Tag: America

A Real Pain (2024) | REVIEW

Kieran Culkin and Jesse Eisenberg in A REAL PAIN — PHOTO: Searchlight Pictures (Still image from trailers).

Directed by Jesse Eisenberg — Screenplay by Jesse Eisenberg.

Jesse Eisenberg’s A Real Pain follows Jewish American cousins David (played by Jesse Eisenberg) and Benji (played by Kieran Culkin) as they travel from New York City to Poland for the purpose of taking part in a Holocaust tour group, as well as to visit the childhood home of their late grandmother in an attempt to establish a deeper connection to their heritage. On the trip, their rapport is put to the test, as David, a family father, is much more introverted and reserved, while Benji, a drifter with very little going on in his life, is extremely outgoing and extroverted to the degree that David isn’t comfortable with.

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Anora (2024) | REVIEW

Mikey Madison as the title character in Sean Baker’s ANORA — PHOTO: Neon (Still image from trailers).

Directed by Sean Baker — Screenplay by Sean Baker.

When Sean Baker walked up to the stage to accept the Palme d’Or prize at this year’s Cannes Film Festival, he stood next to George Lucas, who had just received an honorary award. There the legendary creator of Star Wars, essentially the blockbuster film that changed the direction of American cinema for the next many decades, stood next to perhaps the most well-known American independent filmmaker who was enjoying the biggest moment of his career with his latest film, Anora. Arguably, no two filmmakers could better symbolize the vast breadth of American filmmaking, and here Baker was becoming the first American competitive Palme d’Or winning director in more than a decade (since Malick in 2011). Frankly, for Baker, Anora marks arguably his feature with the most public appeal. 

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REVIEW: Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga (2020)

Release Poster – Netflix

The following is a review of Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga — Directed by David Dobkin.

David Dobkin’s Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga is an American straight-to-Netflix comedy about a fictional band’s journey to the Eurovision Song Contest, an international song competition that celebrates pop music. It is, essentially, the European Championship of pop music. In the song contest, each country has a representative who must belt out an original popular song and attempt to win the grand prize of a microphone-shaped glass trophy, as well as the right to have their country host the song contest the following year. Continue reading “REVIEW: Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga (2020)” →

REVIEW: Da 5 Bloods (2020)

Release Poster – Netflix

The following is a review of Da 5 Bloods — A Spike Lee Joint.

Spike Lee’s Da 5 Bloods is a war film about the lasting effects of the Vietnam War on four African-American war veterans — Eddie (played by Norm Lewis), Otis (played by Clarke Peters), Melvin (played by Isiah Whitlock, Jr.), and Paul (played by Delroy Lindo) — collectively known as the ‘Bloods.’ Now, decades after the war has ended, the Bloods have returned to Vietnam to retrieve what they left behind in the jungle. They claim to only be back to retrieve the body of their squad leader, Stormin’ Norman (played by Chadwick Boseman), but they also want to find the precious gold bars that they had to leave behind when they were young men. Continue reading “REVIEW: Da 5 Bloods (2020)” →

REVIEW: Ford v Ferrari (2019)

Theatrical Release Poster – 20th Century Fox

The following is a review of Ford v Ferrari, also known as Le Mans ’66 — Directed by James Mangold.

James Mangold’s Ford v Ferrari tells the true story of the rivalry between Enzo Ferrari (played by Remo Girone) and Henry Ford II (played by Tracy Letts) in the lead-up to the 1966-edition of the French 24-hour race known as the ‘Le Mans.’ The film follows Carroll Shelby (played by Matt Damon), a former Le Mans winner and current automotive designer and engineer, and Ken Miles (played by Christian Bale), a testy but talented British race-car driver. Ford wants to beat Ferrari at his own game, so to speak, so he hires Shelby to design a racecar mighty enough to trounce the Italian rival, which had rejected Ford’s offer to purchase them. Shelby insists that Miles is the only man who understands the car they build together for Ford, but executives at Ford believe that Miles isn’t a company man, and they are prepared to derail the entire project to ensure that Shelby and his crew, none of whom are yes-men, follow their orders. Continue reading “REVIEW: Ford v Ferrari (2019)” →