Top Films by Year
Top Films of 2020
Top Films of 2017
Top Films of 2015
Inside – 3
Willem Dafoe couldn’t leave because he was locked inside a billionaire architect’s apartment after an art theft went awry, but what was my excuse? The film’s premise discouraged any hope of a happy or good ending, but surely something interesting would happen? It turned out to be nothing more than a Greek/Belgian/German art-house production that, […]
Oscar Short Docs
In anticipation of tomorrow’s awards show I watched the five nominated Documentary Shorts and rate them as follows: The Martha Mitchell Effect. The only traditional historical documentary in the field, this was a refreshing recapitulation of the time the Attorney General’s wife captured the spotlight for herself, by speaking out to the press, calling Nixon […]
Emily – 6
If swelling music, period bonnets and close-ups of Emma Mackey’s eyes are your thing, this movie is for you. The story, a fabricated version of Emily Bronte’s life, contains no surprises or clues as to her artistry, but it’s pleasant enough to go back in time to the English countryside. Although Emma Mackey was attractive […]
SBIFF – 7.5
Because few of these, if any, will make it to my local theater, I will quickly summarize my reactions to nine movies I saw at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival. (I accord The Quiet Girl and To Leslie their own reviews because of their respective Oscar nominations.) Dr. Anthony Fauci – 6. A charming guy, […]
To Leslie – 7.5
An acting tour de force from Andrea Riseborough, who inhabits this down-and-out but deviously charming alcoholic named Leslie. Just when you think you can’t watch her another minute, the story turns and we end up with tears in our eyes. The plot, above all the ending, doesn’t withstand much scrutiny; but you want to go […]