Freedom’s Path is a relentlessly, oppressively well-intentioned movie that struggles mightily to live up to the importance of its subject matter. William (Gerran Howell) is a Union deserter. Kitch (RJ… Continue reading "Freedom’s Path (Smith, 2023)"
The complaint that a film has no likable characters or no one that the viewer can relate to is one of those critical tropes that is irritating when someone else… Continue reading "Madeleine Collins (Barraud, 2021)"
Susie Wallis (Kiersey Clemons) is sorta like a Black Veronica Mars with braces. And if that reference now dates me, let me add that I mean it as a compliment.… Continue reading "Susie Searches (Kargman, 2022)"
There is no dearth of cultural narratives about the stultifying effects of being trapped in a small town. From Winesburg, Ohio to Footloose to Friday Night Lights, our culture is… Continue reading "A Song for Imogene (Arlee, 2023)"
I am not a formal member of the Church of Nolan, though I do think he is the most consistently ambitious commercial director working today. And I think that’s a… Continue reading "Oppenheimer (Nolan, 2023)"
I recommend Prisoner’s Daughter and rated it “fresh” on Rotten Tomatoes. That doesn’t have to be the lede of every review, but I start with it for three reasons. First,… Continue reading "Prisoner’s Daughter (Hardwicke, 2022)"
I have identified as Christian for just over forty years now, though I have never embraced any of the cultural, theological, or denominational labels that have commonly modified that category… Continue reading "The Starling Girl (Parmet, 2023)"
The Problem of the Hero is one of those smartly written, deeply engrossing films that mostly consists of two characters debating important ideas. The debate surrounds the theatrical adaptation of… Continue reading "The Problem of the Hero (Dozier, 2023)"
I did not enter the theater with high expectations for this one despite the hype. And for the first thirty minutes or so, it felt like my cynical side was… Continue reading "Mission Impossible Dead Reckoning Part One (McQuarrie, 2023)"
Rodeo is presented with an anthropological curiosity and an artistic attention to detail that almost get the film across the finish line. The attempts to embed the examination of gearheads… Continue reading "Rodeo (Quivoron, 2022)"
