Mini Movie Reviews Archives
-
THE IRISHMAN
Marking Martin Scorsese’s 60th directorial effort. Based on Charles Brandt’s book I Heard You Paint Houses, (screenplay Steven Zaillian) a non-fiction account detailing the life of Frank Sheeran (Robert De Niro) a soldier in WWII, who returns to his Philadelphia roots to become a truck driver, but eventually is lucky or unlucky enough to meet mob boss Russell Bufalino (Joe Pesci) who measures Sheeran up to be mob material, despite not being Italian or connected to any families. And thus, begins the 210 minute story leading up to the 1970 disappearance of Teamsters union figure Jimmy Hoffa (Al Pacino). Sheeran may have left the war, but the soldier mentality has…
-
HARRIET
-
JOKER
I’m impressed with JOKER, yes, but still having trouble, as Joaquin Phoenix puts it in this interview – “finding something real” or original to say. Does it glorify these lone killers who tend to be white men on the fringes of society? Is it too inciting during a time when the country is even more divided and in political mayhem? On the other hand, does director Todd Phillips (co-writer Scott Silver) find a way to shine a light on these people who have been abused, are weird and ostracized, cut off from kindness, cut off from getting help as social programs shut down. This film could be seen as a…
-
The Addams Family
THE ADDAMS FAMILY (animated) Directed by Conrad Vernon & Greg Tiernan Voice Cast: Oscar Isaac, Charlize Theron, Chloë Grace Moretz, Finn Wolfhard, Nick Kroll, Snoop Dogg, Bette Midler, Allison Janney Tinsel & Tine #MiniMovieReview It’s a cute update of the iconic classy spooky family, with a number of bits to pay homage to both the show I loved as a kid, and the movies of the 90’s. However, the movie begins with the wedding of Gomez and Morticia and I can’t help but wish they’d gone with an entire origin story instead of centering the plots around Pugsley and Wednesday. But of course I realize this movie is not aimed…
-
AD ASTRA
AD ASTRA otherwise known as “Brad Pitt in Space”, feels as if Pitt looked at his body of work and thought Damon, Clooney, McConaughey and Hanks all have space movies under their belts. If I’m gonna leave a legacy, I’ve got to get in on the astronaut game and check that off my list; and this is why we have AD ASTRA (the title is Latin for “to the stars”). The film is set in the near future and centers around the interplanetary and emotional journey of astronaut Major Roy McBride (Brad Pitt) who has followed in the footsteps of his famous astronaut father Clifford McBride (Tommy Lee Jones) who…
