Tag: Viola Davis
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Black Adam (***) is just enough for The Rock
What this or the mid-credits scene does for the DCEU started by Zack Snyder is unclear. For now, you have a decent, entertaining DC film which is not terribly different than the rest of them.
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The Suicide Squad (***1/2) doesn’t dive deep
Written and Directed by James GunnStarring Margot Robbie, Idris Elba, John Cena, Joel Kinnaman, Sylvester Stallone (voice), Viola Davis, Jai Courtney, Peter Capaldi, Daniela Melchior, David Dastmalchian Idiris Elba is an actor one always looks forward to seeing. He is handsome, intelligent, incredibly well composed. His film choices often feel beneath his level of skill.…
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Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom (*****) Empty world without the blues
This is some of the best work of Boseman’s too short career, and it’s representative of what Davis does every time out.
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I Don’t Have A Vote: The 89th Annual Oscars – You are ruining Everything
My pick for the best in film this year is a lot closer to what the Academy picked this year. I can almost see it from here when there are no clouds at night. It’s somewhere behind Pluto.
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Fences (*****) is powerful, unlimited
Fences – 2016 Director Denzel Washington Screenplay August Wilson Starring Washington, Viola Davis, Stephen Henderson, Jovan Adepo, Russell Hornsby, Mykelti Williamson, Saniyya Sidney Some people build fences to keep people out, and other people build fences to keep people in. There is a bushel of truth to be gleaned from observing the lives intersecting inside of Fences. There is almost certainly as much…
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Suicide Squad (***) shall remain standing
Add up the positives, subtract the negatives and it’s an easy win for Suicide Squad. This movie, especially for Robbie and Smith’s performances, will be watchable for years. If you want to find stuff to hate about the story and film, you will have no problems doing so. If one is honest, the film is…
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Prisoners (****) exceeds the grasp of its flaws
Prisoners – 2013 Director Denis Villeneuve Starring Hugh Jackman, Jake Gyllenhaal, Viola Davis, Maria Bello, Terrence Howard, Melissa Leo, Paul Dano, Dylan Minnette Screenplay Aaron Guzikowski One could say that I am not a fan of Paul Dano or Melissa Leo. They often play detestable creatures; almost always intentionally. Many of the best parts of their films involve them losing or being hurt in some way.…
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Ender’s Game: Show Don’t Tell
Ender’s Game – 2013 Director Gavin Hood Starring Asa Butterfield, Harrison Ford, Ben Kingsley, Viola Davis, Hailee Steinfeld, Abigail Breslin Screenplay Gavin Hood based on the book Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card One cannot underestimate how badly I wanted for this venture to succeed. After the heaping of vitriol the producers of the film withstood from those who felt that the book should be punished for…
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Forgotten Gem: Elmore Leonard’s Out of Sight – Made of stars
Out of Sight – 1998 Directed by Steven Soderbergh Starring George Clooney, Jennifer Lopez, Ving Rhames, Steve Zahn, Dennis Farina, Don Cheadle, Albert Brooks, Samuel L. Jackson, Luis Guzman, Isaiah Washington, Catherine Keener, Nancy Allen, Viola Davis, Michael Keaton Screenplay by Scott Frank, based on the novel by Elmore Leonard There was a time, before I was married, when…
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Beautiful Creatures is a sterile experience
Beautiful Creatures – 2013 Written and Directed by Richard LaGravenese Starring Alden Ehrenreich, Alice Englert, Jeremy Irons, Viola Davis, Emmy Rossum, Thomas Mann, Emma Thompson Based on the book by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl First things first. I hate the accent applied by Ehrenreich. Normally bad accents don’t serve as much of a distraction, but this one…
Ebert Did It Better: Gasbag Reviews 