My first viewing of Jon Amiel’s (Entrapment, Copycat) Sommersby was when I was 17. I liked the story, was intrigued by the slow-unraveling mystery, and ate up the sentimentality from Richard Gere (Pretty Woman, The Mothman Prophecies) and Jodie Foster (Panic Room, The Silence of the Lambs). Had I reviewed the film in 1993, I likely would have given it an A-. As I watched the movie most recently, some 30 years later, I was impressed by how well it once again grabbed and held my interest. Much of that was trying to spot each clue that connected the start and end, which rewatches allow. However, as simple as the story was, I fell victim to Jack Summerset’s (Gere) six-year return to Laurel (Foster) following the U.S. Civil War.
Juror #2 (2024)
While watching Clint Eastwood’s (Sully, American Sniper) thrilling courtroom drama, Juror #2, my mind kept wandering back to an unnerving thought. There was a good chance that many would go without ever knowing about this film, let alone watching it. Juror #2 had a minimal theatrical run before going straight to streaming. The reason for having a theatrical run at all was to make it eligible for end-of-year awards. Eastwood is one of the greatest directors of all time. There is something about a critically acclaimed and audience-acclaimed film, such as an esteemed director not receiving a wide release, that doesn’t sit right.
Woman of the Hour (2023)
In her directorial debut, Anna Kendrick (Alice, Darling, Up in the Air) displays a knack for her work behind the camera, rivaling her ability to perform in front of it. Her insights into the powerful, disturbing, and thought-provoking film Woman of the Hour, a film about the murders committed by Rodney Alcala (Daniel Zovatto – Lady Bird, Don’t Breathe), a serial killer who appeared on a 1978 episode of “The Dating Game” in the middle of his killing spree years.
The Substance (2024)
Stimulating, combustible, nauseating, and repulsive are all perfect adjectives to describe director, writer, co-producer, and co-editor Coralie Fargeat’s (Revenge) explorative and provocative The Substance. This film doesn’t just knock on the door of critiques of the societal obsession with youth and beauty but blows off its shutters. The Substance offers no subtlety in its themes. This film is designed to make its audience feel as squeamish as the entertainment industry’s treatment of women, particularly older women. The impossible beauty standards and society’s preoccupation with youth (particularly young, attractive women) are nothing new. Fargeat meticulously brings this to the forefront and apologizes for nothing. Nor should she.
Beetlejuice (1988)
A bit of rose-tinted childhood nostalgia can evoke memories of when life felt less chaotic, and the future was full of unlimited possibilities. I remember seeing Beetlejuice with my friend Mark during sixth grade. I remember it distinctly because it was the first movie I saw in a theater without an adult present. My mom dropped us off before the movie and picked us up after. It would not be such a significant milestone today as it was then, as this was long before the Internet, let alone cell phones. We had to look up the movie times in the newspaper and guess the movie’s runtime based on when your film would start and when the movie after yours would begin. If there was an emergency or a miscommunication, you had to go to a pay phone and call your home’s landline, praying that someone at home would answer. I hadn’t thought about that day in years. With the 2024 release of Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, I decided to revisit this Tim Burton (The Nightmare Before Christmas, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory) classic. My recent rewatch of Beetlejuice in preparation for the sequel brought back that fond memory.