The question for each Babygirl viewer becomes how long that captivation holds between those orgasmic bookends. Even though Halina Reijn’s film boasts a nervewracking electronically-tinged musical score by Cristobal Tapia De Veer amplified by an inserted chorus of huffing-and-puffing human voices and snarling animal sounds, Babygirl is not wall-to-wall copulation. A labyrinth of conflict and kink awaits to push and pull the people of this story.
Read MoreIf everything and everyone fell into place at the same time, we wouldn’t have a rapturous movie to enjoy, meaning the patience for that chase of schedules is part of the romance genre’s whole appeal. Directed by a returning professional in the department of silver screen love, Richard LaGravense, A Family Affair understands these principles well and bends them to its will and modern sensibilities.
Read MoreSofia Coppola's film may have been lauded at the Cannes Film Festival, but The Beguiled was a bit of a miss for me, despite its rich aesthetics. Here my full review, complete with new intro music and title card, and watch an interactive whiteboard lesson of notes and fun created by the ShowMe app for iPad over on my YouTube channel and "Movie Classroom" series.
Read MoreFeelin' Film host Aaron White and I hashed out our thoughts on Sofia Coppola's The Beguiled, debuting this weekend in theaters after wowing the Cannes Film Festival last month. It hit Aaron more than it hit me, but this counts as a wickedly entertaining remake from Coppola. We try to inform you so you can decide whether this seductively complex, yet simple, film is one for you.
Read MoreThe transitive verb “beguile,” as defined by the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, means “to engage the interest of” or “lead by deception.” Hoodwink and divert are synonyms. Director Sofia Coppola’s remake of The Beguiled means to charm our corsets and britches off right in line with its title’s root definition. Methodically and dastardly, the film wishes to seduce us with a heightened intrigue of challenged sexual repression.
Read MoreIn a tonal shift from the trumpeted and showy norm of Oscar bait, “Lion” is yet another performance-driven dramatic film of 2016 entering this holiday season favoring prudence over theatrics. The feature film debut of award-winning commercial director Garth Davis, is a love letter instead of a power ballad that delivers genuine emotional heft all on its own, without the need to manufacture it for the sake of a movie.
Read MoreThe core of the dysfunctional family at the center of Jason Bateman's "The Family Fang" invokes a particular curiosity. Do weird parents raise and make weird children? Name your odd occupation and examine that question yourself. For example, what are the kids of two circus clown parents like? Do they grow up with the same sense of humor or performance? Do they relish that irregular environment because that was their preeminent example or do they rebel and long for something more typically normal?
Read MoreIn my opinion, very few actors have established themselves with their performance history to the point that their presence alone is an automatic sign of elevated quality towards an entire film. Call it "street cred" on a casual level or "artistic integrity" on a professional level, but few actors and actresses are near-guarantees for solid and award-worthy performances every time they take on a role. By my account, Academy Award winner Colin Firth has elevated to become one of those rare performers. He's outstanding in everything he takes on, comedy or drama, and the films he chooses become better with him being there.
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