Film

SANTA MONICA—Let get ready for awards season, because the 34th Annual Spirit Awards revealed its nominees for 2019 on November 16 with the film “We the Animals” earned a total of 5 nominations including Best Feature. Other films picking up multiple nominations included “Eighth Grade,” “You Were Never Really Here” and “First Reformed,” which each earned 4 nominations apiece. Vying...

HOLLYWOOD—I argued last week, that the weekend before Thanksgiving would be a big one at the box-office and was I ever so right. Why? With four new releases and prior flicks all vying for moviegoers and their attention, it was a sequel to a wizardry tale that would be victorious. “Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald” had a magical...

HOLLYWOOD—Like many of you I don’t have a vast amount of knowledge about the rock band Queen, so understand my delight for a film like “Bohemian Rhapsody.” Not only is this a movie that chronicles the rise of Queen and one of its front-man Freddie Mercury portrayed phenomenally by Rami Malek. Malek is a revelation in the role of...

HOLLYWOOD—There is no better feeling than entering a movie with no expectations whatsoever, but to leave the theater thoroughly entertained beyond your expectations. That is precisely how I felt about the action-thriller, “Hunter Killer.” It was a movie that received very little publicity with the likes of “A Star is Born,” “Venom” and “Halloween” dominating TV spots and advertisements...

HOLLYWOOD HILLS—Marvel Comics creator Stan Lee died on Monday, November 12 at the age of 95. TMZ reported that Lee’s daughter J.C. indicated that her father was rushed to Cedars-Sinai after a medical emergency earlier in the day where he later died. The Marvel comic book legend announced earlier in the year that he was battling pneumonia. Lee was born...

HOLLYWOOD—It was fun while it lasted. There is a new victor at the box-office this weekend, as “Bohemian Rhapsody” was dethroned from the top spot by a green, evil little fiend. The latest remake of the Dr. Seuss classic, “The Grinch,” this time an animated version with Benedict Cumberbatch as the voice of the iconic character catapulted to the...

HOLLYWOOD—I would be lying if I told you I did not have some apprehension about seeing the movie “The Hate U Give.” I presumed that it would be that film that I’ve already seen a hundred times over dealing with the crisis of African-Americans (particularly men) being fatally shot by white police officers. However, George Tillman Jr.’s take on...

HOLLYWOOD—When it comes to crafting a mystery/thriller it’s important to have all the right elements: interesting characters, a fun narrative and twists along the way. The movie “Bad Times at the El Royale” has most of those elements, but they don’t all mesh in sync to deliver the type of movie that you expect. The movie has a stellar...

HOLLYWOOD—Well after two weeks of scaring audience’s senseless, Michael Myers and “Halloween” were finally dethroned for the top spot at the box-office. The music-infused biopic “Bohemian Rhapsody” chronicling the rise of Queen and its front-man Freddie Mercury won over audiences. “Bohemian Rhapsody” surprised the box-office with an impressive $51 million during its opening weekend. Big surprise, as I expected...

HOLLYWOOD—For those thinking that the biopic about astronaut Neil Armstrong would be something dazzling with Oscar-winner Damian Chazelle behind the camera and Ryan Gosling in the starring role, think again. “First Man,” while a triumph in some aspects is not the dramatic after punch expected. Don’t expect “Whiplash” or even “La La Land” standards. This is a drama at its...