RocknRolla

RocknRolla; Has all the elements of a Guy Ritchie film that is enjoyable. Quick dialogue, kooky cast of characters, banging soundtrack, kinetic action and lots of laughs. Only seems to suffer from an emotionally unmemorable story arc and a thankless female lead role; B-

My Winnipeg

My Winnipeg; Completely bizarro way to reflect upon and explore one’s hometown and life story. Indescribable, but in the right way. Fascinatingly offbeat, experimental and personal. Definitely not for all audiences or tastes, but strangely compelling; B

Luca

Luca; A literal fish out of water story with a lot of charm and sweetness. Pixar’s dedication to all the details makes this a vibrant piece of storytelling with likeable characters. Though not quite upper echelon Pixar, Luca is a quality addition to the Pixar library; A-

Do the Right Thing

Do the Right Thing; Powerful, prescient, and anything but perfunctory about the past. Performances are full of fire, while the filmmaking is bursting with style. Every single frame forces us towards the final events, confronting our friends and community; A

In the Heights

In the Heights; Impressive kinetic spectacle of Miranda’s passion play bursts alive through Chu’s visual canvas. Outstanding choreography and musical numbers featuring fabulous performances from sure to be bona fide movie stars and Latine legends. Infectious and delightful; A

Owning Mahowny

Owning Mahowny; Fascinating true story played w/laser focused brilliance by Philip Seymour Hoffman. The tightening spiral of addiction plays out as tension ramps up. The increasing allure of the tables is palpable as his life falls apart from the secrets he keeps; Engrossing; A-

Away From Her

Away From Her; An intimate portrait of a couple’s reckoning w/dementia. Assured storytelling focuses on relationships more than the disease, built by delicate, nuanced performances. Casts a bright light on the fog that clouds a lifetime of memories & its harsh implications; A-

Bo Burnham: Inside

Bo Burnham: Inside; A soul baring, one man, tour de force encapsulates our past year in a way that’s so deeply personal, it voices the universal truth of our times. Profoundly hilarious, darkly revealing, fascinatingly honest. We’re fortunate to have him reflect on our society; A

Angel Heart

Angel Heart; An overstuffed turkey of a film done w/enough skill to lean more towards cult or camp, rather than unwatchable territory. De Niro relishes his kooky role while Rourke mugs his way through it, steamrolling excellent character acting and Bonet’s compelling debut; C