Two of the best movies of the year are horrors: ‘Drop’ and ‘Presence’
2025 has had a rough start to movies. While most contemporary audiences are likely still discussing the financial and critical failure of Marvel’s “Captain America: Brave New World” or laughing over the “chicken jockey” memes from “A Minecraft Movie,” it’s safe to say that original flicks are not rising to the top of the conversation. […]
A SXSW premiere: “Another Simple Favor”
This past weekend, I had the incredible opportunity to attend the SXSW Festival in Austin, Texas, where I experienced the opening night premiere of Paul Feig’s “Another Simple Favor,” starring Anna Kendrick, Blake Lively, Henry Golding, Allison Janney, Alex Newell and Elizabeth Perkins. The film is a direct follow-up to Feig’s “A Simple Favor” (2018), […]
Oscar history repeats itself: 10 years later
“Anora” (2024), despite its disappointing Golden Globes performance (where it lost in all five of its nominated categories), has had a monumental weekend, sweeping the top prizes at the Critics Choice Awards, Directors Guild of America Awards (DGA) and Producers Guild of America Awards (PGA). These victories have firmly positioned the film as the frontrunner […]
The surprise Oscar contender you haven’t heard about
At the 82nd annual Golden Globe Awards honoring the “best” in film and television from 2024, a genuine surprise happened in a major award category. Brazilian actress Fernanda Torres won Best Actress in a Motion Picture–Drama for her performance in “I’m Still Here” (2024). She beat out Screen Actors Guild Awards nominee Pamela Anderson (“The […]
Why ‘Anora’ deserves to be an Oscar frontrunner
“Anora” is one of the most exciting Best Picture contenders in recent years, and awards experts agree. The film has shot to the top of prediction lists on awards-centric platforms like GoldDerby and the application Awards Expert, with outlets Variety and E! News also forecasting a slew of nominations. “Anora” hits the ground running with […]
‘The Substance’ is the best horror film in years–go see it
2024 has been a challenging year for movies. Since COVID-19 reshaped the film industry in 2020, closing most theaters nationwide for months, the market has struggled to regain its former balance. The pandemic and the 2023 Writer’s Guild of America and Screen Actors Guild of America strikes disrupted production schedules, altered release strategies and significantly […]
Why ‘Hacks’ won the Emmy for Outstanding Comedy Series over ‘The Bear’ (and why it deserved it)
The final award of the 76th annual Primetime Emmy Awards on Sunday, Sept. 15 was for Outstanding Comedy Series. The nominees were “Abbott Elementary” (ABC), “The Bear” (FX), “Curb Your Enthusiasm” (HBO), “Hacks” (Max), “Only Murders in the Building” (Hulu), “Palm Royale” (Apple TV+), “Reservation Dogs” (FX) and “What We Do in the Shadows” (FX). […]
‘Céline and Julie Go Boating:’ The best film of 1974
The year 1974 is often regarded as one of the greatest in film history. Many film critics and scholars highlight classic New Hollywood pictures like “Chinatown” and the Best Picture-winning “The Godfather Part II,” quintessential auteur-driven American indies such as John Cassavetes’ “A Woman Under the Influence” and Martin Scorsese’s “Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore,” […]