The Hard Way (Vincent Sherman, 1943). This drama about a young woman named Katie (Joan Leslie) making her way in the ruthless world of showbiz has some real grit to it, distinguishing a storyline that otherwise hits familiar beats. It … Continue reading Then Playing — The Hard Way; The Lady Gambles; Leave No Trace
Rafiki (Wanuri Kahiu, 2018). This brisk, bright coming-of-age film takes place in Kenya, where its central same-sex romance is technically against the law. Kena (Samantha Mugatsia) is a withdrawn girl who is struck by the lively exuberance of Ziki (Sheila … Continue reading Then Playing — Rafiki; Cash on Demand; Westworld
American Animals (Bart Layton, 2018). Bart Layton’s heist drama is drawn from an actual crime perpetrated by a group of young men in the early two-thousands, and the filmmaker creatively incorporates documentary — and documentary warping — contributions from the … Continue reading Then Playing — American Animals; Madeline’s Madeline; No Time to Die
Mr. Soul! (Melissa Haizlip, 2018). Like Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson’s more recent Summer of Soul (…Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised), this documentary aims to correct the aggressive erasure of triumphant Black culture. Created by Ellis Haizlip, Soul! was … Continue reading Then Playing — Mr. Soul; East Side, West Side; Where’s Poppa?
The Trial of the Chicago 7 (Aaron Sorkin, 2020). Aaron Sorkin finds the ideal vehicle for his talky liberal indignation in the sham legal case leveled against a group of protestors who were bullied and brutalized by Chicago police officers … Continue reading Then Playing — The Trial of the Chicago 7; Slice; Horse Girl
Laggies (Lynn Shelton, 2014). There are other films that depict a twenty-something character’s panicked retreat from the looming responsibility of adulthood, but few make the minor insurrection as charmingly pathetic as Laggies. Directed by Lynn Shelton (working from someone else’s … Continue reading Then Playing — Laggies; This Changes Everything; Buck and the Preacher
It Chapter Two (Andy Muschietti, 2019). After his big-screen adaption of Stephen King’s It outperformed any reasonable expectations at the box office, it was pretty much inevitable that director Andy Muschietti would go back to Derry, Maine, the small town … Continue reading Then Playing — It Chapter Two; Sounder; Thoroughbreds
Bumblebee (Travis Knight, 2018). A prequel spinoff of the Transformers films, Bumblebee benefits immensely from the natural comparison to the unwatchable eyesores that director Michael Bay foisted on a helpless world. Making his first live action effort following wide acclaim … Continue reading Then Playing — Bumblebee; Stuber; Just Mercy
Toni Erdmann (Maren Ade, 2016). German filmmaker Maren Ade puts pathos and comedy together in a way that’s borderline magical in Toni Erdmann. The title character, as it were, is a pseudonym commonly adopted by Winfried (Peter Simonischek) when he’s … Continue reading Then Playing — Toni Erdmann; Wildlife; The Seagull
Zombieland: Double Tap (Ruben Fleischer, 2019). This sequel to Ruben Fleischer’s winning horror-comedy of a decade earlier isn’t good, but its pedestrian nature is almost charming. It calls to mind a bygone era, when new installments of film series were … Continue reading Then Playing — Zombieland: Double Tap; Hale County This Morning, This Evening; A Separation
Coffee for Two 