Why is A24 the Best Production Company of the Decade?

Founded just six years ago, A24 has already established itself as one of the premiere film distributors in the world, producing one critical hit after another. They’ve made Oscar waves with films like Moonlight and Lady Bird, and this year they’ve only built upon their success with critical hits like First Reformed, Hereditary, Eighth Grade, and Mid90s. What is A24 doing differently that other studios are not? Are they simply smarter than everyone else and know how to make a good movie while others don’t? The answer is much more pragmatic than that.

“Mid90s” Film Review & Analysis

Mid90s is the directorial debut of Jonah Hill, starring Sunny Suljic as a young teen who begins to hang out with a group of older skateboarders in 1990’s Los Angeles. Lucas Hedges and Katherine Waterston co-star as his older brother and mother, respectively. It’s a coming-of-age tale full of adventure, intrigue, and of course nostalgia. How does Hill’s first foray behind the camera pan out? *SPOILERS AHEAD!*

“Beautiful Boy” Film Review

Beautiful Boy stars Steve Carell and Timothee Chalamet as David and Nic Sheff, in a story about a father trying everything he can to help his teenage son beat drug addiction. Belgian filmmaker Felix Van Groeningen makes his English-language debut, adapting the story from a pair of memoirs written by the father and son duo. The film had a turbulent path to the big screen, spending nearly a decade in development hell and undergoing numerous rewrites and cast/crew shakeups. Does the final result make the difficult path worth it?

Belated Film Review Round-Up #2

I’m on a mission this year to see every film worth watching that came out in 2018. Because so many movies are released annually, that becomes a difficult task, and some films tend to slip through the cracks when they are first released. When I watch them months later, it’s too late for a proper review, but I still want to share my thoughts on some of them, so here are some abbreviated thoughts on a few of the films I caught up on from earlier in the year. (See my previous round-up here.) Enjoy my mini-reviews of The Rider, Lean on Pete, Beast, and Blindspotting! *SPOILERS AHEAD!*

“Private Life” Film Review

Private Life is a new Netflix Original written and directed by Tamara Jenkins, an indie filmmaker who has received critical acclaim in the past but never broken into the mainstream. It stars Kathryn Hahn and Paul Giamatti as Rachel and Richard, a middle-aged couple trying to conceive their first child. Newcomer Kayli Carter co-stars as Sadie, the couple’s step-niece who agrees to donate one of her eggs for in vitro fertilization. The comedy-drama released with little fanfare earlier this month, but has since received critical acclaim. Is it worth the watch? Let’s find out!

“Bad Times at the El Royale” Film Review

Bad Times at the El Royale is written and directed by Drew Goddard, previously known for his work writing films like Cloverfield, Cabin in the Woods and The Martian. It stars an ensemble cast including Chris Hemsworth, Dakota Johnson, Jon Hamm, and Jeff Bridges. Set on the border of Nevada and California, it follows a group of strangers stuck at the mysterious El Royale hotel for the night.

I had high expectations for this one, enjoying almost all of Drew Goddard’s work in the past. He’s a hot commodity in Hollywood at the moment, currently set to write and direct the new X-Force superhero spinoff on top of other upcoming projects. An original, high-concept story like this one with such a star-studded cast is a rarity in cinema these days, so I was intrigued by the supposed strength of the script that convinced studios to green-light the project. How did the movie hold up?

“The Old Man & the Gun” Film Review

The Old Man & the Gun (2018) is the latest film from David Lowery, an indie director who made waves last year with his quirky supernatural drama A Ghost Story. It stars Robert Redford as Forrest Tucker, a real-life bank robber and escape artist. Sissy Spacek and Casey Affleck co-star as his love interest and the detective hunting him down, respectively. The film is supposedly Redford’s final cinematic performance as he retires from the silver screen. Was the film a fitting send-off for such a legendary Hollywood icon?

“22 July” Film Review

22 July is the newest Netflix release from writer/director Paul Greengrass, following the events during and after the 2011 Norway Massacre. Greengrass is no stranger to thriller-biopics, with previous films like United 93 and Captain Phillips earning critical praise. How does his latest stack up with the rest?

“First Man” Film Review

First Man is the latest Damien Chazelle film, written by Josh Singer based on the biography of Neil Armstrong. It stars Ryan Gosling as Armstrong during the Space Race of the 1960’s as NASA rushes to get men to the moon. Claire Foy co-stars as Armstrong’s worrisome wife.

I’ve been pretty stoked for this movie ever since it was announced, and as a huge Chazelle fan already my expectations were sky-high. (Wait, shouldn’t that be moon-high?) I used that excitement as justification to see this on the biggest screen possible (IMAX) on opening night. How did the film match my expectations?

“The Sisters Brothers” Film Review

The Sisters Brothers is a western co-written and directed by Jacques Audiard, based on the novel of the same name by Patrick deWitt. It stars John C. Reilly and Joaquin Phoenix as the titular brothers, Eli and Charlie Sisters, two hitmen in the Gold Rush-era West. Jake Gyllenhaal and Riz Ahmed co-star.

This is a film I was mildly looking forward to after it got positive reviews out of festivals earlier this year. A collection of some of my favorite actors and a quirky-looking plot looked like it would add up to an enjoyable experience. What I got was mostly that, albeit with some tonal inconsistency issues and thematic non-committal.