Category: New Releases
WeWork: Myth of the unicorn
by Matt Ward
“If you tell a 30-something male that he’s Jesus Christ, he’s inclined to believe you.” – Scott Galloway, marketing professor at N.Y.U. An attractive, tall man stands in front of the camera, confident and charming in his demeanor yet fumbling over his words as he attempts to explain a “fundamental shift” in the real estate business. Quite suddenly, he lifts his leg and passes … Read More WeWork: Myth of the unicorn
Godzilla vs Kong: Monster movie fight
by Matt Ward
Large scale spectacle often serves as a primary reason moviegoers head to the theaters, whether it be epic battles between rival medieval armies or spies preventing world destruction or comic book heroes saving the universe. In hopes for a big screen surge, Warner Brothers has put its faith in another tried and true blockbuster genre – the monster movie – with a gigantic showdown … Read More Godzilla vs Kong: Monster movie fight
Another Round: To life’s freedoms and excesses
by Matt Ward
Danish teenagers play an unusual drinking game at the beginning of director Thomas Vinterberg’s new film. Teamed in pairs, they run around a large lake carrying a case of beer and must finish the entire load before they can cross the finish line, where adults cheer them on and police idly look on. It’s a familiar tradition in Denmark, a country whose laissez-faire attitudes … Read More Another Round: To life’s freedoms and excesses
Zack Snyder’s Justice League: Same ingredients, brand new dish
by Matt Ward
For years, Marvel Studios has dominated the blockbuster landscape with countless feature films debuting superheroes, building team-ups and raking in cash. Its natural comic book rival, DC Comics, has always been behind the curve, attempting to play catch up by fast-tracking their way through Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman films to get to Justice League, their answer to The Avengers, a Joss Whedon movie … Read More Zack Snyder’s Justice League: Same ingredients, brand new dish
I Care A Lot: The most legal of scams
by Matt Ward
Thousands of senior citizens from all walks of life across the country are currently under legal guardianship, a means by which elderly individuals incapacitated from being able to make health and financial decisions for themselves. In many situations, this is in the best interest of the individual, deemed a ward of the state and assigned a caretaker to assist with financial, medical and legal … Read More I Care A Lot: The most legal of scams
Minari: Struggling toward the American dream
by Matt Ward
There’s something simple, yet elegant about director Lee Isaac Chung’s latest feature, a semi-autobiographical tale base on his childhood growing up in America’s heartland. The story is ordinary – and the cinema understated in large part – but there’s an ethereal quality to his film that opens with a young boy running in an empty field of green and never truly stops flowing in … Read More Minari: Struggling toward the American dream
Nomadland: Perspectives from the road
by Matt Ward
Few casual moviegoers will find Chloé Zhao’s latest directorial effort to be their absolute favorite film of the year, but even fewer can reasonably argue that it may be among the very best. A haunting yet powerful portrait of a hidden life across the heartland, Nomadland finds some of the best of America wandering across the country in search of boundless freedom and of … Read More Nomadland: Perspectives from the road
The United States vs. Billie Holiday: Melody a bit off-key
by Matt Ward
Directorial control over the course of a film can make or break the quality of a feature film. A strong hand at the wheel may lead to an exact, yet artistic vision that pierces the audience’s soul or a subtle touch might shine the light on a specific actor or highlight the nuances of the screenplay. Poor direction – or worse yet, ineffective direction … Read More The United States vs. Billie Holiday: Melody a bit off-key
The Map of Tiny Perfect Things: Searching for an idyllic day
by Matt Ward
True, unabashed originality in filmmaking continues to be in shorter supply every year it feels like but ensuring that new twists on familiar premises is key to making a movie feel more like homage than shot-for-shot remake. In recent memory, the Groundhog Day effect has emerged more often – characters trapped in an endless time loop – and it feels impossible to live up … Read More The Map of Tiny Perfect Things: Searching for an idyllic day
Judas and the Black Messiah: Revolution in the streets
by Matt Ward
Chicago in the late 1960s was a boiling pot of water bubbling over with racial and political tension on a near daily basis, making it ripe territory for dramatic cinema. Aaron Sorkin took his pen to the task with the Oscar-contending Trial of the Chicago 7 on Netflix late last year and now a better, transcendent film will hit theaters and HBO Max on … Read More Judas and the Black Messiah: Revolution in the streets
Land: Beautiful emptiness out there
by Matt Ward
Grief and tragedy have long been an overarching theme of independent dramas, especially those that find their way across major film festivals in search of studio buyers. But they’re also a fantastic way for first-time directors to plant their flag in the sand as an emerging filmmaker or actors to announce their arrival as a behind-the-scenes star. Golden Globe-winning actress Robin Wright – who … Read More Land: Beautiful emptiness out there
Locked Down: Falling apart, forced together
by Matt Ward
The world-changing impact of the coronavirus pandemic has infiltrated every part of life from business closures to global politics to personal interactions. Cinema has been forced to retreat online in order to find its sheltering audiences and with it, the eventuality of films directly confronting our shared new way of life has finally materialized. Director Doug Liman – based on a script from Steven … Read More Locked Down: Falling apart, forced together
Cinematic Considerations 