Tag: Joel Edgerton
Loving: Implied intimacy
by Matt Ward
Richard and Mildred Loving’s inspirational tale of overcoming the odds to keep their love alive was bound for cinema. The couple living in rural Virginia during the 1950s made waves with their arrests violating then-Virginia law against interracial relationships and later with Loving v. Virginia, the 1967 U.S. Supreme Court decision invalidating laws banning interracial marriage nationwide. In “Loving,” writer/director Jeff Nichols opts to … Read More Loving: Implied intimacy
Jane Got a Gun: Embattled western uneven, but rewarding
by Matt Ward
Jane Got a Gun, a new western starring Natalie Portman and Joel Edgerton, never really stood a chance – at least not to get a fair share of the audiences cramming into theaters to see things like Ride Along 2, The Boy, The Forest and The Finest Hours. Originally slated to come out almost a year and a half ago, this slow-burn thriller has … Read More Jane Got a Gun: Embattled western uneven, but rewarding
Black Mass: Depp, Edgerton shine in ensemble gangster flick
by Matt Ward
Johnny Depp is different things to different people. He’s borderline flamboyant, swashbuckling pirate Johnny Depp to many filmgoers; undercover teen cop Johnny Depp to an older generation and an enigmatic Mad Hatter Johnny Depp to a much younger subsect of audiences. There’s no mistaking that the charming when he wants to be, brooding when he needs to be and enigmatic always Johnny Depp feels … Read More Black Mass: Depp, Edgerton shine in ensemble gangster flick
The Gift: Writer/director/actor Edgerton astounds in thriller
by Matt Ward
Meryl Streep isn’t in “The Gift.” Twenty years ago, the smart independent thriller from writer/producer/star Joel Edgerton would have been something right up Streep’s alley, but just because the performers don’t have top level name recognition doesn’t mean that the relative upstart film isn’t without its merits. In fact, Australian triple-threat Edgerton provides one of 2015’s most inventive and original films on par with … Read More The Gift: Writer/director/actor Edgerton astounds in thriller
Exodus Gods and Kings: Bibically-inspired epic takes left field turn
by Matt Ward
Biblically-inspired 3D epic film doesn’t really sound like a very appealing genre, especially after Russell Crowe’s dud “Noah” released to much derision earlier this year. There’s a lot of unevenness to Ridley Scott’s latest feature, “Exodus: Gods and Kings,” which re-imagines the Biblical story of Moses as action-adventure fodder. Oscar-winner Christian Bale picks up sword not staff to play Moses, a highly conflicted character … Read More Exodus Gods and Kings: Bibically-inspired epic takes left field turn
Cinematic Considerations 