Year: 2022

“Everything Everywhere All at Once” (2022). Cast: Michelle Yeoh, Jamie Lee Curtis, Stephanie Hsu, Ke Huy Quan, James Hong, Jenny Slate, Tallie Medel, Brian Le, Andy Le. Directors: Dan Kwan and Daniel Scheinert (the “Daniels”). Screenplay: Dan Kwan and Daniel Scheinert (the “Daniels”). Web site. Trailer. How well do “you” (sometimes called “the localized you,” the version of ourselves with which the majority of us are most familiar) know the totality of your true self? Chances are most of us aren’t even aware of the existence of any of the other parts of ourselves, let alone any of the particulars about them. But those well versed in metaphysical circles have a good sense about our innate multidimensionality and what that can do for us (as well as those other parts of ourselves). Some of this might sound somewhat cryptic, but making audiences aware of this phenomenon is what the new manic comedy-drama “Everything Everywhere All at Once” is all about. When Evelyn Wang (Michelle Yeoh), the beleaguered owner of a laundromat, is simultaneously beset by an array of issues, it seems, like the movie’s title implies, that everything is hitting her all at once. For starters, there’s her milquetoast husband, ...

“Servants” (“Sluzobnici”) (2020 production, 2022 release). Cast: Samuel Skyva, Samuel Polakovic, Milan Mikulčík, Vladimír Strnisko, Vladimír Obsil, Vlad Ivanov. Director: Ivan Ostrochovský. Screenplay: Rebecca Lenkiewicz, Marek Lescák and Ivan Ostrochovský. Web site. Trailer. In a world where it’s become all too easy to make compromises for the sake of personal considerations to the detriment of people, practices and principles, it’s become almost unfathomable that there are still individuals out there who are ready and willing to stick to their guns. Their intentions, methods and actions may not always be obvious, but the underlying beliefs and motivations are nevertheless solidly and undeniably in place. Implementing initiatives based on those values might not always be easy, especially when under extreme pressure from those who have conflicting agendas and who wield the power to prevent those efforts from bearing fruit, but it doesn’t stop those committed souls from trying. Such are the dynamics in place in what is supposed to be a sacrosanct environment that’s being threatened by the dictates of a repressive authoritarian state in the new historical drama, “Servants” (“Sluzobnici”). Life behind the Iron Curtain in 1980 was a stunningly bleak existence. Finding ways to be at peace, let alone happy ...

“Cyrano” (2021). Cast: Peter Dinklage, Haley Bennett, Kelvin Harrison Jr., Ben Mendelsohn, Monica Dolan, Bashir Salahuddin, Joshua James, Anjana Vasan, Ruth Sheen, Mark Benton, Peter Wight. Director: Joe Wright. Screenplay: Erica Schmidt. Plays: Erica Schmidt, Cyrano (2018), and Edmond Rostand, Cyrano de Bergerac (1897). Web site. Trailer. Trite as it may sound, love is like food, something we need to live. It nourishes and sustains us, and it often makes life worth living. So, when we end up going without it, we generally feel starved. But what’s even worse is when we can see what we’re missing but unable to attain it, not unlike the ever-elusive unobtainable sustenance that tormented Sisyphus throughout eternity. Sentiments not unlike that provide the basis for a new take on a timeless classic, the musical adaptation of the stage favorite, “Cyrano.” To love from afar is one of the most stirring scenarios in the world of romance. Unfortunately, it’s also one of most tragic. Such is the lot of 17th Century French swordsman and poet Cyrano de Bergerac (Peter Dinklage), who relentlessly swoons over his childhood friend, the fair Roxanne (Haley Bennett), pining away for her in woeful silence. Despite his great wisdom, his accomplished ...

Tune in for the latest Cinema Scribe segment on Bring Me 2 Life Radio, beginning Tuesday, April 12, available by clicking here. You can also catch it later on demand on Spreaker, Spotify, Apple, iHeartRadio, Google Podcasts, Castbox, Deezer, Podchaser and Jiosaavn ...

I’m thrilled to announce that my Oscar prediction scorecard this year came up perfectly! This is the first time in a number of years where that has been the case, but I’m thankful that I finally got everything right (even if I didn’t completely agree with the results). Here are the details: Best Picture The Field: “Belfast,” “CODA,” “Don’t Look Up,” “Drive My Car” (“Doraibu mai kâ”), “Dune,” “King Richard,” “Licorice Pizza,” “Nightmare Alley,” “The Power of the Dog,” “West Side Story” Projected Winner: “CODA” Actual Winner: “CODA” Result: Correct call The “CODA” juggernaut – which had been gaining strength ever since the film’s win for best ensemble cast at the Screen Actors Guild Award ceremony several weeks ago – reached its goal on Oscar night, crossing the finish line ahead of onetime-favorite “The Power of the Dog.” In many ways, this is a classic example of the Hollywood success story, the underdog “little movie that could” saga about a film that managed to rise to the top with the kind of heart-tugging uplifting message that Tinsel Town likes to beam a big, broad, self-satisfied smile about. Its run for the top award couldn’t have been more perfectly timed, either, ...

Join new guest host Ishita Sharma and yours truly for the second helping of a double dose of movie review shows on The Good Media Network’s Frankiesense & More video podcast in March! The first, on Thursday March 3, featured reviews of five new movies, and the second, on Saturday March 26, includes four new movie reviews and predictions for the Oscars in the top six categories. Tune in on Facebook by clicking here or YouTube by clicking here for all the fun and lively discussion! ...