Category: Oscar Contenders
The Rise of Skywalker: No real end to never-ending saga
by Matt Ward
Millions upon millions of dollars have been poured into a series of Flash Gordon-esque movies about the unseen “Force” around us for the better part of a half-century. Many millions more have been poured into the bank accounts of Disney execs by casual and ardent fans of the acclaimed “Star Wars” franchise that reached its summation this weekend with director JJ Abrams’ second turn … Read More The Rise of Skywalker: No real end to never-ending saga
Marriage Story: Finding the beginning in the end
by Matt Ward
We’ve been told there’s two sides to every story. Often it feels as if it’s as simple as the truth and then anything other than the truth. But what happens when both sides of the story are true but conflict, or worse yet, outright contradict one another? Writer/director Noah Baumbach explores this complex duality through the structure of a fractured relationship in his latest … Read More Marriage Story: Finding the beginning in the end
A Beautiful Day In The Neighborhood: The measure of a man
by Matt Ward
What is the impact that one person can have on another? How is that one life can intensely, irreversibly be altered by coming into contact with someone? It’s a common theme in modern cinema, but rarely told as simply and unapologetically in a PG-rated film as director Marielle Heller’s latest film. “A Beautiful Day In The Neighborhood” is not a biopic. It’s a wonderfully … Read More A Beautiful Day In The Neighborhood: The measure of a man
The Irishman: Legacy of a cinematic Don
by Matt Ward
At the end of the day, what’s it all about? It’s a question that continuously lingers under the surface of celebrated auteur Martin Scorsese’s latest feature, a melancholy retrospective that acts almost like a career summation filled with riddles of bullets and dynamically vulgar dialogue. For the premier filmmaker in the gangster genre, Scorsese’s “The Irishman” definitively closes the book on how crime dramas … Read More The Irishman: Legacy of a cinematic Don
Jojo Rabbit: A funny thing about Adolf Hitler
by Matt Ward
Comedy is the ultimate playground for escapism, for letting the worries and cares of daily life fade away in order to decompress and unwind. The best comedies, though, usually have unexpectedly a little bit more to say on their minds than first glance might suggest. There’s a hysterical new comedy hitting theaters this fall that combines a stellar, side-splitting screenplay and award-worthy performances. It’s … Read More Jojo Rabbit: A funny thing about Adolf Hitler
Parasite: South Korean masterpiece one of decade’s best films
by Matt Ward
Spoiler alert: The best film of 2019 doesn’t star Leonardo DiCaprio and isn’t directed by Martin Scorsese. Average American audiences probably haven’t heard of filmmaker Bong Joon Ho or his frequent collaborator Kang-ho Song, but their latest feature together is the best South Korean film of all time and a top five movie of the last decade by any measure. “Parasite,” a haunting and … Read More Parasite: South Korean masterpiece one of decade’s best films
Dolemite Is My Name: Return of a comedy legend
by Matt Ward
From the moment he begins a verbal diatribe that drowns out Marvin Gaye, it’s apparent that Eddie Murphy has a special passion for his latest role. It’s evident in the way he carries himself, in the timbre of his voice and the cadence with which he recite lyrical tongue-twisters with effortless repetition. Murphy melts into his homage to one of his mentors and heroes, … Read More Dolemite Is My Name: Return of a comedy legend
Judy: There’s only one true Garland
by Matt Ward
When the term “Oscar bait” gets thrown around in film criticism, it’s usually in reference to a film like “Judy.” Typically a movie with one central performance based on true events featuring showy, clip-worthy monologues destined for an awards season reel, “Oscar bait” is a film cliché used to describe movies that wouldn’t exist if studios couldn’t buy their way to winning accolades. The … Read More Judy: There’s only one true Garland
Joker: Origins of psychosis and villainy
by Matt Ward
It can be said that there’s no true originality left in cinema. Everything seems pulled from pieces of movie history, homages or outright rip-offs of films gone by. Audacious and transgressive, Todd Phillips’ “Joker” is clearly influenced by the work of cinematic legend Martin Scorsese, particularly his 1976 classic “Taxi Driver” and the 1983 cult of celebrity dramedy “The King of Comedy.” It also … Read More Joker: Origins of psychosis and villainy
Ad Astra: Hello darkness, my old friend
by Matt Ward
In space, no one can feel your pain. At least, that’s the conceit of the latest space odyssey to hit the big screen, writer/director James Gray’s “Ad Astra.” Melancholy and malaise abound in a slow-burning film ripe with wistful soliloquies delivered as a character-informing score for Gray’s expressionless short story drawn out over two hours. Brad Pitt stars as Roy McBride, an astronaut tasked … Read More Ad Astra: Hello darkness, my old friend
Hustlers: Economics of the stripper pole
by Matt Ward
Sometimes a good movie is all about the performance, not the content. Once adrift on an endless cycle of middling romantic comedies and voice-over work, Jennifer Lopez delivers her best work in more than two decades as a stripper looking to swindle rich men at any cost. “Hustlers” provides the talented former Golden Globe nominee her most challenging role in years and is the … Read More Hustlers: Economics of the stripper pole
American Factory: The price of globalization
by Matt Ward
There have been a number of exceptional documentaries released in 2019 covering a range of political, historical and pop culture topics. Perhaps none sits quite on the threshold of where the United States stands currently in an everchanging global economy than the latest Netflix release, “American Factory.” A top non-fiction film and award winner to come out of this year’s Sundance Film Festival, this … Read More American Factory: The price of globalization
Cinematic Considerations 