Venturing into this version of the admittedly terrifying and therapeutic unknown, Is This Thing On? asks incredible and intelligent questions that actually get chewed on with civility and dignity, ignoring the urge to shout hot drops of dialogue to the rhetorical rafters solely meant to let an actor show off. The intimate immediacy of these stellar conversations lets loose stern answers and bold examinations about relationships.
Read MoreJay Kelly muses on the celebrity lifestyle without preening as a glorified vanity project solely existing to shower bouquets on George Clooney and give him a fun co-star he can shoot hoops with in between trailers on a lavish European shoot. Because of its striking amplification of the titular legend’s insecurities and the people affected by them, Baumbach’s film finds refreshing drama amid all the comedic frolic of watching a famous person navigate a little bit of the public wild to better define a work-life balance.
Read MoreSpareness and simplicity can either be a fountain of nuance and austerity or it can be a vacuum of plainness and lethargy. Filmmaker Kelly Reichardt is a celebrated torchbearer of the minimalist film movement and her newest feature, “Certain Women,” boast three strong female leads in Laura Dern, Michelle Williams, and Kristen Stewart. Despite that base of acting forte and the patronage of Todd Haynes as an executive producer, the void outweighs any wellspring.
Read MoreThe Oscar nominations for the 87th Academy Awards were announced this morning. Directors J.J. Abrams and Alfonso Cuaron mapped out the little categories and then actor Chris Pine and Academy President Cheryl Boone Isaacs drops some bombs this morning. As always, there are plenty of surprises and plenty of snubs. Through it all, the frontrunners have already emerged and this race is taking shape, so much so that I could probably name the eventual winners already today.
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