Category: drama based on a true story

Certainly Never Fade Away: The Buddy Holly Story

Similarly to when I’d see my son get standing ovations at SUNY Geneseo, my Burns Court experience last night provoked me to turn around and think, “Why the heck aren’t there even more people here to witness this marvel?” Not only is the film The Buddy Holly Story a super quality film (tightly written by… Continue reading Certainly Never Fade Away: The Buddy Holly Story

Argentina, 1985: If Movie Awards were Sports Contests

Perhaps we should have an alternative to the Oscars, where movies with heart and morality get awarded. I wish that for Argentina, 1985. Argentina, 1985, directed by Santiago Mitre, which he co-wrote with Mariano Llinas and Martin Mauregui, possesses so much quality that I overcame my weariness over courtroom dramas and could get over the… Continue reading Argentina, 1985: If Movie Awards were Sports Contests

Call Jane Makes 2022 Look Almost Utopian

I sometimes lament our 2022 technology obsessed culture, but 1968, to borrow a phrase from a former colleague of mine, was no Swiss picnic. Racial strife and the constrictive gender roles look so dystopian and are the key topics of Call Jane, Phyllis Nagy’s first feature film. The screenwriters Hayley Schore and Roshan Sheti need… Continue reading Call Jane Makes 2022 Look Almost Utopian

Worth: Michael Keaton’s penultimate performance

Hopefully by now, you know I won’t steer you wrong. So trust me when I say, Worth is not only a superbly written film, it raises Michael Keaton to the Jimmy Stewart and Tom Hanks echelon. I’m from Upstate New York, but because I was a Guidance Counselor when 9/11 occurred, my job that day… Continue reading Worth: Michael Keaton’s penultimate performance

Crime Story, How Great Actors Can Save a Film

Clunky is the best word to describe Crime Story and despite its 17% Rotten Tomatoes, the two leads Mira Sorvino and Richard Dreyfuss are such beautiful actors (inside and out) that you’ll follow them anywhere. I did my due diligence to see what’s true about Crime Story (the first title card says ‘based on true… Continue reading Crime Story, How Great Actors Can Save a Film

Swan Song, hopefully just an opening act

Udo Kier, star of Swan Song is a wonder. He’s been around and while and ashamedly I haven’t seen any of the highly acclaimed recent work he’s done: Bacurau and The Painted Bird, but I’m sure I’ve seen him in one of the many Von Trier movies. But I’ve now redeemed myself by being one… Continue reading Swan Song, hopefully just an opening act

Zola: O Ma!

Zola written and directed by Janicza Bravo (creator of past films like Lemon which starred her husband the fabulous Brett Gelman) proves that the wife in this case may eclipse her spouse. Meaning, Zola is original, memorable and upsetting which are all hallmarks of an important film. Sex trafficking is an important issue, but not… Continue reading Zola: O Ma!

Percy Vs. Goliath: part of a new Medicare Movie Cycle

Much what Billy Crystal’s “Happy Now” tried to do for dementia, Christopher Walken attempts to do in exposing agrochemical evils in “Percy Vs. Goliath”. While the former tried to humanize and add comedic nuances, Christoher’s screenwriters, Garfield Lindsay Miller (please pick some initials) and Hilary Pryor went for straight on courtroom and farmland saga. Fortunately,… Continue reading Percy Vs. Goliath: part of a new Medicare Movie Cycle

City of Lies, in this film: LA, but applicable to many

I wish I had one of those wrong answer sound effects I could add to this blog as I point out the untruths in Jeannette Catsoulis’s NYT review of City of Lies. Wrong answer buzzer one: ‘the latest attempt to monetize the unsolved 1990’s murder of Christopher Wallace”? Really Jeannette? You think Brad Furman actually… Continue reading City of Lies, in this film: LA, but applicable to many