 Rating 4 out of 5 starsGenre: Drama, Romance
Run Time: 1 hour, 35 minutes, Rated R Starring: Charlotte Rampling, Tom Courtenay, Geraldine James Based on the short story by David Constantine Written & Directed by Andrew Haigh (Weekend, Greek Pete) Soon-to-be 70-year-old actress Charlotte Rampling has been around for six decades, and in the touching drama 45 Years (opening today), she finally has a role she can sink her teeth into. Of course, she's had a lot to chew on lately with that foot in her mouth, following some controversial statements she made in regards to the lack of diversity at this year's Academy Awards. The Academy of course, should be under fire for a second straight year of having no persons of color nominated for any of the major awards. But despite her recent comments, the Academy got one thing right in nominating Rampling for Best Actress. She definitely deserves accolades for her deeply powerful, subtle performance in 45 Years.
0 Comments
 Rating: 2 out of 5 starsGenre: Adventure, Drama, Thriller Run Time: 2 hours, 36 minutes, Rated R Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Tom Hardy, Domhnall Gleeson, Will Poulter, Forrest Goodluck Co-Written & Directed by Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu (Birdman, Biutiful, Babel, 21 Grams) How do you suck the life, all meaning and purpose, out of a tragedy that is still fresh in the minds of the American public? Apparently the answer to that question is to hire Michael Bay to direct a film adaptation of it. 13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi (opening today), is the "true story" of the raid on the U.S. Embassy in Benghazi, Libya, that claimed the life of U.S. Ambassador J. Christopher Stevens back in 2012. It doesn't feel like three years have passed since that horrific event, mostly because it is still lingering in the news surrounding Hillary Clinton's role in the event. Bay manages to create a film that fits perfectly into his canon of mostly hollow, meaningless action movies that he has become known for over his long, commercially-successful career.  Rating: 5 out of 5 starsGenre: Animation, Comedy, Drama Run Time: 1 hours, 30 minutes, Rated R Starring (voices of): David Thewlis, Tom Noonan, Jennifer Jason Leigh Written by Charlie Kaufman (Being John Malkovich, Adaptation, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Synecdoche, New York) Co-Directed by Charlie Kaufman and Duke Johnson Anyone familiar with the work of writer/director Charlie Kaufman would expect nothing less than Anomalisa (opening today). It's a quirky, mesmerizing exploration of a man trapped under the weight of his mundane life. This is clearly an adult-only film (no kids whatsoever, trust me), making its unique stop-motion animation style even more unnerving to watch. Stealing from its poster, Anomalisa is one of the most "human" films of the year, despite the fact that it stars only puppets. It requires a second-viewing to take the film in wholly, because just seeing it once may be a disservice to the complex issues it tackles. And while it didn't crack my Top 10 List of 2015, it was damn close.  Rating: 4 out of 5 starsRating: 4 out of 5 stars
Local Detroit film-maker Mike Rott has crafted a very insightful documentary, spotlighting a real American hero. The film is called "Luft Gangster: Memoirs of a Second Class Hero," and is the story of the now 94-year-old Lt. Colonel Alexander Jefferson, a Detroit-native, who fought and flew for the highly-coveted Tuskegee Airmen in World War II. This documentary excels not only in creating a lasting tribute to a worthy subject, but in putting his plight in proper context as to the racial and social climate of the times. Of course, many of us have heard or are familiar with the Tuskegee Airmen, the all-African-American military pilots who were racially segregated during WWII. Many of us have also seen the recent Hollywood film, Red Tails, which gave us the story of the Tuskegee Airmen. Hilariously in Luft Gangster, when making a speech to a roomful of students gathered in his honor, Lt. Col. Jefferson tells them about Red Tails that "nothing in it is true" and that it is "pure Hollywood." This line immediately peaks our interest and gets us involved in the real history of the Airmen.  Rating: 2 out of 5 starsGenre: Adventure, Drama, Thriller
Run Time: 2 hours, 36 minutes, Rated R Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Tom Hardy, Domhnall Gleeson, Will Poulter, Forrest Goodluck Co-Written & Directed by Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu (Birdman, Biutiful, Babel, 21 Grams) It is exciting that Leonardo DiCaprio is finally generating serious Best Actor buzz at the upcoming Academy Awards for his role in The Revenant (opening today). DiCaprio is undeniably one of our more prestigious film actors, having giving us several profound, memorable performances over the past several decades, despite never winning an Oscar (he was nominated three times for Best Actor - The Wolf of Wall Street, Blood Diamond and The Aviator - while being nominated once for Supporting Actor in What's Eating Gilbert Grape). He is as A-list as you can get, and with such a prolific filmography, he definitely is deserving of Hollywood's top acting prize. And if he does score himself some Oscar gold this February, kudos to him. It's just too bad that he would be getting it for what has got to be his most superficial, one-dimensional performance in his well-established career. |
Looking for a specific movie or review?
Search Below: Categories
All
Archives
July 2024
|
tom santilli movie reviews
Tom Santilli is a professional film critic, TV personality, host and
the Executive Producer of Movie Show Plus.
He also is the featured film critic appearing on WXYZ Channel 7 Action News in Detroit,
and appeared weekly on FOX-2 in Detroit from 2016-2020.
Feel free to use the "search" below to find your favorite titles.
TOM'S GRADING SCALE:
B- and above: Thumbs Up
C+ or below: Thumbs Down
RSS Feed
Currently Airing:Check Local Listings
|
For more information on Movie Show Plus, Email: |