WOODY ALLEN’S COUP DE CHANCE
Woody Allen likes telling stories. It’s what made his stand-up comedy sets so distinctive. He didn’t simply recite a string of jokes (although he is a masterful joke writer); he told a story and punctuated it with hilarious one-liners.…
MONKEY MAN: MAYHEM WITH A PURPOSE?
Actor Dev Patel, who won over audiences around the globe in Danny Boyle’s Slumdog Millionaire, is flexing his muscles by co-writing, directing, and starring in Monkey Man. By diving into Indian culture, myths, and traditions he attempts to ground his brutal story…
ORDINARY ANGELS: CYNICS BEWARE
Ordinary Angels is a true story and a remarkable one at that. Living with our two-year old granddaughter has made me especially vulnerable to dramas about young children in peril, and it didn’t take long for this one to open…
IO CAPITANO: ITALY’S OSCAR CONTENDER
I must admit I haven’t followed Matteo Garrone’s career closely since he burst onto the world stage with Gomorrah. This grueling but captivating film reaffirms his place in the front ranks of filmmakers, as he puts us in lockstep with…
THE PROMISED LAND: A SCANDINAVIAN SLEEPER
I’ve come to trust Danish actor Mads Mikkelsen—his good taste in movie roles is seasoned with a sense of daring, as we’ve seen in such outstanding imports as The Hunt and Another Round. I’m also an admirer of screenwriter Anders Thomas Jensen,…
A MUST-SEE NEW DOCUMENTARY: VISHNIAC
I feel foolish admitting that I was unfamiliar with Roman Vishniac and the incredibly evocative photos he shot in Weimar Germany and its surrounding countries before they fell victim to Hitler and the Nazi party. Little did he dream…
SOME 2023 SLEEPERS WORTH CATCHING
Every year some good movies fly under the radar (or slip through the cracks, if you prefer), despite the best efforts of distributors and drum-beating by critics who do their best to spread the good word. Here are a…
