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Reviews October 9, 2024 'A Different Man' Review It’s a haunting and unsettling piece of cinema that, despite its flaws, leaves a lasting impression. October 4, 2024 'The Outrun' Review Repetitive and labored are the traits most commonly found on the road to sobriety, although the authentic notion of translating them to the screen doesn’t favor the viewer. October 1, 2024 'Joker: Folie à Deux' Review A movie filled with so much contempt for its fans that you wonder why it even bothered to please them in the first place. September 26, 2024 'Wolfs' Review It’s fun in the present and harnesses the power of movie stars in a time when that magic has steadily faded. September 25, 2024 'The Wild Robot' Review The film will captivate younger viewers and leave older ones reflecting on the delicate balance between the human (and mechanical) and natural worlds. September 17, 2024 TIFF24 Dispatch #4 Anora, Megalopolis, Oh, Canada, The Substance September 16, 2024 TIFF24 Dispatch #3 April, On Swift Horses, Relay, The Fire Inside September 15, 2024 TIFF24 Dispatch #2 Bird, Harbin, The Assessment, The Order September 15, 2024 'The Piano Lesson' Review It’s a gratifying film for anyone interested in the interplay of history, art, and identity September 14, 2024 TIFF24 Dispatch #1 Better Man, Hard Truths, I'm Still Here, The Return Prev Page 1 2 3 4 5 1 ... 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 ... 35 Next Page

Review October 9, 2024 'A Different Man' Review It’s a haunting and unsettling piece of cinema that, despite its flaws, leaves a lasting impression. Read More List October 11, 2024 TCFF24 Preview Now celebrating its 15th year, the Twin Cities Film Fest provides that central space of celebration for cinephiles within the state of Minnesota Read More Essay September 30, 2024 Tyler's Takes: 'When Harry Met Sally' is the Perfect Rom-Com For over 30 years, it has been hailed as perfect and, in my opinion, considered the quintessential romantic comedy. Read More 2024 Oscar Predictions 1 Blitz 2 Anora 3 Emilia Pérez 4 The Brutalist 5 Conclave 6 Dune: Part Two 7 Sing Sing 8 A Complete Unknown 9 Nickel Boys 10 Gladiator II Best Picture movie review website film review website movie news coverage movie blog movie website Reviews 'A Different Man' Review It’s a haunting and unsettling piece of cinema that, despite its flaws, leaves a lasting impression. SHOP 'The Outrun' Review Repetitive and labored are the traits most commonly found on the road to sobriety, although the authentic notion of translating them to the screen doesn’t favor the viewer. SHOP 'Joker: Folie à Deux' Review A movie filled with so much contempt for its fans that you wonder why it even bothered to please them in the first place. SHOP 'Wolfs' Review It’s fun in the present and harnesses the power of movie stars in a time when that magic has steadily faded. SHOP 'The Wild Robot' Review The film will captivate younger viewers and leave older ones reflecting on the delicate balance between the human (and mechanical) and natural worlds. SHOP Lists TCFF24 Preview Now celebrating its 15th year, the Twin Cities Film Fest provides that central space of celebration for cinephiles within the state of Minnesota SHOP TIFF24: Tyler's Time at the Festival If good things lasted forever, they wouldn’t be as precious. SHOP TIFF24 Recap There’s nothing like having a cinematic buffet such as this, and the experience of gorging is unbeatable. SHOP TIFF24 Preview This year's lineup might the be the best one yet SHOP Ranking the Films of James Cameron As he turns 70 years old today, it’s time to look back at the audacious filmography of Big Jim. SHOP Essays & Awards Tyler's Takes: 'When Harry Met Sally' is the Perfect Rom-Com For over 30 years, it has been hailed as perfect and, in my opinion, considered the quintessential romantic comedy. SHOP Awards Update: Fall Festival Winners & Losers Reactions pour in, standing ovations are timed, and prizes are bestowed upon a select few. SHOP Tyler's Takes: How 'Coraline' Possessed 2009 Its legacy continues to influence the world of animation, making it a true masterpiece in stop-motion SHOP Awards Update: Final Pre-Festival Predictions The runners have taken their positions on the starting block. SHOP Decoding the Fall Festival Lineups We’re a lot closer to realizing which pieces the studios are prioritizing. SHOP

'A Different Man' Review October 9, 2024 By: Tyler Banark A24’s latest black comedy, A Different Man, is an intriguing psychological drama that takes viewers on a thought-provoking journey through themes of identity, transformation, and obsession, with Sebastian Stan, Renate Reinsve, and Adam Pearson leading the way. Directed by Aaron Schimberg, the film follows the story of Edward (Stan), a man grappling with his appearance and sense of self after undergoing facial reconstructive surgery. He then becomes fixated on an actor (Pearson) portraying him in a stage play based on his life, setting the stage for a tense exploration of how outward changes can impact one’s internal world. At its heart, A Different Man is about the fragility of identity and the fact that everyone should know any one thing doesn’t define their worth. Edward’s surgery is intended to offer him a fresh start, a way to shed the physical features that have made him feel ostracized and alienated. However, instead of finding peace or comfort in his new appearance, he spirals into a dangerous obsession. This core premise taps into something universally human—the desire to be seen and accepted and how external perceptions shape our sense of who we are. Yet, the film twists that premise into something unsettling, as Edward’s fixation on the actor blurs the lines between admiration, envy, and self-loathing. Stan delivers a layered performance by portraying a character who undergoes not just a physical transformation but an emotional and psychological unraveling. His ability to convey Edward's internal turmoil without falling into melodramatic traps is commendable. Much of Stan’s performance relies on subtle facial expressions and body language, especially given the fact that Edward, post-surgery, is someone who is literally and figuratively hiding behind a new face. His restraint in portraying Edward’s growing obsession feels measured and controlled, making it all the more unsettling to watch his character descend into a darker state of mind. Supporting Stan are Reinsve and Pearson. While the former is minor to the plot, her role adds a layer of emotional complexity to the film. Much like her breakout role in 2021’s The Worst Person in the World , Reinsve’s character is drawn into Edward’s world, and her interactions with him reflect his internal struggles. There’s an awkwardness and tension in their exchanges as she, too, becomes entangled in the surreal situation. The chemistry between the actors is notable, though the film is less interested in romantic entanglements and more focused on the psychological dynamics at play. Then there’s Pearson, who has neurofibromatosis, playing both Oswald and a version of Edward’s former self in the play. This duality is fascinating, as it forces Edward to confront his physical past and the psychological baggage that comes with it. Pearson’s performance is captivating in its own right—he adds a rawness and authenticity that grounds the film’s more surreal elements. Visually, A Different Man creates an unsettling, almost claustrophobic atmosphere. The strange cinematography is critical in this as it uses shadows, muted colors, zooms, and close-up shots to evoke a sense of unease. The film is not overtly a horror film, but it borrows many elements from the genre, particularly in how it builds tension and atmosphere. The way Edward is often framed—isolated, detached from his surroundings—reflects his emotional and psychological state. The more he ponders why Oswald isn’t shunned by society because of his appearance, the more he becomes the monster he thinks people thought of him pre-surgery. The film’s pacing, however, may prove divisive for viewers. Schimberg deliberately takes his time unraveling the plot, and the film’s slow-burn approach can either work as a meditative exploration of identity or feel too sluggish for those looking for more immediate thrills. While the slow pacing helps to build a sense of dread and inevitability, it also means that certain plot points feel stretched or repetitive. Furthermore, the film raises many intriguing questions about identity, self-perception, and the nature of obsession, but it doesn’t always provide satisfying answers. There is a deliberate ambiguity in how Schimberg handles the themes, which some may appreciate as a way to leave the film open to interpretation. However, the lack of a clear resolution may be a missed opportunity for others. A Different Man excels at creating a world that feels almost dreamlike in its disorientation. The blend of psychological drama with subtle horror elements allows the film to hover in a unique space, even if it doesn’t fully commit to one genre. The film’s use of the stage play as a central device is also practical, as it mirrors Edward’s internal journey. Watching someone else portray him on stage becomes a metaphor for the way Edward is distanced from his own identity. Schimberg’s previous work often centers around characters on the fringes of society, and A Different Man continues that trend by offering a protagonist who feels out of place in his own skin. Edward’s journey is one of isolation and alienation, and the film’s depiction of his struggle to reclaim his sense of self is haunting and poignant. A provocative look at identity and worth, A Different Man sees Sebastian Stan at his best while Adam Pearson gives a statement performance that should resonate in today's industry loudly. While it does ponder a bit and makes the audience question its intentions, it never ceases to commit to its goal. Schimberg’s direction shows a clear vision, even if the film doesn’t always reach its full potential. It’s a haunting and unsettling piece of cinema that, despite its flaws, leaves a lasting impression. You can follow Tyler and hear more of his thoughts on Twitter , Instagram , and Letterboxd . Must Read 'A Different Man' Review It’s a haunting and unsettling piece of cinema that, despite its flaws, leaves a lasting impression. SHOP 'The Outrun' Review Repetitive and labored are the traits most commonly found on the road to sobriety, although the authentic notion of translating them to the screen doesn’t favor the viewer. SHOP 'Joker: Folie à Deux' Review A movie filled with so much contempt for its fans that you wonder why it even bothered to please them in the first place. SHOP 'Wolfs' Review It’s fun in the present and harnesses the power of movie stars in a time when that magic has steadily faded. SHOP 'The Wild Robot' Review The film will captivate younger viewers and leave older ones reflecting on the delicate balance between the human (and mechanical) and natural worlds. SHOP

Lists September 23, 2024 TIFF24: Tyler's Time at the Festival If good things lasted forever, they wouldn’t be as precious. September 21, 2024 TIFF24 Recap There’s nothing like having a cinematic buffet such as this, and the experience of gorging is unbeatable. September 1, 2024 TIFF24 Preview This year's lineup might the be the best one yet August 16, 2024 Ranking the Films of James Cameron As he turns 70 years old today, it’s time to look back at the audacious filmography of Big Jim. July 1, 2024 The Top 10 Films of 2024 (So Far) I’d like to take a moment and be thankful for the best that cinema has had to offer us in this initial half. June 11, 2024 Top 10 Pixar Films Here’s a look at ten of the most exemplary movies Pixar has made in its three decades of existence. May 19, 2024 Ranking the Mad Max Franchise Here’s a look back on the previous four entries in this ever-changing franchise. May 7, 2024 Ranking the Planet of the Apes Franchise Now is the best time to look back and rank all nine films in this primal franchise once and for all. April 17, 2024 Ranking the Films of Adam McKay In honor of his 56th birthday, here’s a look back at the filmmaker’s work and how his evolution has made an impression on Hollywood. April 11, 2024 MSPIFF43 Preview Over 200 films from around the world will be screened at The Main cinema during the two-week-long event Prev Page 1 2 3 4 5 1 ... 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 ... 7 Next Page

'The Outrun' Review October 4, 2024 By: Hunter Friesen You’re midway through your standard musician biopic. The lead singer, who was doing so well for themselves, has now been introduced to drugs. “I just need to take the edge off,” they say repeatedly, all while their friends and family plead for them to return to how they used to be. They crash out, literally and figuratively, lying in a puddle of their stench and failure. But that low valley eventually leads them to the highest mountain, with sobriety presenting an opportunity to return to their roots and refind their passion for life. Chances are that it didn’t take much mental strain for you to think of at least a half dozen films that fit that exact description. It’s not hard when the path has been trekked so often that there’s nothing left to admire about it. Now, let’s take that 15-30 minute sequence from all those movies and laboriously stretch it out to 120 minutes. By doing that, you’ve created The Outrun , an addiction drama in which I could have used a couple of drinks to help numb the boredom. Granted, there is a ceiling to how much a biography can be railed for being formulaic, as they all retell the events in a person’s life, something I have no right as an (uninformed) viewer to criticize as fact or fiction. Who am I to tell someone that their personal journey doesn't ring true, or isn’t unique enough to be worth adaptation? The novel that The Outrun bases itself on serves as a memoir for author Amy Liptrot, tracing her alcohol-fueled days in London to her rehabilitation back in her native Scotland. Liptrot, Daisy Lewis, and director Nora Fingscheidt adapt the story for the screen, crafting a nonlinear structure that leverages the grip that the past will always have on Liptrot’s stand-in, Rona (Saoirse Ronan). Weeks into her recovery period, she will face a sudden and almost unquenchable urge to drink, coupled with a flashback to the allure that alcohol had in her boozier days. Those crashes of the past and present serve as the biggest flourishes within Fingscheidt’s directorial arsenal, although the past never illuminates more than the simple fact that Rona was a volatile alcoholic who alienated her friends and family. It’s all a bit generic, from the early party days when everything was great, to the later years when she’s stumbling down the street and everyone pleads with her to get help. Ronan dives headfirst into the material in the same way as someone like Gena Rowlands, grabbing the screen with their magnetic presence and never letting go for a second. She is the pulse that keeps this heart beating, albeit quite slowly for most of the runtime. One would have hoped that a stronger story would have supported her, as her performance, however strong it is, leaves little impression when compared to her previous work and the work of her genre contemporaries. Repetitive and labored are the traits most commonly found on the road to sobriety, although the authentic notion of translating them to the screen doesn’t favor the viewer. An addiction drama will be born, people will halfheartedly care about it, the performance will gain awards attention, and the world will move on. It’s the circle of life, and we’re just living in between stages of it. Must Read 'The Outrun' Review Repetitive and labored are the traits most commonly found on the road to sobriety, although the authentic notion of translating them to the screen doesn’t favor the viewer. SHOP 'Joker: Folie à Deux' Review A movie filled with so much contempt for its fans that you wonder why it even bothered to please them in the first place. SHOP 'Wolfs' Review It’s fun in the present and harnesses the power of movie stars in a time when that magic has steadily faded. SHOP 'The Wild Robot' Review The film will captivate younger viewers and leave older ones reflecting on the delicate balance between the human (and mechanical) and natural worlds. SHOP TIFF24 Dispatch #4 Anora, Megalopolis, Oh, Canada, The Substance SHOP

Awards September 28, 2024 Awards Update: Fall Festival Winners & Losers Reactions pour in, standing ovations are timed, and prizes are bestowed upon a select few. August 26, 2024 Awards Update: Final Pre-Festival Predictions The runners have taken their positions on the starting block. July 26, 2024 Decoding the Fall Festival Lineups We’re a lot closer to realizing which pieces the studios are prioritizing. Oscar Predictions ​ Last Updated: 09/28/2024 Next Update: 10/26/2024 1 Blitz 2 Anora 3 Emilia Pérez 4 The Brutalist 5 Conclave 6 Dune: Part Two 7 Sing Sing 8 A Complete Unknown 9 Nickel Boys 10 Gladiator II Best Picture 1 Steve McQueen (Blitz) 2 Brady Corbet (The Brutalist) 3 Jacques Audiard (Emilia Perez) 4 Sean Baker (Anora) 5 Denis Villeneuve (Dune: Part Two) Best Director 1 Anora 2 Blitz 3 The Brutalist 4 A Real Pain 5 Saturday Night Best Original Screenplay 1 Sing Sing 2 Conclave 3 Nickel Boys 4 A Complete Unknown 5 Dune: Part Two Best Adapted Screenplay 1 Timothée Chalamet (A Complete Unknown) 2 Adrien Brody (The Brutalist) 3 Ralph Fiennes (Conclave) 4 Colman Domingo (Sing Sing) 5 Daniel Craig (Queer) Best Lead Actor 1 Angelina Jolie (Maria) 2 Karla Sofía Gascón (Emilia Perez) 3 Saoirse Ronan (The Outrun) 4 Mikey Madison (Anora) 5 Marianne Jean-Baptiste (Hard Truths) Best Lead Actress 1 Clarence Maclin (Sing Sing) 2 Guy Pearce (The Brutalist) 3 Kieran Culkin (A Real Pain) 4 Denzel Washington (Gladiator II) 5 Jeremy Strong (The Apprentice) Best Supporting Actor 1 Danielle Deadwyler (The Piano Lesson) 2 Zoe Saldaña (Emilia Perez) 3 Saoirse Ronan (Blitz) 4 Felicity Jones (The Brutalist 5 Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor (Nickel Boys) Best Supporting Actress 1 The Brutalist 2 Dune: Part Two 3 Blitz 4 Joker: Folie à Deux 5 Maria Best Cinematography 1 Blitz 2 Conclave 3 Anora 4 Emilia Pérez 5 Sing Sing Best Film Editing 1 The Brutalist 2 Conclave 3 Dune: Part Two 4 Sing Sing 5 Challengers Best Original Score 1 TBA 2 TBA 3 TBA 4 TBA 5 TBA Best Original Song 1 Blitz 2 Dune: Part Two 3 Emilia Pérez 4 Gladiator II 5 Twisters Best Sound 1 Blitz 2 Dune: Part Two 3 Gladiator II 4 Wicked 5 The Brutalist Best Production Design 1 Dune: Part Two 2 Wicked 3 Blitz 4 Maria 5 Gladiator II Best Costume Design 1 Dune: Part Two 2 Beetlejuice Beetlejuice 3 Maria 4 A Complete Unknown 5 Nosferatu Best Makeup & Hairstyling 1 Dune: Part Two 2 Gladiator II 3 Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes 4 Blitz 5 Twisters Best Visual Effects 1 The Wild Robot 2 Inside Out 2 3 Flow 4 Memoir of a Snail 5 Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl Best Animated Feature 1 Emilia Pérez (France) 2 The Seed of the Sacred Fig (Germany) 3 I'm Still Here (Brazil) 4 Universal Language (Canada) 5 The Girl with the Needle (Denmark) Best International Feature 1 No Other Land 2 Daughters 3 Sugarcane 4 Apocalypse in the Tropics 5 Black Box Diaries Best Documentary Feature 1 Blitz (10) 2 Dune: Part Two (10) 3 The Brutalist (9) 4 Emilia Pérez (7) 5 Sing Sing (6) 6 Gladiator II (6) 7 Anora (5) 8 Conclave (5) 9 A Complete Unknown (4) 10 Maria (4) Nomination Leaders

'Bad Boys: Ride or Die' Review June 4, 2024 By: Hunter Friesen It may seem like another lifetime ago, but we’re only four years removed from the third entry in the now long-running Bad Boys series, Bad Boys for Life , being the highest-grossing movie at the domestic box office. Of course, that year happened to be 2020, so more than a few asterisks should be applied to that record, especially since 1917 and Jumanji: The Next Level were not that far behind in the rankings. But the film’s lucky-as-hell January release date is not the only credit it should be given, as Michael Bay replacements, Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah, made the smart choice of dumping out the racist jokes and nihilism for coherent storytelling and bearable action. In other words, they actually made this franchise fun to watch. So where does your sequel go when the previous entry had the benefit of being able to shake everything up? Not much of anywhere it turns out, as Ride or Die pretty much peddles more of the same from the Bad Boys for Life . That’s not a bad thing considering the very real alternate reality we could have lived in where Bay kept digging this franchise into the ground, à la his Transformers pentalogy. We’ve been here and done this before, so there’s not much use in getting all worked up. The attempt at uniqueness in this fourth entry comes from our main character’s ages. The thoughts of mortality are starting to creep into the psyches of Mike Lowrey (Will Smith) and Marcus Burnett (Martin Lawrence), as the now AARP-qualified detectives are slowly being physically and mentally edged out of the game. Bad Boys for Life may have toyed with these ideas through obvious Gen-Z mockery in the form of the up-and-coming AMMO squad (all of them returning for this sequel), but this entry is where the pedal really hits the medal. For starters, Mike is transforming from a boy to a man by marrying Christine (Melanie Liburd), with Marcus suffering cardiac arrest on their wedding dancefloor. A new lease on life puts some perspective on Marcus, almost adopting a new zen-like “go with the flow” identity. There’s also Mike’s son Armando (Jacob Scipio) still in prison after the events of the last movie. He gets brought back into the fold once the deceased Captain Howard is framed for corruption by some no-good goons that he can identify. Even though Michael Bay is out of the director’s chair, this is still a Jerry Bruckheimer production, which means the plot will be generic and the action will go boom. The bad guys may be hiding in plain sight to our characters, but we as the audience can spot them from a mile away, especially when they make vague speeches about rectifying the past and doing stuff for the greater good of the country ( Hot Fuzz just keeps getting more relevant by the day). All that really matters is that their faces and demeanor make it super satisfying when they get punched, or, in this case, shot in the head. The carnage is quite high and gruesome, with limbs and skulls splitting from bullets and throats getting slashed on multiple occasions. Adil and Billal still keep everything flowing with jittering energy, almost like a kid hopped up on candy, a craving Marcus struggles to control after his operation. A drone camera becomes the director’s best friend during the firefights, ducking and dodging through smoke and a hail of bullets. A first-person POV is sometimes employed, with the camera swapping bodies at a moment’s notice. The giddiness of the production doesn’t always match the tone of the story. I can only take a scene where a bad guy forces someone to commit suicide so seriously when it’s immediately followed by a Fast & Furious montage of the finest bikinis in Miami. Smith and Lawrence do better with the balance, both of them never showing a single hint of losing a step after inhabiting these roles for almost three decades. The film grinds to a halt on several occasions for them to just stand around and bicker, but their unmatched chemistry makes it all tolerable. The script may start hinting at the end of the road for these characters, but everyone involved still has enough left in the tank for a few more rounds. Must Read 'Wolfs' Review It’s fun in the present and harnesses the power of movie stars in a time when that magic has steadily faded. SHOP 'The Wild Robot' Review The film will captivate younger viewers and leave older ones reflecting on the delicate balance between the human (and mechanical) and natural worlds. SHOP TIFF24 Dispatch #4 Anora, Megalopolis, Oh, Canada, The Substance SHOP TIFF24 Dispatch #3 April, On Swift Horses, Relay, The Fire Inside SHOP TIFF24 Dispatch #2 Bird, Harbin, The Assessment, The Order SHOP

The Best Hollywood Screenwriters of All-Time January 5, 2023 By: Hunter Friesen Happy National Screenwriters Day! Observed annually on January 5th, this day honors the often unnoticed and under-appreciated task force behind all those thrilling, adventurous, romantic TV or movie masterpieces. To show my appreciation for the people that build movies from nothing and make them into something special, I’ve compiled a list of some of the best screenwriters in cinematic history. This list will only look at writers who are not directors, so people like Paul Thomas Anderson, Woody Allen, or Spike Lee will not be featured. Some of the writers listed have directed films, but for the most part, they are not known for it, and mainly stick to writing scripts. And before you type in the comments about the omission of Charlie Kaufman or Aaron Sorkin, I have not included them because they have shown their intention to direct their own scripts for the foreseeable future. Plus, they’re probably featured on numerous other lists, so I’d like to give spots to other people that are less known. I will also not list anyone who is a frequent writing partner with a director, such as I.A.L Diamond or Charles Brackett, as the majority of their work was with Billy Wilder. So, without further ado, let’s dive into this list featuring some of the biggest wordsmiths of the cinematic art form. Robert Towne Widely regarded as the greatest script doctor in Hollywood history, Robert Towne’s fingerprints are on several of the best films of all time, whether you know it or not. Francis Ford Coppola thanked Towne during his Oscar acceptance speech for his uncredited assistance on The Godfather , and he kicked off the New Hollywood movement with his (also uncredited) work on Bonnie and Clyde . Towne did receive formal recognition in the form of an Oscar nomination for The Last Detail , and a win for Chinatown the following year. He would direct a few of his screenplays to vary success, with Tequila Sunrise and Without Limits being warmly regarded. And he would become Tom Cruise’s go-to writer for a few years, lending his pen to Days of Thunder, The Firm , and the first two installments of the Mission: Impossible franchise. Eric Roth As the recipient of six Oscar nominations for Best Adapted Screenplay, including a win for Forrest Gump , Eric Roth towers over all in modern Hollywood when turning preexisting material into cinematic classics. He’s often been trusted by top directors to bring their biggest projects into the light: Michael Mann ( The Insider, Ali ), Steven Spielberg ( Munich ), David Fincher ( The Curious Case of Benjamin Button ), Bradley Cooper ( A Star Is Born ), Denis Villeneuve ( Dune ). He’s adding Martin Scorsese to that venerable list with the upcoming Killers of the Flower Moon , so a second Oscar may be on the horizon. Paddy Chayefsky At three wins from four nominations, Chayefsky is tied with Woody Allen and Billy Wilder as the most-winning screenwriter in Oscar history. His winning percentage is even more impressive when you factor in that it took Allen 16 nominations and Wilder 12 nominations to reach that win total. Chayefsky initially started in television in the 1950s with director Sidney Lumet, a partnership that would reach its apex with the scathing satire in 1976’s Network . Director Delbert Mann was another figure that Chayefsky frequently worked with during his television days, and they each picked up Oscars for their work in 1955’s Marty , which would also be awarded the prize for Best Motion Picture. Leigh Brackett Brackett was a trailblazer in Hollywood, repeatedly destroying the misconception that women could only write “feminine” dramas. She had no problem working across several genres, from 1940s noir ( The Big Sleep ), westerns ( Rio Bravo ), to 1970s new crime ( The Long Goodbye ). Even for all her genre-hopping, she always called science fiction her home. She would mentor Fahrenheit 451 author Ray Bradbury, and be personally hired by George Lucas to write the script for Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back . Unfortunately, she wasn’t able to see her work on that film come to fruition, as she passed away in 1978 just after she handed in her script. But her work still lives on and remains an inspiration for anyone that wants to push boundaries. Steven Zaillian Along with Eric Roth, Zaillian is usually the first person studios call when they need someone to adapt existing material. He received an Oscar nomination for his second screenplay, 1990’s Awakenings . That was only the first of many large dominoes, as he won the Oscar for Schindler’s List , and would be nominated again for Gangs of New York, Moneyball , and The Irishman . Like Robert Towne, he’s also a go-to script doctor for many top directors. He’s done uncredited rewrites and polishes on films such as Crimson Tide, Patriot Games, Amistad, Saving Private Ryan, Black Hawk Down , and Road to Perdition . William Goldman As the author behind several best-selling books on the art of screenplay writing, it’s easy to see why Goldman is seen as one of the greatest writers ever. His critics would claim that he wrote for the director’s vision, and not for his own original ideas. But that would always be his biggest strength, as he could adapt to any genre between westerns ( Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid ), political thrillers ( All the President’s Men ), and nerve-wracking crime dramas ( Marathon Man ). He would eventually become the most sought-after adapter of Stephen King’s work, with Misery, Hearts in Atlantis , and Dreamcatcher . And to top it all off, he even adapted his own novel, The Princess Bride , for the screen. John Logan Don’t let Logan’s directorial debut failure with They/Them last year fool you into thinking he isn’t one of the most lauded screenwriters working today. Whether he’s working with Martin Scorsese ( The Aviator, Hugo ), Ridley Scott ( Gladiator, Alien: Covenant ), or Sam Mendes ( Skyfall, Spectre ), Logan loves to work in pairs with leading auteurs. He’s also dabbled in animation ( Rango ), musicals ( Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street ), Shakespeare ( Coriolanus ), and even television ( Penny Dreadful ). Robert Bolt Between his works with David Lean on Lawrence of Arabia, Doctor Zhivago , and Ryan’s Daughter, there probably isn’t anyone who writes bigger than Robert Bolt. His first notice would come before all that when he wrote the play A Man for All Seasons in 1954. He would adapt it for the screen himself, winning another Oscar just one year after he won for Doctor Zhivago . 1986’s The Mission , starring Robert De Niro and Jeremy Irons, would be his next, and final, brush with awards success, with the film winning the Palme d’Or at the 1986 Cannes Film Festival along with several Oscar nominations. Ernest Lehman The only thing consistent about Ernest Lehman’s output is the excellence of its quality. One of his first scripts would be the 1954 romantic-comedy Sabrina for Billy Wilder. He would jump over to mystery thrillers with Northwest by Northwest for Alfred Hitchcock. Then came a brief settlement into musicals, as he adapted both the Best Picture-winning West Side Story and The Sound of Music from the stage to the screen. Another slight pivot came in the form of Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? , and finally ending with a return to Hitchcock for 1979’s Family Plot . Must Read 'Wolfs' Review It’s fun in the present and harnesses the power of movie stars in a time when that magic has steadily faded. SHOP 'The Wild Robot' Review The film will captivate younger viewers and leave older ones reflecting on the delicate balance between the human (and mechanical) and natural worlds. SHOP TIFF24 Dispatch #4 Anora, Megalopolis, Oh, Canada, The Substance SHOP TIFF24 Dispatch #3 April, On Swift Horses, Relay, The Fire Inside SHOP TIFF24 Dispatch #2 Bird, Harbin, The Assessment, The Order SHOP

'Saltburn' Review November 17, 2023 By: Hunter Friesen Writer/director Emerald Fennell has wasted no time cashing in her blank check to make Saltburn , a feature-length Calvin Klein ad that slots nicely in the recent "eat the rich" movie trend (see Triangle of Sadness , Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery , and The Menu just last year). Fennell somehow molds all three of those features into one product, creating something that loves to push your buttons and make you squirm just as much as it wants you to laugh out loud. Sometimes you don’t whether to laugh or look away, making this one of the most outlandishly memorable films of the year, both for good and bad reasons. Fennell shifts her sophomore feature away from the American setting of Promising Young Woman to her native England, specifically the most British place there is: Oxford University. The freshman class of 2006 has descended upon the campus and the class divides have already been set. Oliver Quick (Barry Keoghan) finds himself on the lonely side of the have-nots, while people like Felix Catton (Jacob Elordi) and Farleigh Start (Archie Madekwe) sit atop their ivory towers. The silver spoon kids aren’t necessarily assholes, but there is an aura of “you and I are not equals” that permeates from them. Oliver desperately wants to be part of that clique, and, luckily for him, he gets a foot in the door through Felix, who seemingly takes him under his wing out of pity. Elordi and Keoghan look as if they’re ready to remake the Schwarzenegger/DeVito starring Twins in these opening sections. Keoghan is only a little more sociable than his homicidal character in Yorgos Lanthimos’ The Killing of a Sacred Deer , but he’s just as carnivorous as he lusts after Felix’s body and lifestyle. It’s hard to blame him when someone like Elordi is standing right in front of you, a golden child who knows he can turn the whole room when he walks in. It’s no wonder why Sofia Coppola cast him as Elvis Presley in this year’s Priscilla . Felix’s ultimate gesture of kindness is inviting Oliver to his family’s sprawling estate, Saltburn, for the summer. There he meets the rest of the Catton aristocracy: aloof father James (Ricard E. Grant), caustic mother Elspeth (Rosamund Pike), and uncontrollable sister Venetia (Alison Oliver). Everything about the house is so sumptuous as it seemingly exists in a plane outside of mortal existence. “Time to Pretend” and “Mr. Brightside” rock the soundtrack as Oliver and the group play tennis in suits/dresses, swim in the private lake, and host parties where the minimum guest list is 200 names. For Oliver, it’s going to be impossible to go back to a regular life once he’s had a taste of the next level. Both he and Fennell ask: Do these nobles deserve the life they have, especially if all they had to do to earn it was be born? The comparisons to The Talented Mr. Ripley are aplenty, but I doubt even the misanthropic callousness of Patricia Highsmith would dare to try and reach the levels of provocation that Fennell instills within her answers. Most of it feels like substance, but some of it feels like it's here just for shock value. That’s not necessarily a bad thing as there are deeds done that you must see to believe. Let’s just say vampirism, bathtubs, and grave plots will have a whole new context when you walk out. Fennell also gets dangerously close to overplaying her hand the further down the rabbit hole she takes us. Things do get a little too outlandish for believability, undermining much of the intricately layered suspense built up over the last few hours. Keoghan, along with Linus Sandgren’s gorgeous 1.33:1 cinematography, paves over many of those faults. Their work in the final sequence makes it one of the best of the year as the knife gets twisted one final time for good measure. Saltburn ’s brain might not always equal its bite, but there’s so much self-assured showmanship that I was glad to get lost in this maze. Between being an Academy Award winner and displaying a strong disinterest in subtly, it’s hard to pin down exactly where Fennell will be pointing her darkly sharp pen and camera next. That’s just the way I want it to stay, as there’s always room for someone to push boundaries by going for broke with each step up to the plate. Must Read 'Wolfs' Review It’s fun in the present and harnesses the power of movie stars in a time when that magic has steadily faded. SHOP 'The Wild Robot' Review The film will captivate younger viewers and leave older ones reflecting on the delicate balance between the human (and mechanical) and natural worlds. SHOP TIFF24 Dispatch #4 Anora, Megalopolis, Oh, Canada, The Substance SHOP TIFF24 Dispatch #3 April, On Swift Horses, Relay, The Fire Inside SHOP TIFF24 Dispatch #2 Bird, Harbin, The Assessment, The Order SHOP

'Black Panther: Wakanda Forever' Review November 9, 2022 By: Hunter Friesen To paraphrase James Cromwell’s Captain Dudley Smith from L.A. Confidential : “I wouldn't trade places with Ryan Coogler for all the whiskey in Ireland.” Just on a purely basic level, the bar for the sequel to the box office smash / Oscar-winning / pop culture phenomenon that was Black Panther was almost insurmountable. Add in the untimely death of lead star Chadwick Boseman and the overall decline in reception to the preceding bunch of Phase Four, and you’ve got yourself a recipe for an anxiety attack. To Coogler’s credit, he makes a valiant effort to craft something unique out of his unfortunate situation. It’s just that his efforts didn’t turn into results, with Black Panther: Wakanda Forever feeling more like MCU entry #30 rather than a distinct work by a talented filmmaker. Just as Boseman is tragically gone from this world, so is King T’Challa from the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The film opens with Shuri (Letitia Wright) unsuccessfully attempting to cure her brother of an unknown illness. She blames herself for his death, leaving her unable to properly grieve the loss. With Wakanda stripped of its chief protector, the superpowers of the world see an opportunity to seize their coveted vibranium resources, leading to hostile relations for Queen Ramonda (Angela Bassett) to deal with. But, as it turns out, vibranium is not solely located within Wakanda. It’s also found near the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean thanks to a detector built by MIT student and overall wunderkind Riri Williams (Dominique Thorne). Unbeknownst to all, the underwater civilization of Talokan, led by the ankle-winged (an objectively silly concept) Namor, has observed the surface world for centuries and treats their underwater vibranium excursions as the straw that breaks the camel’s back. Namor wishes for Wakanda to join him on his crusade, but his request is swiftly denied. Knowing that the Wakandan forces are the only ones powerful enough to stop him, he wages war on the briefly vulnerable kingdom. The premise of Wakanda Forever is awfully by-the-numbers, especially when compared to its ever-interesting predecessor. The complex arguments from Michael B. Jordan’s Killmonger have been replaced by surface-level (pun intended) anecdotes about how “humans are bad” by Namor, who falls far down the MCU villain power rankings. It also doesn’t help that his motives and the design of his underwater kingdom look and sound scarily similar to 2018’s Aquaman , which actually performed better on a technical level. Of course, James Cameron will probably have the last laugh with Avatar: The Way of Water next month. The blandness that Namor suffers from can also be found in Riri, aka Ironheart. Along with America Chavez from this year’s Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness and Kate Bishop from Hawkeye , Riri fills the role of the “young protege who needs to be saved by the current hero so that she can take their place.” Florence Pugh’s Yelena remains the cream of that crop, with Riri being adequate, yet entirely forgettable. Still, there are many things that Coogler does within Wakanda Forever that give it just enough personality. One of those things is the emotional heft he conveys through T’Challa’s passing, with the talented cast more than up to the challenge. Wright effortlessly takes on a leading role in this story, and Bassett brings her signature gravitas to every bit of dialogue. Barring the final battle, which, like the first Black Panther , looks shockingly poor, and some off-putting uses of slow motion, the action set pieces are thrilling. Danai Gurira as Okoye remains a venerable badass, wielding her spear with fury. Her introduction out of the shadows is one of the countless beautiful shots. Even with all its shortcomings, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever closes out a beleaguered Phase Four as one of its best entries thanks to its emotional honesty and quality action. Except those commendable attributes are in service to a lacking plot and an (at this point, expectedly) uninteresting villain. This return to the land of Wakanda was a welcome one, but it could have been so much more fruitful. Must Read 'Wolfs' Review It’s fun in the present and harnesses the power of movie stars in a time when that magic has steadily faded. SHOP 'The Wild Robot' Review The film will captivate younger viewers and leave older ones reflecting on the delicate balance between the human (and mechanical) and natural worlds. SHOP TIFF24 Dispatch #4 Anora, Megalopolis, Oh, Canada, The Substance SHOP TIFF24 Dispatch #3 April, On Swift Horses, Relay, The Fire Inside SHOP TIFF24 Dispatch #2 Bird, Harbin, The Assessment, The Order SHOP

'West Side Story' Review December 11, 2021 By: Hunter Friesen Leave it to Steven Spielberg to make his first outing into the musical genre one that completely crushes the competition. Like The Mad Titan Thanos, Spielberg has seemingly made it his mission to collect the stones of nearly every genre known to cinema. Throughout his nearly fifty-year feature film career, he’s already conquered monster movies ( Jaws ), science-fiction ( E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial ), adventure ( Indiana Jones ), war ( Saving Private Ryan ), and biopics ( Schindler’s List & Lincoln ). But before he takes on the Avengers-level threat of Netflix and other streaming services in the fight for the theatrical experience, Spielberg needs to claim the last stone that has eluded him: musicals. And after all these years (including a worldwide pandemic), The King of Entertainment can finally stake his claim with his remake of West Side Story . Spielberg and screenwriter Tony Kushner have made it clear that this West Side Story is not a remake of the 1961 film, which won ten Academy Awards, including Best Motion Picture. Rather, this is a new adaptation of the 1957 stage musical. Many might be confused as to why Spielberg felt the need to readapt such a timeless piece of entertainment, especially with the 1961 film being heralded as one of the great screen musicals. The answer to that argument can be broken down into three parts. First, Spielberg may be humble, but like all great directors, he has a bit of hubris and isn’t afraid to remake sacred material, as he’s already done with 2005’s War of the Worlds . Second, Spielberg has cited the musical as a foundational piece of his childhood, so much so that it was one of his key inspirations for becoming a director. And third, while the 1961 version may be a monumental feat, it is far from perfect. Arthur Laurents, who wrote the original Broadway production's book, spoke to the New York Times in 2008 about his feelings towards the film version, which he thought was very flawed due to “bogus accents, bogus dialect, bogus costumes.” Laurents’ argument against the costumes may be puzzling, but he’s right on target with how the film whitewashed much of the characters. Spielberg’s West Side Story looks to right the wrongs of the past, as nearly all of his Puerto Rican characters are played by Puerto Rican or Hispanic performers. And to do this, Spielberg hasn’t committed the sin of nearly every modern musical adaptation where big movie stars are cast instead of the performers who brought the characters to life on the stage. Apart from Ansel Elgort (who, while still being the film’s wet blanket, is not as bad as one would expect), all of the cast members come from some sort of theater background. Ariana DeBose, who played a featured part in Hamilton both off and on Broadway, takes over the role of Anita with a fiery passion. Playing her overprotective partner Bernardo is David Alvarez, one of the original Billys in Billy Elliot . Mike Faist, who originated the role of Connor Murphy in Dear Evan Hansen , harnesses a special jittery vulnerability as Riff. And then emerging as the star of this troupe is newcomer Rachel Zegler as María. The world may have already gotten a glimpse of Zegler’s singing talent through her YouTube channel, but this is a true showcase of what she has to offer. Since production wrapped in September 2019, Spielberg has claimed Zegler as the greatest María he’s witnessed. At the time, it sounded like the usual praise a director would heap on his own film. But now that the court of public opinion gets its say, it seems he was telling the truth. With so many stars in the making, Spielberg is able to harmonize the past and the present, making the remake feel like a Golden Age musical made with modern craftsmanship. Spielberg and his longtime cinematographer Janusz Kaminski keep the same desaturated, high-contrast look that they have maintained for nearly three decades. The camera swoons and cranes in extended takes, capturing the incredibly choreographed dance numbers conceived by famed ballet dancer and director Justin Peck. The “America” (which has been taken down to the streets instead of the rooftop) and “I Feel Pretty” set pieces contain some of Spielberg’s greatest directorial work, with Leonard Bernstein’s music and Stephen Sondheim’s lyrics proving once again why they have inspired so many. But all the technicals and performances mean nothing if the story doesn’t match their excellence. Thankfully, screenwriter Tony Kushner has taken the original material and given it a new life. For the most part, this is still the same Romeo and Juliet story of star-crossed lovers caught in a war between rival gangs. But then, every once in a while, something unexpected will happen, taking things in a different direction. The narrative about the immigrant experience has been made more profound, with the Spanish dialogue - accounting for nearly one-third of the total spoken lines - going unsubtitled in a move that Spielberg and Kushner described as an effort to respect the language. And the character of Doc has been reimagined as Valentina, allowing Rita Moreno (the 1961 Anita) to ground the film with a heartbreaking final number. All of these revisions don’t come off as gimmicks needed to justify the film’s existence, just different (and better) ways to tell a classic tale. With The Great Musical War of 2021 coming to a close, Steven Spielberg has emerged as the predictable winner. Perfectly melding the work of Bernstein and Sondheim with the newfound talents of DeBose, Faist, and Zegler, the new West Side Story makes the case for why some remakes should be allowed to happen. Because sometimes, they can meet or surpass the original, such as how this one does by bringing classic cinema into the modern world. Must Read 'Wolfs' Review It’s fun in the present and harnesses the power of movie stars in a time when that magic has steadily faded. SHOP 'The Wild Robot' Review The film will captivate younger viewers and leave older ones reflecting on the delicate balance between the human (and mechanical) and natural worlds. SHOP TIFF24 Dispatch #4 Anora, Megalopolis, Oh, Canada, The Substance SHOP TIFF24 Dispatch #3 April, On Swift Horses, Relay, The Fire Inside SHOP TIFF24 Dispatch #2 Bird, Harbin, The Assessment, The Order SHOP

Awards Update: Fall Festival Winners & Losers September 28, 2024 By: Hunter Friesen Welcome to an ongoing series where I cover the 2024/2025 awards season. On a regular basis, I will update my Oscar predictions, taking into account the new information that has been received since the last update. Full predictions in every category can be found on the Home and Awards page. “Frenzied” and “chaotic” would be the words most apt to describe the two weeks where the Venice Film Festival, Telluride Film Festival, and Toronto International Film Festival crash into each other. Reactions pour in, standing ovations are timed, and prizes are bestowed upon a select few. It’s one of the most fun stretches of the year as a cinephile and an awards junkie, a time when you can eat your fill of quality cinema and confirm/deny your early Oscar predictions. Because there’s so much to talk about and so little margin space to fit it all in, let’s split everyone off into two groups: Winners and Losers. Of course, all of this is relative, and anything could happen in the six months we have left in the season. Starting with the winners, more specifically the actual winners, we’ve got Pedro Almodóvar’s The Room Next Door nabbing the Golden Lion in Venice, a victory I learned about as I exited from the press screening of the film at TIFF underwhelmed. But the Isballe Huppert-led jury saw something different, which I don’t think many other people will agree with so enthusiastically. This is not a top-tier work by the famed Spanish filmmaker, with the lead performances by Tilda Swinton and Julianne Moore being the only viable awards chances. They’re both being submitted as lead actresses by distributor Sony Picture Classics, which is the morally correct move. But that category has found itself quite stacked in the past few weeks, and SPC already has Saoirse Ronan in The Outrun to campaign. We can scratch The Life of Chuck , this year’s TIFF People’s Choice winner, off the prediction charts. It’s just been picked up by Neon with a planned Summer 2025 release. That also means we’ll have to wait and see if the film can repeat what the last twelve winners of that award did and be nominated for Best Picture. Could we get two People’s Choice winners nominated at the 2026 ceremony? The two runners-up at TIFF, Emilia Pérez and Anora , both solidified themselves as top-tier contenders. They both received swaths of attention at Telluride and TIFF, showing that they can perform just as well at public festivals as they did at a high-brow competition like Cannes. I expect them to dominate the above-the-line categories, with Emilia Pérez nabbing a handful of craft nominations for its outstanding musical numbers. However, there was no bigger winner these past few weeks than Brady Corbet’s The Brutalist , which nabbed its director the Silver Lion for Best Director. It was by far the best thing I saw at TIFF, a sentiment that many critics agreed with. It’s amazing that something made so cheaply (under $10 million) feels so similar to the epic Hollywood productions of the past. How A24 will be able to maintain that desire and enthusiasm until the release date announced on December 20th will be a question, but they certainly have something special on their hands that people are hungry for. I mentioned in my last update that I would put it in several categories if the reviews were kind, and now that promise comes true. Other small winners would be Babygirl and Hard Truths , both of which gained great reviews for their lead actresses Nicole Kidman and Marianne Jean-Baptiste, respectively. Conclave and The Piano Lesson would also fall into this category, although some of the early predictions for Stanley Tucci and Samuel L. Jackson turned out to be wishful thinking. Regardless, both of those adaptations received strong enough reviews and public sentiment that they should find themselves in more than one category. There’s also September 5 , which was picked up by Paramount and received strong reviews despite its under-the-radar status. Sitting in the loser territory (only slightly) is Luca Guadagnino’s Queer . Reviews were fine, but the passion is definitely lacking, which is something this very challenging (no pun intended) movie needs. It’ll likely only have an awards presence through Daniel Craig’s performance. Also a small loser is Pablo Larraín’s Maria . Angelina Jolie will almost certainly be nominated, but I’m thinking Larraín and Netflix are striving for a bit more considering this is supposed to be his final entry in his biopic trilogy. And then there’s Nightbitch , a movie that is much more subdued and normal than its title and trailer led us to believe. Of course, we can’t end this article without mentioning the dud that was Joker: Folie à Deux . This sequel could have never repeated the overwhelming success of the first film, but the mediocre reviews, bad press, and low box office projections suggest that it will be a mighty challenge to muster any awards attention. It’ll probably still get some craft nominations, just nothing substantial. Now it’s on to the regional festivals (NYFF, AFI, Middleburg, Chicago, etc.), where most of these winners (and some of the losers) parade themselves around to gain national support. It’s a lot like the election primaries, so we’ll need to have our ears to the ground and listen for which ones are gaining traction when even more eyes are placed upon them. Must Read 'Wolfs' Review It’s fun in the present and harnesses the power of movie stars in a time when that magic has steadily faded. SHOP 'The Wild Robot' Review The film will captivate younger viewers and leave older ones reflecting on the delicate balance between the human (and mechanical) and natural worlds. SHOP TIFF24 Dispatch #4 Anora, Megalopolis, Oh, Canada, The Substance SHOP TIFF24 Dispatch #3 April, On Swift Horses, Relay, The Fire Inside SHOP TIFF24 Dispatch #2 Bird, Harbin, The Assessment, The Order SHOP