— by RON WILKINSON — Asghar Farhadi’s “Fireworks Wednesday” features several kinds of fireworks converging on the naïve young bride Rouhi. Taraneh Alidoosti reunites with Farhadi after her successful work in “About Elly” to play the very young, and very much in love, Rouhi. The film is set on Fireworks Wednesday, the day of celebration […][...]
Review: Embrace of the Serpent
— by RON WILKINSON — “Embrace of the Serpent,” writer/director Ciro Guerra’s seething portrait of the abasement of a people and an environment, is not to be missed. Based on the written diaries of explorers Theodor Koch-Grunberg and Richard Evans Schultes, the film combines amazing first hand descriptions by the explorers with a surreal story […][...]
Review: The Finest Hours
— by RON WILKINSON — In “The Finest Hours,” Chris Pine does a fantastic job playing the sheepish, but inwardly courageous, Coast Guard Bosun’s Mate Bernard “Bernie” Webber, who is stationed in Chatham, Mass., on Cape Cod. Bernie is a good man, but is haunted by his failure to make it “over the bar” to […][...]
Review: Eddie the Eagle
— by RON WILKINSON — If this take on Eddie the Eagle (Michael “Eddie” Edwards) is exaggerated to the point of absurdity, the superb performance of Taron Egerton makes it work. This may become the breakout performance for Egerton, showing he can do the touchy-feely role as well as the easier tough guy roles. Egerton […][...]
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 now filming
Marvel Studios has begun principal photography at Pinewood Studios in Atlanta on Marvel’s “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2,” which is slated to hit U.S. theaters on May 5, 2017. The production will shoot at Atlanta’s Pinewood Studios. “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2” is written and directed by James Gunn. The film marks the […][...]
Review: A War (aka Krigen)
— by RON WILKINSON — “A War” — Denmark’s official submission for Best Foreign Language Film in the 88th Academy Awards of 2016 — is a momentous movie. Not only does it show the lethal chaos and brutality of war with unflinching honesty, but it shows the war soldiers fight at home, as well. Lead […][...]
Review: Hail, Caesar!
— by RON WILKINSON — George Clooney does the heavy lifting in “Hail, Caesar!,” backed by an elite cast of sparkling supporting actors and perfect production. Shot in 35mm, the film is a remarkable throwback to the “glory years” of 1950s Hollywood when a star was really a star and the head of the studio […][...]
Star Wars: Episode VIII begins production
Rey took her first steps into a larger world in “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” and will continue her epic journey with Finn, Poe and Luke Skywalker in the next chapter of the continuing Star Wars saga, “Star Wars: Episode VIII,” which began principal photography at Pinewood Studios in London on Feb. 15. “Star Wars: […][...]
Review: A Perfect Day
— by RON WILKINSON — Benicio Del Toro and Tim Robbins have done better things. Having won two Oscars between them and been nominated for two more, this screenplay is light weight for them. The treatment seems to be perpetually caught between “Mash” and “Hurt Locker” with nods to “Catch 22” and “Shake Hands with […][...]
Review: Mojave
— by RON WILKINSON — Golden Globe winner Oscar Isaac plays self-destructive movie star/film-maker Jack in “Mojave,” Oscar winner William Monahan’s pot-boiling tale of murder and survival. This is a great performance by Isaac, coming on the heels of his city slicker flicks “Ex Machina” and “A Most Violent Year.” He plays a drifter roaming […][...]