Why do Americans worship at the altar of the tortured genius? “The Queen’s Gambit,” written and directed by Scott Frank and released last October, answers this question and more in a strikingly gripping fashion. Perhaps we demand an explanation — or better yet a sacrifice — for greatness, ...
On Feb. 25, 1964, the budding Cassius Clay (Eli Goree) defeated Sonny Liston to earn the title of heavyweight boxing champion in an upset victory. After Clay’s astounding win, NFL star fullback Jim Brown (Aldis Hodge) envisioned that the two would go to a luxury hotel to celebrate the victory with ...
It feels like there are more movies about New York City than there are inhabitants. It seems there is no subject (save love) that has been discussed in media as much as Manhattan. Still, Martin Scorsese, a native New Yorker and director of many New York films, can’t seem to get enough. In his new ...
Film journalists and movie buffs alike buzzed with anticipation when news arrived announcing that Robert Zemeckis, director of “Back to the Future” and “Who Framed Roger Rabbit,” was slated to adapt the 1983 classic story, Roald Dahl’s “The Witches.” No doubt all those excited to watch ...
Python. Rum-soaked ham. The ratatouille from Ratatouille. Prison sauce. Bison. “Pizza Crepe Taco Pancake Chili Bag.” Dessert pasta. Julia Child’s beef bourguignon. Acorn cookies. Broiled Cornish game hen sandwich. And, of course, sourdough. Binging with Babish — recently rebranded to Babish ...
Brightly lit bakeries, mouth-watering mooncakes and felicitous festivities mark the beginning of Netflix’s latest animated feature, “Over the Moon.” Directed by legendary Disney animator Glen Keane, who worked on renowned animations including “Aladdin,” “Beauty and the Beast” and “The ...
A shattered mirror of sounds materializes in experimental composer and musician Oneohtrix Point Never’s ninth studio-length album, “Magic Oneohtrix Point Never.” The sonic self-portrait coalesces in a series of 17 tracks — vignettes that are collaged into a pillowy collection that oscillates ...
On Oct. 30, renowned singer-songwriter Ariana Grande released her sixth studio album “positions.” Her usual fast-paced rhythms have been swapped out for steadier beats and more explicit lyrics, but the album falls short of wowing fans with truly smashing hits. This 14-song collection of more ...
For those who have three backup plans to vote, for those who phonebank every weekend and for those who are tracking Iowan statehouse races, political disengagement is a luxury in which they can’t indulge. For podcasters Dasha Nekrasova and Anna Khachiyan, making a mockery of any genuine commitment ...
Though director Ben Wheatley claims to offer a new interpretation of a well-loved classic, his version of “Rebecca” pales in comparison not only to the story’s 1938 source material but also to the famous Alfred Hitchcock film adaptation from 1940. “Rebecca,” based on Daphne du Maurier’s ...
The Ivy Film Festival welcomed renowned writer and director Aaron Sorkin and acclaimed actor Jeremy Strong for a conversation on their latest film “The Trial of the Chicago 7” on the evening of Oct. 21. The historical courtroom drama is based on the infamous 1969 trial. Abbie Hoffman, Jerry Rubin, ...
French confections, frilly outfits from 2016 Pinterest boards and a naïve millennial American are the centerpiece of the new bingeable Netflix series “Emily in Paris.” The new MTV-produced, Netflix-streamed show was released Oct. 2 and stars Lily Collins as the eponymous Emily: an American entry-level ...
The latest drama-comedy ‘On the Rocks’ reunites writer-director Sofia Coppola and actor Bill Murray, as he takes on the role of Felix, a seasoned debauchee and wealthy art dealer. Rashida Jones joins Murray as Felix’s daughter Laura, a writer troubled by the disinterest of her husband Dean (Marlon ...
During the COVID-19 pandemic, podcasting has managed to provide a sort of creative emulation of social experience. The disruptive, isolating public health crisis has been the source of inspiration for many artists, musicians and authors. In particular, podcasters have been able to exceptionally produce ...
South Korean girl group Blackpink finally released their first, full-length studio album Oct. 2, simply called “The Album.” To the devoted fans of Blackpink, collectively known as Blinks, this is a moment of mind-boggling significance. Over a span of four years since their 2016 debut, the quartet ...
“Nothing vast enters the life of mortals without a curse.” Director Jeff Orlowski opens his documentary, “The Social Dilemma,” with this ominous quote from Sophocles, reminding audiences of the downside of powerful social media tools. He establishes a critical tone from the onset of the film. ...
In Disney’s 2020 attempt to resuscitate the 1998 animated film, much of the nostalgic charm of the original “Mulan” is deadened for the sake of aesthetic value and purported maturation — not to mention political controversy beyond the screen. Rather than pay homage to the playful, accessible ...
“Boys State,” directed by filmmakers Jesse Moss and Amanda McBaine, swept 2020 festival circuits and won the U.S. Documentary Competition Grand Jury plerize at the Sundance Film Festival. The documentary was critically acclaimed for its analogizing of grand-scale American politics in American Legion’s ...
Morale is low in the entertainment industry. With Disney’s live-action adaptation of the 1988 animated classic Mulan all-but-abandoned on streaming services and the forthcoming Bond film delayed for months, the COVID-19 pandemic has sunk the film industry to new lows. But, in an attempt to curb continued ...
Among the many apocalyptic films introduced in the wake of COVID-19, writer-director Cho Il attempted to deliver an alternate perspective on the usual action-packed zombie survival category with his debut film, “#Alive.” But while at first the film seems promising, it eventually fails to escape ...
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