Film Review: “Young Woman and the Sea”

Young Woman and the Sea joins the pantheon of Disney’s finest live-action sports dramas

In the 1990s and early 2000s, Disney’s live-action sports dramas used to be a much bigger deal at the box office and in audience’s appreciation. If you’re of a certain age, movies like Cool Runnings (1993) and Iron Will (1994) carry special meaning, and if you’re slightly younger, movies like Remember the Titans (2000), The Rookie (2002), and Miracle (2004) may carry similar weight. These movies share specific characteristics: based on true stories, the protagonists are underdogs, more than a few training montages, and surface-level commentary on socio-political topics. Disney’s latest, Young Woman and the Sea, contains all the above facets and confidently carries the torch forward for the sub-genre. Director Joachim Rønning (Maleficent: Mistress of Evil) knows how and when to deploy the emotional and feminist beats of the story, so the film never feels overly stuffed or preachy. Like the great Disney live-action sports dramas that have come before it, Young Woman and the Sea is a spirited and emotional tale that is perfect for viewers of all ages. Continue reading “Film Review: “Young Woman and the Sea””

Film Review: “Sometimes I Think About Dying”

Ridley shines in poignant character study 

Released today in the middle of what seems like unending gray Bay Area winter weather, Sometimes I Think About Dying is the perfect film to watch given our collective dreary mood. 

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Film Review: Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker

Abrams is back in command, but is that all there is? 

The gang’s all here: (from l.: Chewbacca (Joonas Suotamo), Poe (Oscar Isaac), Finn (John Boyega), and Rey (Daisy Ridley) gather aboard the Millennium Falcon.

Let me say up front that what you are reading will be a completely spoiler-free review of the new, ninth and final Star Wars movie, The Rise of Skywalker. So read on without fear. I want to be careful about revealing any of the film’s surprises, since, if you’re a fan of the franchise — especially a Gen X’er one like me — you’ve waited a long time for this finale, and you deserve to watch it fresh. Instead, I’m going to talk about feeling, because feeling is big in this film.

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Film Review: Star Wars: The Last Jedi

Ninth installment sticks to the script

A rebel X-Wing doesn't know when to call it a day
A rebel X-Wing doesn’t know when to call it a day.

“Every once in awhile I have what I think of as an out-of-the-body experience at a movie,” wrote a rapturous Roger Ebert in the summer of 1977 of Star Wars. Later that year a more skeptical Pauline Kael, writing about the same film, said, “the loudness, the smash-and-grab editing, the relentless pacing drive every idea from your head.” Never could the duality of responses to the Star Wars series of films be better predicted. They are either the greatest experiences in a movie theater since L’Arrivée d’un train en gare de La Ciotat, or the biggest waste of time since Birdemic: Shock and Terror. Continue reading “Film Review: Star Wars: The Last Jedi

MVFF39 Spotlights: The Eagle Huntress/The Architect/A Late Style of Fire: Larry Levis, American Poet/Love is Thicker Than Water/Moonlight

The 39th Mill Valley Film Festival, showcasing over 200 films from more than 50 countries, opened last Thursday evening, and runs until this Sunday, October 16th. The Festival is screening some titles already garnering Oscar buzz: Damien Chazelle’s La La Land, which opened the Festival (and will open widely this fall), the stunning Manchester by the Sea (which already received deserved acclaim back in January at its Sundance premiere), and Loving, the Jeff Nichols historical drama that closes the Fest.

With a full week to go, there is still plenty of time to head over to Marin to catch some great new films. Below we spotlight five Fest titles you may want to check out. Full schedule, tickets, and more information are available here. Continue reading “MVFF39 Spotlights: The Eagle Huntress/The Architect/A Late Style of Fire: Larry Levis, American Poet/Love is Thicker Than Water/Moonlight