Category: Films

Film Review: “Death of a Unicorn”

Death of a Unicorn gallops around without a point

Everyone stares at the dead unicorn.

Undoubtedly, a lot of time and effort went into making Death of a Unicorn. There’s also little doubt that the filmmakers knew that with their film’s plot, and especially its title, their futile goal was to launch their film into immediate “cult classic” status. Everyone knows that cult films earn their “cult” status naturally and gradually. And so, unfortunately, Death of a Unicorn takes a unique premise and surrounds it with an abundance of half-baked ideas and incomplete characters. Death of a Unicorn is neither demented enough for a niche horror audience, nor entertaining enough for a mainstream audience. Perhaps the filmmakers got lost in the sauce, for what could’ve been a simple creature feature is, instead, a sloppily assembled, undisguised commentary on wealth, with a heavy-handed father-daughter subplot sprinkled in, because, why not? Continue reading “Film Review: “Death of a Unicorn””

Film Review: “The Penguin Lessons”

A charming tale with a heartwarming duo at its center

Tom (Steve Coogan) and Juan (penguin) teach Masefield.

The Penguin Lessons has all the recognizable tropes of an inspirational true-story Disney adaptation of the early 2000s; the film effectively utilizes a serious real-world backdrop but doesn’t deeply explore it, the protagonist (a teacher) recites literary passages that closely (albeit metaphorically) parallel the plot, and there’s a really cute beacon of innocence at the heart of the story – typically an animal or child, and in this case, a penguin. Based on Tom Michell’s memoir, The Penguin Lessons has enough heart and humor to elevate it above its predictive outline, and the chemistry between Steve Coogan and his absolutely adorable penguin costar(s) is worth the watch. Continue reading “Film Review: “The Penguin Lessons””

Film Review: “Black Bag”

Some fun to be had in intricate spy thriller 

George (Michael Fassbender) and Kathryn (Cate Blanchett) are a married couple with secrets.

If you decide to go see Black Bag, here’s a word of advice: see a matinee after a good night’s sleep and a large cup of coffee. You’ll need to be fully alert and engaged to follow this twisty, talky spy thriller. Whether or not you take that as a recommendation depends on your tolerance for convoluted but highly stylized, aesthetically pleasing espionage tales. Continue reading “Film Review: “Black Bag””

Film Review: “Novocaine”

Novocaine delivers a funny dose of violent shenanigans

Nate (Jack Quaid) dangles unfeelingly in “Novocaine.”

Novocaine opens with a needle drop that signifies a level of spot-on self-awareness that perfectly sets up the tone of the film, as if the filmmakers are telling us, “Hey, our film is gonna be ridiculous, melodramatic, and won’t pull any punches, so just sit back and enjoy!” Using Jack Quaid’s everyman charm and a central conceit that allows for an abundance of inventive comedic violence, Novocaine fulfills its goal of delivering preposterous hard-hitting entertainment. Continue reading “Film Review: “Novocaine””

Film Review: “On Becoming a Guinea Fowl”

Humor and tragedy converge in the brilliant and disquieting On Becoming a Guinea Fowl

Shula (Susan Chardy) wears a guinea fowl costume to begin “On Becoming a Guinea Fowl.”

With the release of On Becoming a Guinea Fowl, writer/director Rungano Nyoni’s first feature film since her 2017 indie darling, I Am Not a Witch, the Zambian born British filmmaker has once again proven her unique talent for depicting tribal traditions through a modern lens. Guinea Fowl is simultaneously tragic and comically disquieting, venturing in and out of surreality within its otherwise grounded character-driven narrative. Kudos to A24 and a few UK and European studios for producing and distributing Guinea Fowl, since the film is not an easy sell. Guinea Fowl should be seen; its tightly controlled narrative, powerful performances, and artistic risk-taking make it one of the first must-see films of the year. Continue reading “Film Review: “On Becoming a Guinea Fowl””

Film Feature: Carrie and Chad Pick the 2025 Oscars

Film critics Carrie and Chad on who will – and who should – win the 97th Academy Awards

The 97th Academy Awards air tomorrow, Sunday, March 2nd, on ABC and Hulu at 4:00 pm PST. As always, your faithful Spinning Platters film critics Carrie Kahn and Chad Liffmann share their predictions and hopes for the major categories. You can follow along and print your own ballot here. Good luck to nominees and Oscar pool participants alike!

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Film Review: “Last Breath”

Diving tale drowns in mediocrity

Chris (Finn Cole, l), Duncan (Woody Harrelson, center), and Dave (Simu Liu) prepare for a dangerous underwater assignment.

That a studio exec thought Last Breath might bring in box office dollars is curious. A documentary about the same story, with the same name, by the same filmmaker, came out in 2019. But now, some six years later, in his first feature film, writer/director Alex Parkinson presents a fictionalized version. My guess is that Parkinson wanted to try his hand at feature films, and probably felt that using a story with which he was already familiar would be an easy route into the genre. Unfortunately for us, Parkinson’s maiden attempt at dramatizing previously covered real-life material falls flat.
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Film Review: “Cleaner”

Cleaner is an unassuming Die Hard copy with B-movie energy

Daisey Ridley has a stellar view of London and the unfolding hostage crisis.

Cleaner is the type of B-movie matinee you watch while getting ready to meet friends for dinner, or a mysterious title on your streaming platform’s home page that you indifferently hit ‘play’ as you finish the NY Times crossword before heading to bed, only to find yourself having not solved a single clue ninety-five minutes later. You’ll rarely seek the film out, but you’ll welcome its breezy distraction. Cleaner is co-directed by executive producer Sébastien Raybaud (Femme) and Martin Campbell, but the latter’s surefootedness as an action director enables Cleaner to rise above its ham-fisted script. Campbell’s filmography includes iconic brand re-launches like The Mask of Zorro, Goldeneye, and Casino Royale, silly B-movie spectacles like Vertical Limit and The Foreigner, and a few cringe-y flops like Beyond Borders and The Green Lantern. Cleaner fits within the second grouping: a silly actioner with its entertainment value and narrative absurdity evenly matched. Continue reading “Film Review: “Cleaner””

Film Review: “Three Birthdays”

Three birthdays add up to one bad movie

Married couple Kate (Annie Parisse) and Rob (Josh Radnor) discuss their future.

Three Birthdays, an indie that played a few small film festivals in 2023 and 2024 is now available to stream, and that it didn’t get wider distribution is no surprise. Director Jane Weinstock and writer Nevin Schreiner seem to have taken their inspiration from The Ice Storm, Ang Lee’s 1997 award-winning tale of 1970s suburban ennui. But Three Birthdays is no Ice Storm, and its cringey premise and sophomoric script certainly don’t merit a recommendation. Continue reading “Film Review: “Three Birthdays””

Film Review: “Suze”

Canadian indie is a feel-good delight

Suze (Michaela Watkins) forms a bond with her daughter’s ex-boyfriend, Gage (Charlie Gillespie).

With the air waves dominated by the Super Bowl this weekend, you could be forgiven for not noticing a charmer of smart and sweet Canadian indie film that quietly dropped on streaming services on Friday. But with the Big Game now over, seek out Suze, a Canadian film festival gem from 2023 that’s finally available to U.S. audiences. Warm, funny, and engaging, this film deserves a spot at the top of your “must watch” list.
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