— by WILLIAM STERR — When I sat down to view this 2025 film, I thought it would probably be just another telling of William Shakespeare’s tale of the “star crossed lovers of Verona,” with the reversal of their names. I was pleasantly surprised. At least at first. The story begins w[...]
Author Archive
Review: Garland Jeffreys: The King of In Between
— by WILLIAM STERR — Have you ever heard of Garland Jeffreys, “The Bard of Brooklyn”? Maybe not, I hadn’t. However, he’s been producing music for many decades and in 1977 was hailed by Rolling Stone as “a new up and comer who delivers.” Bruce Springsteen knows him has perform[...]
Review: Amongst the Wolves
— by WILLIAM STERR — Danny (Luke McQuillan – “Black Medicine”) is a homeless man, living “rough” along a canal in Dublin. He is accosted by three ruffians who first taunt him, then beat him up – all while taking video of it. We next see Danny, dried blood on his face and [...]
Review: Borrowed Time: Lennon’s Last Decade
— by WILLIAM STERR — On Dec. 8, 1980, John Lennon was murdered while entering his apartment building, The Dakota, with his wife, Yoko Ono. “Borrowed Time” looks at Lennon’s life, particularly the last 10 years before his death. Writer/director Alan Parker, who has directed a number[...]
Review: Most People Die on Sundays
— by WILLIAM STERR — This quiet little film opened in the ACID Cannes, at the Cannes Film Festival. This is the division for independent films. Written, directed by and starring Iair Said (“Society of the Snow”), it is the story of David, a gay Jewish Argentinian who returns from stu[...]
Review: The Uninvited
— by WILLIAM STERR — It’s a summer evening in LA and the Warrens are throwing a garden party for some friends, including actors for whom Sammy (Walton Goggins – “Fallout”) is their talent agent. As she is dressing for the party, Sammy’s wife Rose (Elizabeth Reaser – [...]
Review: Chosen Family
— by WILLIAM STERR — It’s Spring! The shoots are coming up through the warming earth, the buds are forming on the branches, and the sap is flowing. Especially in the sappy “Chosen Family.” This grotesque “feel good” movie, written, directed and starring Heather Graham (“Suita[...]
Review: The Monkey
— by WILLIAM STERR — Osgood Perkins strikes horror gold again with this horror/comedic take on Stephen King’s short story “The Monkey.” King’s story follows Hal Shelburn. Hal’s son, Petey, discovers a windup monkey in a box while exploring the attic of his father’s childh[...]
Review: The Electric State
— by WILLIAM STERR — Imagine if, during the Clinton Administration (1993-2001), the biggest event was not Monica Lewinsky, but rather the revolt of robots, many of which represented cartoon characters or corporate mascots. That is the story given to us by the Russo Brothers (“Avengers:[...]
Review: Any Day Now
— by WILLIAM STERR — Boston. That historic city on the Charles River. Home of Back Bay and the Brahmins thereof. They are the folks that created and filled the Gardner Museum of Art. But then there are the gritty folks of South Boston. They keep the museum clean and serve as security gua[...]
Review: Unspeakable: Beyond the Wall of Sleep
— by WILLIAM STERR — H.P. Lovecraft died in 1937. At the time, he was an impoverished, barely known writer of fantastic fiction. Since then, his works, all in the public domain, have been the inspiration for hundreds of writers and scores of film-makers. Many of those writers have contri[...]
Review: The Rule of Jenny Pen
— by WILLIAM STERR — Geoffrey Rush and John Lithgow. Two elder luminaries of the cinema world. Lithgow turned in a fine performance as a conniving American cardinal in 2024’s “Conclave,” nd Best Actor Oscar-winner Rush, long a stage actor in Australia, is best known in film for “[...]
Review: Immaculate
— by WILLIAM STERR — When do miracles cross the line into mad science? As a young girl, Cecilia (Sydney Sweeney – “Madame Web”) suffered a near death experience. It changed her life, and she decided to devote that life to God. When still a novitiate, her local US convent closed[...]
Review: Anora
— by WILLIAM STERR — “Anora”: Winner of the 2025 Academy Awards for Best Direction, Best Original Screenplay, Best Editing (all by Sean Baker), Best Actress (Mikey Madison) and Best Picture. This is a complicated film. It begins with a somewhat silly, extremely graphic sexual relatio[...]