Films
Reviews of films based on, inspired by, or featuring a character from previously published written work (book, article, graphic novel, play, etc.)
The Dig (Movie Review) | Beautiful But Subtly Tragic
Simon Stone is not an actor or a director, as it is the case here, that I was familiar with. But the cast, Carey Mulligan (Promising Young Woman, The Great Gatsby), Ralph Fiennes (Spectre, Harry Potter), Lily James (Cinderella) and Johnny Flynn (Emma) to name a few were known to me. However, the movie's story … Continue reading The Dig (Movie Review) | Beautiful But Subtly Tragic
Penguin Bloom (Movie Review) | Formulaic but Somewhat Engaging
This true Australian tale is ripped from the headlines because this family's story was covered in the media a few years ago. There's a great 60 minutes Australia episode that can be found on YouTube and a book of the same name by Cameron Bloom and Bradley Trevor Greive. The movie was directed by Glendyn … Continue reading Penguin Bloom (Movie Review) | Formulaic but Somewhat Engaging
The White Tiger (Movie Review) | Poignant, Funny, and Extremely Well Acted
Ramin Bahrani, the writer-director who adaptated Aravind Adiga's book The White Tiger, has made some interesting movies (At Any Price, 99 Homes, Fahrenheit 451) that have been on my radar before. But The White Tiger caught my attention because of two cast members, Priyanka Chopra (Isn't It Romantic, Quantico) and Rajkummar Rao (Stree, Omerta) before … Continue reading The White Tiger (Movie Review) | Poignant, Funny, and Extremely Well Acted
The Da Vinci Code (2006) | An Average Joe and Conspiracy Theorist’s Delight
Ron HowardCASTTom HanksAudrey TautouJean RenoIan MckellenPaul BettanyBased on Dan Brown's novel "The Da Vinci Code" Review: I know I saw this movie but I'm not sure what I thought of it at the time. I don't have a bad or good memory of it so I thought it'd be funny to watch again and see who I might recognize now that some time has passed. Being older and now … Continue reading The Da Vinci Code (2006) | An Average Joe and Conspiracy Theorist’s Delight
Patriot Games (1992) Movie Review | Not Rushed and Easy To Grasp
PHILLIP NOYCECASTHarrison FordAnne ArcherSean BeanPatrick BerginSamuel L. JacksonBased on Patriot Games (1987) by Tom Clancy The movie is not rushed, it's atmospheric and calculated without being too complex. It's not as flashy as one would think but it does its job, entertains. It's the bad guys versus the good guys, one wants revenge the other … Continue reading Patriot Games (1992) Movie Review | Not Rushed and Easy To Grasp
Wonder Woman 1984 (Movie Review) | A Season Finale of a Superhero Television Show
Sequel to the 2017 Wonder Woman, director Patty Jenkins returns with stars Gal Gadot as the title character, Chris Pine as Steve Trevor, Robin Wright as Antiope, and Connie Nielsen as Queen Hippolyta. They are joined by Kristen Wiig (Walter Mitty) as Barbara Ann Minerva, a co-work of Diana's who is both admires and envies … Continue reading Wonder Woman 1984 (Movie Review) | A Season Finale of a Superhero Television Show
The Midnight Sky (Movie Review) | A Film About Regrets
George Clooney (The Descendants) is back directing and starring in this post-apocalyptic science fiction film. Penned by Mark L. Smith (The Revenant) based on Lily Brooks-Dalton's book "Good Morning, Midnight." It also stars Felicity Jones (The Theory of Everything), David Oyelowo (The Help), Tiffany Boone (Beautiful Creatures), Demián Bichir (The Hateful Eight), Kyle Chandler (The … Continue reading The Midnight Sky (Movie Review) | A Film About Regrets
The Prom (Movie Review) | Truthful and Poignant Observations with Song and Dance
I'm not a Musical theater guy so I winced at the run time, but Ryan Murphy (Ratched) has worked on a lot of projects that I appreciated. Jo Ellen Pellman (The Deuce) and Ariana DeBose (Hamilton) are unknown to me but the rest of the cast Meryl Streep (The Giver), Nicole Kidman (Paddington), Kerry Washington … Continue reading The Prom (Movie Review) | Truthful and Poignant Observations with Song and Dance
The Life Ahead (2020) | Traumatic Childhoods that Bonds (Movie Review)
I came across an article about Sophie Loren, coming out of retirement to star in a movie directed by one of her sons, director Edoardo Ponti. Little did I know that the movie in question is adapted from a book that once caught my attention with its premise alone."The Life Before Us" or "Momo" by … Continue reading The Life Ahead (2020) | Traumatic Childhoods that Bonds (Movie Review)
Worn Out Spines 