Spike Lee’s Brilliant “BlacKkKlansman” Indicts Our Nation’s Past and Present
All period pieces comment on the present. Spike Lee’s new film “BlacKkKlansman”, about a couple of undercover cops infiltrating the Ku Klux Klan in Colorado Springs in 1972, not only indicts bigotry in America 40 years ago, but the continued presence of white nationalism on our national stage. For good measure, Lee also tosses in some […]
A Sequel Wasn’t Necessary, but “Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again”
The jukebox musical “Mamma Mia!”, based on the music of Swedish pop group ABBA, proved to be a worldwide theatrical sensation. The show ran 14 years on Broadway, has been running in the West End of London since 1999, and hundreds of productions of it have been produced across the globe. It also spawned a […]
Joaquin Phoenix Excels in “Don’t Worry, He Won’t Get Far on Foot”
Joaquin Phoenix gives one of his very best performances in “Don’t Worry, He Won’t Get Far on Foot.” That’s saying a lot considering that the 43-year-old’s body of work is utterly exemplary. From “To Die For” to “Gladiator” to “Walk the Line” to “The Master” to “Her”, he has played celebs and nobodies, good guys […]
“Mission: Impossible – Fallout” is the Superior Sequel of the Summer
It would seem impossible, but the “Mission: Impossible” film franchise keeps getting better and better. For 22 years now, Paramount Pictures has produced one excellent action film after another in this series, and the latest entry may be their best actioner yet. Written and directed by Christopher McQuarrie, “Mission: Impossible – Fallout” delivers the most […]
Denzel Washington’s Avenging Angel Lords Over “The Equalizer 2”
There are few actors working today who completely dominate almost every scene they’re in like Denzel Washington. His steely gaze, his physical bulk, even his rack of teeth flashing the grin of a shark – they not only trump everyone else in a scene, but they also project a power like few in cinema have […]
