Tag: biography
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Harbin: A Snowbound Requiem for Freedom and Fate
There is something about the cold—how it settles into the bones and sharpens the edges of history. *Harbin*, directed by Woo Min-ho, is a film steeped in frost and fire, a historical thriller that moves like a ghost through the corridors of time, tracing the footsteps of Korean independence fighter Ahn Jung-Geun (Hyun Bin) as…
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Queer: A Lament for Love and Loss in the Shadows
Luca Guadagnino’s *Queer*, now streaming on Max, transcends traditional storytelling to offer a poignant meditation on themes of longing, obsession, and the subtle, often painful, intricacies of unfulfilled relationships. Drawing inspiration from William S. Burroughs’ semi-autobiographical novel, the film delves into the complexities of identity and human connection, presenting them through an intimate yet unflinchingly…
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The Alto Knights: Shadows and Echoes
The criminal underworld has always been a rich source of inspiration for films. However, expectations can become a double-edged sword when two legendary figures come together. Barry Levinson’s *The Alto Knights*, featuring Robert De Niro in dual roles, offers an ambitious exploration of fraternal bonds complicated by power, greed, and betrayal. The film is suspenseful…
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I’m Still Here: A Symphony of Resilience and Love
Movie Info: Eunice Paiva investigates her husband Rubens’ disappearance while maintaining family stability. Rubens is a former PTB deputy who has gone missing. Review: Walter Salles‘ “I’m Still Here” is a poignant and lyrical exploration of love, loss, and the indomitable human spirit set against the backdrop of Brazil’s military dictatorship. The film, adapted from…
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The Fire Inside: A Heartwarming Tale of Resilience and Hope”
MOVIE INFO: THE FIRE INSIDE is the inspirational true story of Claressa Shields, arguably the greatest female boxer of all time. Claressa, a high school Junior from Flint, Michigan, aided by her tough-love coach, Jason Crutchfield, pushes past all limitations to become the first American woman to win an Olympic gold medal in boxing. But…
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Lee: A Powerful, Authentic Look at a Trailblazing War Photographer
MOVIE INFO: Lee, the directorial feature from award-winning Cinematographer Ellen Kuras, portrays a pivotal decade in the life of American war correspondent and photographer, Lee Miller (Kate Winslet). Miller’s singular talent and unbridled tenacity resulted in some of the 20th century’s most indelible images of war, including an iconic photo of Miller herself, posing defiantly…
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“A Complete Unknown: A Mythical Yet Mesmerizing Journey Through Dylan’s Early Years”
MOVIE INFO: New York, 1961. Against the backdrop of a vibrant music scene and tumultuous cultural upheaval, an enigmatic 19-year-old from Minnesota arrives with his guitar and revolutionary talent, destined to change the course of American music. He forges intimate relationships with music icons of Greenwich Village on his meteoric rise, culminating in a groundbreaking…
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Maria: A Visual Masterpiece Marred by Melodrama”
MOVIE INFO: The tumultuous, beautiful and tragic story of the life of the world’s greatest female opera singer, relived and reimagined during her final days in 1970s Paris.Content collapsed. fandango REVIEW: “Maria,” directed by Pablo Larraín, is a visually stunning yet dramatically uneven biopic about the legendary opera singer Maria Callas. Starring Angelina Jolie in…
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The Apprentice: Trump and Cohn: A Toxic Alliance
MOVIE INFO: A young Donald Trump (Sebastian Stan), eager to make his name as a hungry second son of a wealthy family in 1970s New York, comes under the spell of Roy Cohn (Jeremy Strong), the cutthroat attorney who would help create the Donald Trump we know today. Cohn sees in Trump the perfect protégé…
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“‘Saturday Night’: A Nostalgic Dive into the Chaos and Comedy of SNL’s Origins”
MOVIE INFO: At 11:30pm on October 11, 1975, a ferocious troupe of young comedians and writers changed television — and culture — forever. Directed by Jason Reitman and written by Gil Kenan & Reitman, Saturday Night is based on the true story of what happened behind the scenes in the 90 minutes leading up to…
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Wildcat: Not Seeing the True Reflection of Flannery O’Connor through her Work
MOVIE INFO: Directed and co-written by four-time Academy Award nominee Ethan Hawke, WILDCAT invites the audience to weave in and out of celebrated Southern Gothic writer Flannery O’Connor’s mind as she ponders the great questions of her writing: Can scandalous art still serve God? Does suffering precede all greatness? Can illness be a blessing? In…
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Young Woman and the Sea: Swimming through Rough and Familiar Waters
MOVIE INFO: Daisy Ridley stars as the accomplished swimmer who was born to immigrant parents in New York City in 1905. Through the steadfast support of her older sister and supportive trainers, she overcame adversity and the animosity of a patriarchal society to rise through the ranks of the Olympic swimming team and complete the…
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The Long Game : Raising the Game for Minority Equality
MOVIE INFO: In 1956, JB Peña and his wife moved to the small town of Del Rio, TX, partly for a job as a school superintendent, but mostly to fulfill JB’s dream of joining the prestigious, all-white Del Rio Country Club. So when JB is rejected on the basis of his skin color, he is…
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Back to Black: Sid and Nancy Redux
MOVIE INFO: The extraordinary story of Amy Winehouse’s early rise to fame and the making of her groundbreaking album, Back to Black. Told from Amy’s perspective and inspired by her deeply personal lyrics, the film follows the remarkable woman behind the phenomenon and the tumultuous relationship at the center of one of the most legendary…
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One Life: The Other Schindler’s List
MOVIE INFO: Based on the book If It’s Not Impossible…: The Life of Sir Nicholas Winton by Barbara Winton, ONE LIFE tells the incredible, emotional true story of Nicholas ‘Nicky’ Winton (Johnny Flynn), a young London broker who visits Prague in December 1938. In a race against time, Winton convinces Trevor Chadwick (Alex Sharp) and…
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Unfrosted: Pop Tarts Gets the Myth It Almost Desserts
MOVIE INFO: Michigan, 1964. Kellogg’s and Post, sworn cereal rivals, race to create a pastry that will change the face of breakfast forever. A tale of ambition, betrayal, sugar, and menacing milkmen, Unfrosted stars writer/director Jerry Seinfeld. REVIEW: Jerry Seinfeld on the big screen has only played the disembodied voice of an animated bee. In…
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Scoop: Catching Prince Andrew with his Pants Down
MOVIE INFO VIA ROTTEN TOMATOES: Inspired by real events, SCOOP is the inside account of the tenacious journalism that landed an earthshattering interview — Prince Andrew’s infamous BBC Newsnight appearance. From the tension of producer Sam McAlister’s high stakes negotiations with Buckingham Palace, all the way to Emily Maitlis’ jaw-dropping, forensic showdown with the Prince,…
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Shirley: Not Quite Capturing Her Multitudes
MOVIE INFO VIA ROTTEN TOMATOES: The story of the first Black congresswoman, Shirley Chisholm, and her trailblazing run for president of the United States. REVIEW: Shirley Chisholm was a mold breaking politician who challenged the standard narrative of her time and blazed a trail for every women after her. Shirley on Netflix, gives short shift…
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Bank of Dave: The Small Fry Shakes Up the Big Banks
Movie info via Rotten Tomatoes: Based on the true-life experiences of Dave Fishwick; ‘Bank of Dave’ tells the story of how a working class Burnley man and self-made millionaire fought to set up a community bank. Dave Fishwick (Rory Kinnear) sells vans in Burnley, Lancashire. Once the world’s most productive and profitable mill town, Burnley…
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Ferrari: Racing to Reclaim a Dead Soul
Movie info via Rotten Tomatoes: Ferrari is set during the summer of 1957. Behind the spectacle and danger of 1950’s Formula 1, ex-racer, Enzo Ferrari, is in crisis. Bankruptcy stalks the company he and his wife, Laura, built from nothing ten years earlier. Their tempestuous marriage struggles with the mourning for their one son. Ferrari…
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Sound of Freedom: Not exactly a QANON Clapback
Movie info via Rotten Tomatoes: Sound of Freedom, based on the incredible true story, shines a light on even the darkest of places. After rescuing a young boy from ruthless child traffickers, a federal agent learns the boy’s sister is still captive and decides to embark on a dangerous mission to save her. With time…
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Rustin: Getting to the True Heart of the March on Washington
Movie info via Rotten Tomatoes: The architect of 1963’s momentous March on Washington, Bayard Rustin was one of the greatest activists and organizers the world has ever known. He challenged authority, never apologized for who he was, what he believed, or who he desired. And he did not back down. He made history, and in…
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Priscilla: All Shook Up in Heartbreak Hotel
Movie info via IMDB: When teenage Priscilla Beaulieu meets Elvis Presley at a party, the man who is already a meteoric rock-and-roll superstar becomes someone entirely unexpected in private moments: a thrilling crush, an ally in loneliness, a vulnerable best friend. Through Priscilla’s eyes, Sofia Coppola tells the unseen side of a great American myth…
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Dumb Money: Not So Pretty Day Traders Try to Make Wall Street Look Dumb
Movie info via IMDB: Dumb Money does a good job of skewering the knowledge and experience of the Wall Street Elite. It’s a take back the power comedy with all kinds of take backs- the power of the struggling middle class mass to outsmart the rich betting on companies, essentially America, to fail. It shows…
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Cassandro: Light as Liberace, With the Punch of the Rock
Movie info via Rotten Tomatoes: Saúl Armendáriz, a gay amateur wrestler from El Paso, rises to international stardom after he creates the character Cassandro, the “Liberace of Lucha Libre.” In the process, he upends not just the macho wrestling world, but also his own life. Review: Roger Ross Williams, the director of Cassandro, a biopic…
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Dreamin’ Wild: The Fate of Second Chances
Movie info via Rotten Tomatoes: Dreamin’ Wild, the true story of love and redemption, is about what happened to singer/songwriter Donnie Emerson and his family when the album he and his brother recorded as teens was rediscovered after thirty years of obscurity and was suddenly hailed by music critics as a lost masterpiece. While the…
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Taurus: How to Not Find Musical Inspiration
Movie info via Rotten Tomatoes: A rising but troubled musician searches for the inspiration to record his next song, pushing himself deep into the void. A work of fiction that explores fame, addiction, the artistic process, and the music industry, Taurus is a soulful and universal cautionary tale. Review: The only way a musician/pop idol…
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Corsage: Tied and Undone By Odd Choices of Style.
Movie info via Rotten Tomatoes: Empress Elizabeth of Austria is idolized for her beauty and renowned for inspiring fashion trends. But in 1877, ‘Sissi’ celebrates her 40th birthday and must fight to maintain her public image by lacing her corset tighter and tighter. While Elizabeth’s role has been reduced against her wishes to purely performative,…
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Golda: Choosing Life Over Ashes
Summary via IMDB: Focuses on the intensely dramatic and high-stakes responsibilities and decisions that Golda Meir, also known as the ‘Iron Lady of Israel’ faced during the Yom Kippur War. Review: Golda, is this year’s their finest and darkest hour movie. The 1973 Yom Kippur War was that for Israel and its prime minister, Golda…
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Blackberry: The Road to the iPhone is Paved with Blackberries
Storyline via IMDB: A company that toppled global giants before succumbing to the ruthlessly competitive forces of Silicon Valley. This is not a conventional tale of modern business failure by fraud and greed. The rise and fall of BlackBerry reveals the dangerous speed at which innovators race along the information superhighway. Review: All on screen…
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Oppenheimer: I Am Destroyer of Worlds
Storyline via Rotten Tomatoes: During World War II, Lt. Gen. Leslie Groves Jr. appoints physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer to work on the top-secret Manhattan Project. Oppenheimer and a team of scientists spend years developing and designing the atomic bomb. Their work comes to fruition on July 16, 1945, as they witness the world’s first nuclear…
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Chevalier: The Cock Crows So Sweetly Off
Storyline via IMDB: An opulent historical drama, Chevalier shares the story of Joseph Bologne, a Black composer and brings to light on a brilliant Black composer and violinist whose legacy has been woefully violin virtuoso who was a part of the court of Marie Antoinette. Seeming to surmount racial barriers, Bolonge, who was bestowed with…
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Flamin Hot: Cheetos Go Grande
Storyline via IMDB: In 1966 southern California, Richard Montañez grows up as a hardworking child with a strict father and supportive grandfather. He faces challenges in his youth and later becomes involved in a life of crime. However, when his wife Judy becomes pregnant, they decide to turn their lives around. Richard struggles to find…
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The Good Nurse: Meds and Murder on the Side
Plot via IMDB: Amy, a compassionate nurse and single mother struggling with a life-threatening heart condition, is stretched to her physical and emotional limits by the hard and demanding night shifts at the ICU. But help arrives when Charlie, a thoughtful and empathetic fellow nurse, starts at her unit. While sharing long nights at the…
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“A Prayer Before Dawn” Is Pure Testosterone and Rage
A Prayer Before Dawn is a pure example of testosterone and rage filmmaking. It leaves you beaten down and shattered.