Category: action/suspense

Need For Speed and Splenda: Top Gun Maverick

I thoroughly bought in by the second half of Top Gun Maverick (directed by Joseph Kosinski), the long postponed follow-up to the 1980’s machismo cult favorite. The dramatic pauses made me giggle a bit in the first half as did the intensely serious military explanations. But not a big deal, simply like jumping into a… Continue reading Need For Speed and Splenda: Top Gun Maverick

Jumpin Jake Flash, Bay’s Ambulance, a Gas Gas Gas

If only I could get paid for this, I’d be a wealthy woman…Now that I’m back to my normal Buddhist zero expectations, I had fun watching Michael Bay’s smash up extravaganza. Credit goes to Chris Fedak who adapted the screenplay from the Dutch original, who either added or maintained the perfect balance of melodrama with… Continue reading Jumpin Jake Flash, Bay’s Ambulance, a Gas Gas Gas

Worthy Story, Too Much Fighting, All at Once

Everything Everywhere All at Once is by the writer and director team of Dan Kwan and Daniel Scheinhert (Swiss Army Man, weird flick). I had the misfortune of hearing too many hyperbolic compliments beforehand, setting it up for the inability to live up to great expectations. First, great premise: the world is f’ed up (of… Continue reading Worthy Story, Too Much Fighting, All at Once

A sweet giggle followed by a cannonball into Deep Water

I loved Deep Water. Think the whimsy can be attributed to the thrills and absurdity of real life, and how Deep Water addresses the idea of men who refuse to leave abusive relationships (the subject of a stage play I wrote two years ago called “May Divorce Be With You”–think Star Wars and you get… Continue reading A sweet giggle followed by a cannonball into Deep Water

Kimi, Come On!

Kimi’s famous director Steven Soderbergh must have not read David Koepp’s entire screenplay. If he had, he would have seen it was akin to a Lincoln Biography that end with Lincoln went to the theater, then died. Actually, no, but if I told you the ludicrous 15 minute ending of Kimi, then I’d blow my… Continue reading Kimi, Come On!

Red Rocket made me scream out loud, literally

Hopefully you’re savvy enough to get my review title’s double entendre which really did happen. I can count on one hand the number of times I’ve said something out loud in a theater. The last time was during The Lighthouse when Willem DaFoe gave such a powerful monologue that I whisper said, “Oh my God”… Continue reading Red Rocket made me scream out loud, literally

Great Case Study, Good Starter Film: The Novice

The Novice, written and directed by Lauren Hadaway, reminds me of my counseling training days. If you suped up a OCD case study from the DSM-IV, you’d have The Novice. Unfortunately, case studies are just one note wonders, they don’t round out the person’s life, nor specifically detail impacts on a person’s life. It’s simply… Continue reading Great Case Study, Good Starter Film: The Novice

Don’t Look Up But Get Down with Your Sense of Humor

Don’t Look Up written (with the help of David Sirota: Guardian Contributor Bernie’s Speech Writer 2020) and directed by Adam McKay consists of a more star studded cast than can be held in the sky reported on by scientists Leo DeCaprio and Jen Lawrence. You name him/her/they and they are also in the movie: Streep,… Continue reading Don’t Look Up But Get Down with Your Sense of Humor