I don't know if I've seen a movie that so accurately captures the insanity of parenthood like Tully does. I found myself laughing at non-funny moments in this film, purely because of the realism (and ridiculousness) of it all. Charlize Theron and Mackenzie Davis are both great. If I wasn't a parent, I'd probably think they overdid things a bit. It's pretty harrowing at tim...
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Micro Reviews
Micro Review – Searching
I didn't expect Searching to be as emotionally resonant as it turned out to be. To be honest, it seemed like it would be a shallow, corny genre thriller that relied heavily on a unique storytelling device (the entire film happens on screens). But the characters are surprisingly well developed. And the plot, while sometimes a bit far-fetched, is still frighteningl...
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Micro Review – Unsane
It’s difficult to express my thoughts on Unsane without spoiling it...But I'll take a shot.
Soderbergh is a master filmmaker, capable of making whatever type of movie he wants. And he’s at the point now in his career where he’s just doing what stimulates him creatively. As you’re watching Unsane, it’s easy to forget that this movie was shot completely on iPhones. That was ...
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Micro Review – The Death of Stalin
A delightfully dark comedy about the power struggle following Joseph Stalin's death. It's such a strange, heavy subject for a comedy. But with such fine, hilarious performances from a not-quite all-star cast, and with a sharp script, this somehow works. Steve Buscemi is particularly (and surprisingly) effective as Khruschev, and Simon Russell Beale is great as the duplicito...
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Rewatch Review – A Quiet Place
Look...This is great. It's great. It's even better the second time.
Maybe it has to do with me watching it with my wife, who has stressful dreams already, and just watching her reactions to everything, how totally into it she gets while also just hating every moment of it (she liked it).
If she makes it through an entire movie without falling asleep, you kno...
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Micro Review – Creed II
For a sports drama that relies pretty heavily on inspiration, this was pretty...well...uninspired. There's nothing really unique or interesting about the story, or most of the characters. There are some bright spots in here, don't get me wrong. It's not a bad movie. But it just feels very formulaic and predictable. There's nothing that really comes as a surprise. Before eve...
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Micro Review – It’s A Wonderful Life
It's easy to forget how intense and potentially innovating It's a Wonderful Life really was. It's part of the Holiday Canon. It's a universally accepted member of the "Best Christmas movies" discussion. For those of us who still maintain a cable subscription, we'll often catch a scene or two when it's on between Thanksgiving and Christmas. But it's mostly just a "remembered...
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Micro Review – Enemy
You may need to do some work after watching this film. You might need to watch some explanatory YouTube videos, or research the gigantic Ontarian arachnid sculpture Mother, or you might need to just sit and think for a while. Bury yourself deep in your subconscious and ruminate on what it means to have control, or to lose it, to commit, or to self destruct, to lov...
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Micro Review – Outlaw King
I don't think this movie wants to be an appendage to Braveheart. But that's what it is. It picks up where Braveheart left off, following Robert the Bruce in his morally questionable journey to unite Scotland and free it from British rule (the goal is not morally questionable, but the actions he takes to achieve this goal certainly are). I keep going back and forth...
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Micro Review – Focus
I watched this movie while vacationing in Mexico, when there were only a couple channels in English. I missed the beginning. But I saw enough to know how I feel about it. I still love my girl Margot Robbie, and Will Smith is still a straight up superstar. There were brief elements of fun and entertainment. And it's a slick-looking movie and all. But this mostly felt like it was...
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