Today’s films are often judged by how nuanced they are at presenting their central themes. They must be direct, but not overtly obvious; thought provoking, but not contradictory; open to interpretation, but not frustratingly vague. However, Green Book, a 2018 dramedy set in the early sixties chronicling the relationship between African-American pianist Dr. Don Shirley…
Talk about an interesting life. Marie Colvin, an American war correspondent for the British newspaper The Sunday Times, travelled all around the globe to cover some of the deadliest conflicts in recent memory. As she puts it towards the end of the film, she saw the tragedy so we did not have to, a maxim…
Neil Armstrong, the first man to walk on the moon, is by all means an American hero. He was a family man whose ordinary life was turned upside down when he decided to participate in one of the most extraordinary feats in human history. Hence, it may come as a surprise for some that First…
There is something exceptional about seeing one of your favorite artists perform live. All of a sudden, what you passively listen to while you study comes to life, becoming a full-bodied experience that transcends auditive sensations. Hence, there is a lot to live up to if the main pitch of your concert is bringing a…
The Conjuring universe is an anomaly when it comes to modern horror movie franchises. While horror movies usually go downhill from the second installment on, The Conjuring franchise has not only found great commercial success with all of its entries, but most of them have also been critically well-received, with the exceptions of the first…
Mission: Impossible – Fallout is everything audiences have come to expect from this iconic action film franchise and then some. With impressively choreographed stunts, thrilling action sequences, ever-rising stakes, a likable cast and, surprisingly, a heart, the movie transcends the stereotype of a summer blockbuster, becoming perhaps the best Mission: Impossible installment to date and…
The Soviet Union collapsed in 1991. The Berlin Wall fell in 1989. The Washington Summit on nuclear arms reduction took place in December 1987. While this last event aptly set the tense stage for The Americans’ sixth and final season, the first two predicted its ending. Philip (Matthew Rhys) and Elizabeth Jennings’ (Keri Russell) mission…
Plays are a fascinating medium through which to tell a story. Not only does the audience see the action unfold in front of them as it happens but, depending on the skill of the actors and the director, viewers may even begin to feel a part of it. The 2018 Folger Theater production of Shakespeare’s…
Many will want to refer to Darkest Hour, Joe Wright’s latest directorial effort, as a history lesson. The film traces Winston Churchill’s first month in office, providing a detailed look at the politics behind the British decision to finally engage in total war with Germany after the fall of Western Europe. However, the film serves…
Battle of the Sexes employs a largely impractical structure to tell the story of how two tennis giants of opposite sexes went head-to-head in a legendary match in 1973. Starring Emma Stone as tennis legend and feminist icon Billie Jean King and Steve Carell as the openly chauvinistic, retired tennis champion Bobby Riggs, the movie…