, most authentic stage to screen transformation in cinematic history. “Fences” might not be the year’s best movie, nor a game changer in Hollywood for years to come. However for nearly two-and-a-half … Read More Fences: It’s all about the acting
Rogue One: Star Wars like no other
by Matt Ward
There’s a reason “Rogue One,” the latest in the world’s most popular film franchises, is tagged as “A Star Wars Story” rather than given an episode number like every other movie in the George Lucas series. Like its vigilante, independent title might suggest, “Rogue One” stands alone from all seven previous “Star Wars” films in nearly every way, from plot to characters to cinematography. … Read More Rogue One: Star Wars like no other
Nocturnal Animals: Creatures of the night
by Matt Ward
Chances are there will never be another movie quite like “Nocturnal Animals.” Fashion designer turned director Tom Ford’s second film makes bold statement after bold statement cinematically on its way to being one of the year’s best movies – and certainly its most controversial. Before any of the feature’s four main stars – Amy Adams, Jake Gyllenhaal, Michael Shannon or Aaron Taylor-Johnson – even … Read More Nocturnal Animals: Creatures of the night
Allied: The spy who loved he
by Matt Ward
Love isn’t easy for the average Joe. It mus be massively complicated for spies living on the edge during the heyday of World War II Europe, or at least Robert Zemeckis is banking on audiences believing it. His latest film, “Allied,” stars Brad Pitt and Marion Cotillard as veteran assassins who fall in love during their first mission together killing a German ambassador. After … Read More Allied: The spy who loved he
Rules Don’t Apply: Beatty leads Howard Hughes fiction
by Matt Ward
Nostalgia is a pretty powerful thing in modern moviemaking. More than ever, films try to remind us about the good old days of cinema, whether it’s CGI sharks terrorizing Blake Lively in the “Jaws” homage “The Shallows” or any one of a dozen Disney live-action remakes of classic cartoon movies or even “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” which turns into a carbon copy of … Read More Rules Don’t Apply: Beatty leads Howard Hughes fiction
Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them: The magic is back
by Matt Ward
The wizarding world of Harry Potter takes an adventurous left turn in the prequel spinoff franchise “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them,” the first in a series of films based on the J.K Rowling novel of the same name. You won’t find Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson or any of the other stars of the eight “Harry Potter” movies within “Fantastic Beasts,” which is … Read More Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them: The magic is back
Arrival: Can you hear me now?
by Matt Ward
There’s something beautifully simple about the complexity of “Arrival,” Denis Villeneuve’s captivatingly science fiction drama. While the film’s premise feels cookie-cutter cliché, “Arrival” asks more rhetorical questions than it ultimately answers and should serve as a conversation starter about understanding instead of fearing our allies, enemies and the unknown in trying political and social times. Villeneuve’s third major feature film is the perfect counterbalance … Read More Arrival: Can you hear me now?
Hacksaw Ridge: What it means to serve
by Matt Ward
Unwavering heroism amidst the ravages of war is explored in Mel Gibson’s latest directorial effort “Hacksaw Ridge,” sure to be one of the year’s ten best feature films. Gibson expertly combines gruesome World War II era violence akin to Steven Spielberg’s classic “Saving Private Ryan” with dramatic underpinnings of faith, family and love for your fellow man that one might expect in a traditional … Read More Hacksaw Ridge: What it means to serve
Cinematic Considerations 