BONGEE BEAR AND THE KINGDOM OF RHYTHM Review – A Beary Good Fairytale
Staci Layne Wilson’s Bongee Bear and the Kingdom of Rhythm review says it’s a sweet, tuneful flick for young kids, especially around the holidays. While Bongee Bear and the Kingdom of Rhythm is not a holiday-themed movie, it’ll be great to entertain your kiddos while you’re busy wrapping gifts, baking, or adding to your Amazon…
KING RICHARD Review — A Crowning Glory for Will Smith
Lisa Johnson Mandell’s King Richard review says you can’t miss with this fascinating account of a complex man, anchored by a stellar performance from Will Smith. One of the marks of a great actor is the ability to convincingly play a character we can alternately love and hate. Will Smith nails it in his role…
BELFAST Review — Inarguably One of the Best Films of 2021
Lisa Johnson Mandell’s Belfast review says that once in a great while a film comes along that strikes all the right chords. From beginning to end, Kenneth Branagh’s semi-autobiographical masterpiece is one of them. Belfast is a breathtaking portrait with perfect balance: joyful without being giddy, moving without being cloying, humorous without being silly and…
FINCH Review — One Man, Two Robots and a Dog
Lisa Johnson Mandell’s Finch review says the Apple TV+ movie starring Tom Hanks as the only human is a very humane and moving experience. I swear this is not a paid post, and I receive zero remuneration from Apple TV+ for writing this, but if you’re still trying to decide whether or not to subscribe…
ETERNALS Review — A Rare Marvel Miss
Lisa Johnson Mandell’s Eternals review says that nothing lasts forever — including Marvel’s winning streak. No one bats 1,000, so if the Marvel Universe strikes out every now and then, it can be forgiven. What can’t be forgiven is sending some of the best players money can buy to the plate and realizing too late…
ANTLERS Review: A Killer Cast Can’t Quite Rise Above the Darkness
Staci Layne Wilson’s Antlers review, says it’s a gloomy, moody horror film that will depress as much as scare you. Produced by horror heavy-hitters Guillermo del Toro and David S. Goyer, Antlers is a dark, moody, broody tale about how trauma, grief, abuse and addiction can affect the soul in the form of a monster—the indigenous…
THE FRENCH DISPATCH Review — Highbrow Humor at its Peak
Lisa Johnson Mandell’s The French Dispatch review says Wes Anderson’s latest is erudite and eloquent — the very definition of the word ‘quirky’ — in a good way. If you want to truly appreciate The French Dispatch, you must understand the meaning of the word ‘ennui.’ Don’t be ashamed if you’re not familiar with the…
DUNE Review: The Next Great Sci-Fi Franchise Has Arrived
Lisa Johnson Mandell’s Dune review says the epic film is a scintillating work of art — it should be an immediate sci-fi classic. It’s actually quite thrilling to witness the birth of the next great sci-fi franchise. The latest iteration of Dune is the film stellar director Denis Villeneuve was born to make, and will…
THE LAST DUEL Review — Unconscionable
Lisa Johnson Mandell’s The Last Duel review says the film, which features A-list actors involved in brutal rape and violence, is not right for these times… or any others. Just because a disturbing and dramatic event has been historically documented doesn’t mean it will make a great movie. There are some stories that don’t need…
NO TIME TO DIE Review — O07 Puts His Heart Into It
Lisa Johnson Mandell’s No Time to Die review says it’s not perfect, but is still a satisfying send-off to Daniel Craig in the mercurial role of James Bond. There’s so much to write about this pre-ordained blockbuster that has become the biggest hit of the year even before it opens in the U.S., it’s hard…
