Keira Knightley Imbues the Epic WWII Love Story “The Aftermath” With Pain and Intimacy
Those expecting the post-WWII love story The Aftermath to resemble 1942’s Casablanca are bound to be disappointed. Equally frustrated will be those audiences hoping for an erotic thriller, something in the vein of Paul Verhoeven’s 2006 spy tale Black Book. The Aftermath trailers teased such things, what with the smoldering presence of stars Keira Knightley […]
Jordan Peele’s New Horror Film “Us” Is Scary Good Fun
The goal of most horror films is to scare the ever-loving shite out of you. But effective horror needs to be seen, not watched, through the hands covering your eyes. That’s an ideal that Jordan Peele understands very well. His horror sensibilities lean towards the accessible. Sure, his Oscar-winning script for Get Out had edge-of-your-seat […]
Gaspar Noe Explores Losing Control in the Horrifying “Climax”
Gaspar Noe’s films tend to focus on people involved in the most physical of acts. Enter the Void showcased out-of-body experiences, Irreversible dealt with rape and violence, and Love was all about erotic gesticulations. Now with his latest film Climax, Noe’s added another entry to his cinema du corps (cinema of the body). This time, […]
Brie Larson, Samuel L. Jackson, and An Orange Cat Elevate “Captain Marvel”
Expectations are sky-high for Marvel Studio’s latest superhero film Captain Marvel. It’s not only the movie studio’s first big-screen adventure with a female lead, in Academy-Award winning Brie Larson from Room, but it also stands as a critical bridge between the two-part epic of Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame. (She’s the one that Nick […]
Even with a Formidable Isabelle Huppert, “Greta” Can’t Help but Mine Stalker Clichés
At first, one wonders what on earth such an exquisite actress like Isabelle Huppert is doing in a B-level thriller like Greta. But then, for that matter, why is an Academy Award-winning talent like Neil Jordan (The Crying Game) applying his writing and directing skills to such frothy pulp? The cynic inside you will likely […]
