File Noah Baumbach under ‘Filmmakers I’ll Watch No Matter What’. I have been drawn to his unique body of work since his early Wes Anderson collaborations. And I have enjoyed most of the films he has directed from high-spirited indies à la “Frances Ha”, to serious-minded dramas such as “Marriage Story”, to utterly bizarre concoctions … Continue reading
Despite making striking and subversive indies, trippy star-driven science-fiction, and a massive franchise blockbuster, writer-director Rian Johnson has found his comfort zone in the cinematic world of whodunits. His 2019 film “Knives Out” was a surprise hit, as was his 2022 sequel, “Glass Onion”. Now he’s back with a third mystery, “Wake Up Dead Man”, … Continue reading
Kelly Reichardt’s latest film “The Mastermind” just might be her very best. It’s a movie that highlights the filmmaker’s most noteworthy strength, namely the hushed realism that defines her perspective. It’s also a movie that includes her most frustrating habit which is her tendency of being observational to a fault. Yet without question, her strength … Continue reading
I remember the first time I heard the catchy hook of a Neil Diamond song. It was through the 8-track tape player in my parents’s 1974 Chevrolet Malibu Classic. I was just a kid, but even I was drawn to Diamond’s distinctive baritone. While Craig Brewer’s new film “Song Sung Blue” isn’t specifically about Neil … Continue reading
Now here’s a remake none of us saw coming. Actually, calling the upcoming “Anaconda” movie a remake is a big stretch. It’s more of a meta-reboot that follows a group of amateur filmmakers and their attempt at remaking the 1997 film “Anaconda”. This action-comedy from director Tom Gormican is a spoof that doesn’t look to … Continue reading
With “Wicked: For Good”, the deconstruction of L. Frank Baum’s classic 1900 children’s novel (“The Wonderful Wizard of Oz”) and its 1939 film adaptation mercifully comes to an end. Beginning with 2024’s smash-hit “Wicked”, this big-budgeted two-parter from director Jon M. Chu is based on Stephen Schwartz’s 2003 stage musical, which itself was loosely based … Continue reading
Keith & the Movies 