“May December” Film Review: Arrested Development

May December (2023) is a drama film from director Todd Haynes and writers Samy Burch and Alex Mechanik. It stars Natalie Portman as an actress preparing for a role by spending time with a couple (Julianne Moore and Charles Melton), who twenty years ago were the subject of tabloid gossip for their illicit romance. The film debuted at the Cannes Film Festival (in May) and recently released on Netflix (in December, lol). What has critics and audiences buzzing about this one?

“The Holdovers” Film Review: ‘Tis the Season to be Paulie

The Holdovers (2023) is a period comedy-drama film from director Alexander Payne and writer David Hemingson. It stars Paul Giamatti as a curmudgeonly boarding school teacher who is tasked with staying on campus over the Christmas holiday to watch an unruly student left behind (Dominic Sessa), along with a recently-bereaved mother and school cook (Da’Vine Joy Randolph). The film premiered at the Telluride Film Festival to strong reviews, ahead of its theatrical release earlier this month. Why has this become such a strong word-of-mouth crowd pleaser?

“Saltburn” Film Review: The Talented Mr. Rip-Off

Saltburn (2023) is a psychological thriller film from writer-director Emerald Fennell. It stars Barry Keoghan as Oliver Quick, an aimless university student who is invited by a wealthy classmate named Felix (Jacob Elordi) to spend his summer vacation at his posh family estate. The film debuted at the Telluride Film Festival ahead of its theatrical release in late November. Is it another winner from Fennell after Promising Young Woman?

Best Picture Power Rankings: November 2023 Edition

Welcome to the November edition of our Oscar power rankings, in which we take a look at the state of the Best Picture race! Our first wave of major precursors is right around the corner, and with the official releases of several Oscar hopefuls in recent weeks, now is a good time to take one last blind look at how the major contenders are positioned as of right now. Who’s getting nominated according to public sentiment and industry trends as of today? Let’s discuss!

Belated Film Review Round-Up: Streaming Edition

I have been catching up on a few film releases I didn’t get around to on their initial release date. By coincidence, all of these films are all available to stream online right this very second! So check out my (abbreviated) thoughts on Theater Camp, The Deepest Breath, Fair Play, and They Cloned Tyrone!