As writer-director Harry Macqueen's Supernova opens we're invited into the old, now seldom used camper van of pianist Sam (Colin Firth) and writer Tusker (Stanley Tucci), who've been together as a couple for decades, as they head to the Lake District. The rich history of their years together is immediately apparent in their rapport and... Continue Reading →
I’ve always loved what the movies have brought to my life. The communal feeling of sitting in the dark with a group of strangers and laughing, screaming, or just dreaming together became my “church”. A long-discontinued but influential annual column called “Moments Out Of Time” from Film Comment magazine became my “Bible” and one of... Continue Reading →
Creators Javier Calvo and Javier Ambrosi, who also direct six out of the eight episodes in this stunning HBO Max co-production limited series, lovingly and masterfully weave an epic tapestry of the life of Spanish trans icon Cristina "La Veneno" Ortiz (Daniela Santiago, Isabel Torres), based on her memoirs, Not A Whore, Not A Saint,... Continue Reading →
Filmmaker Martin Scorsese and fellow New York icon, writer, wit, and public speaker Fran Lebowitz can't recall when they first met. When asked about their friendship during an on-stage interview seen in an archive clip in their new Netflix docu-series Pretend It's A City, Marty suggests it might have been at John Waters' 50th birthday... Continue Reading →
In 2020, I reviewed a ton of films along with books, theater, and short films. I ended up seeing way more movies than I reviewed, because I enjoy spending whatever free time I have avoiding maskless COVIDiots while walking my cute doggy. To make up for it, I’ve written capsules for some of the remaining... Continue Reading →
The term “Race Records” describes a time from the 1920s to the 1940s in which Black artists recorded songs for Black audiences. Despite selling well and launching such stars as Bessie Smith and Louis Armstrong, most musicians fell victim to exploitation by white record company management. The late August Wilson wrote about this conflict in... Continue Reading →
Emerald Fennell has already established herself as one to watch with credentials such as published children’s author, second season show runner for Killing Eve, and for her magnetic portrayal of Camilla Parker-Bowles in The Crown. Now let’s add maverick director to this impressive list with her stunning debut, Promising Young Woman, a film you won’t... Continue Reading →
While Broadway remains dark after more than nine months, with the help of a little movie magic and an impressively detailed set (production design by Jamie Walker McCall), The Prom, lights up 42nd street once more and delivers a joyous, thoroughly uplifting movie musical where the dialogue scenes pop just as much as the song... Continue Reading →
Anyone who knows me well has heard of my utter obsession with all things North Korea. Late at night, I can be found diving deep into Korea-Holes on the internet, reading interviews with defectors, clicking on smuggled-out videos of public executions, or watching documentaries about the Hermit Kingdom. My heart goes out to the population... Continue Reading →
Graham Kolbeins' documentary, Queer Japan, is packed with accounts of experiences and ideas from members of the LGBTQ community in Japan, the result of more than 100 interviews over three years. It gives insight into the lives of interesting and unconventional people who are challenging social norms for themselves and others. For all its outward... Continue Reading →
