DOWNSIZING Review — Sci-Fi Satire and Droll Dramedy
DOWNSIZING Review by Staci Layne Wilson The idea of swapping one size for another one is nothing new – From Attack of the 50-Foot Woman to The Incredible Shrinking Man, we can’t get enough of this concept. There’s something especially intriguing about becoming miniaturized. The idea lends itself perfectly to comedy, horror, and of course…
Star Wars, Louboutin Kick It Up a Notch
Star Wars Louboutin Kick It Up a Notch by Staci Layne Wilson @Staci Wilson “When I think of Star Wars, I think of haute couture high-heel shoes!” Said no one, ever. But that may all change, now that high end shoe designer Christian Louboutin has gone to the galaxy far, far away. Well, at least—Disney.…
THE POST Review — A Masterpiece From a Distance
THE POST Review by Staci Layne Wilson Some movies grab you with a hook, then peter out. Others may start slow, but burn bright at the end. The Post is one of those very rare movies that has a great middle. It drags like a dull dissertation for the first half hour, then devolves into…
I, TONYA Review — Smooth Skating Through a Bumpy Life
I, TONYA Review by Staci Layne Wilson Based on the unbelievable but all too true events leading up to the 1994 Winter Olympics, I, Tonya is a darkly comedic tale of the infamous figure skater, and her part in one of the most sensational scandals in sports history. Though Tonya Harding (Margot Robbie) was the…
THE DISASTER ARTIST Review — It's a Hit With Staci
The Disaster Artist Review by Staci Layne Wilson (@StaciWilson) The Disaster Artist is about aspiring filmmaker Tommy Wiseau (James Franco) and his much-younger best friend Greg Sestero (Dave Franco), who dream of achieving Hollywood stardom. Financed with $6 million of his own money, Wiseau writes, directs and stars in The Room, a much-maligned flop that has become…
DARKEST HOUR Review — Power Packed Yet Prolonged
DARKEST HOUR Review by Staci Layne Wilson @StaciWilson Gary Oldman has believably played so many historical figures – everyone from Sid Vicious to Beethoven to Vlad the Impaler. Even when the characters aren’t based on real people, Oldman somehow brings them to life. But Winston Churchill…? Yep, he nails it! Set during Churchill’s heyday in…
ROMAN J ISRAEL ESQ Review – A Little Something for the Denzel Washington Fan in All of Us
ROMAN J ISRAEL ESQ Review by Staci Layne Wilson @StaciWilson.com Dan Gilroy’s directorial debut, Nightcrawler, was a mean, dark and dirty L.A. noir satire about today’s bloodthirsty media. His much-anticipated follow-up, Roman J. Israel, Esq., is a legal drama that also takes on a hot-button topic – namely, civil rights. Denzel Washington is in the…
THE KILLING OF A SACRED DEER Review – Truly Unsettling, Genuinely Provocative
The Killing of a Sacred Deer review by Staci Layne Wilson @StaciWilson If the idea of a Greek tragedy from a Greek film director seems too on-the-nose for you, don’t worry about it: That’s really the only predictable thing about Yorgos Lanthimos’ The Killing of a Sacred Deer. It’s a fresh, strange, titillating, thought-provoking and sometimes…
BLADE RUNNER 2049 Review — A Dreamy, Existential Sci-fi Opus
Blade Runner 2049 Review – Something old, something new, something great by Staci Layne Wilson @StaciWilson In the existential sci-fi opus Blade Runner 2049, Officer K (Ryan Gosling), an LAPD blade runner, is tasked with “retiring” rogue replicants trying to escape the inevitability of their expiration-date. K’s quarry leads him to profound places and quandaries…
BLADE RUNNER FASHION: How Does 2049 Compare to the Original?
Most style savants believed the epic Blade Runner fashion in Ridley Scott’s sci-fi thriller would remain unequaled. Does Blade Runner 2049 prove them wrong? by Staci Layne Wilson @StaciWilson Ridley Scott’s sci-fi opus Blade Runner (1982) is beyond iconic. From the Philip K. Dick short story, to the A-list cast, cutting-edge special effects, and its…
