Tag: Florence Pugh

Film Review: “We Live in Time”

We Live in Time rides out a thin, scattered story on the backs of its two leads

Somewhere between the time-jumping emotional cuteness of About Time and the grounded indieness of Like Crazy lives the new romantic drama We Live in Time from director John Crowley (Brooklyn). Many of the films within this genre tend to live or die according to the chemistry between their two leads. Whereas everything around the two leads – the jokes, the sub-plots, the meet-cute setups, the best friends – are truly secondary, unable to sway whether a film is considered effective. The chemistry between Florence Pugh (Little Women) and Andrew Garfield (The Social Network) in We Live in Time is the movie’s biggest strength, and raises the film’s level of emotional effectiveness. However, the secondary factors fail by comparison, leaving the film fizzling in its search for more laughs and more profound meaning within its vignette structure. Continue reading “Film Review: “We Live in Time””

Film Review: “Dune: Part Two”

Dune: Part Two is a majestic and visual masterpiece

When Denis Villeneuve first revealed that his adaptation of Dune was going to be divided into two parts (kept relatively secret for some reason until the first part’s release in 2021), the news was somewhat disappointing. Was the justification for two parts simply another studio cash grab? Would the first part contain enough story to justify its existence? The answer, as you may know, was that Dune: Part One blew away everyone’s expectations, establishing Villeneuve’s vision as unique, monumental, and cinematically astounding. The stakes were high for Dune: Part Two, since Part One was a critical and box office success and even made a push for the Best Picture Oscar (which it lost to CODA, yeesh). Now Dune: Part Two has finally arrived after a long delay due to the WGA strike last year, and it’s a masterpiece. The new film expands upon the original’s narrative scope, delivering nearly three hours of stunning visual storytelling and character arcs, placing it among the best sci-fi epics of the last fifty years, and making it perhaps one of the greatest sequels in cinema history.

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Film Review: “Oppenheimer”

Physics, war, and the father of the atomic bomb: Nolan’s biopic captivates

General Leslie Groves (Matt Damon, l.) confers with Manhattan Project scientific director J. Robert Oppenheimer (Cillian Murphy).

Prometheus stole fire from the gods and gave it to man, Greek mythology tells us, and for that he was punished for all eternity. While physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer’s fate wasn’t quite as brutal, it proves nearly as tragic, as we see in Oppenheimer, writer/director Christopher Nolan’s epic new film about the father of the atomic bomb. 

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Film Review: “A Good Person”

Pugh’s performance not enough to save overwrought addiction drama

Allison (Florence Pugh) struggles with guilt and addiction.

Writer/director Zach Braff hasn’t made a solo feature film since 2004’s Garden State (2014’s Wish I Was Here had a co-writer), so you’d think that a 19 year incubation period would be enough for him to craft something truly great. But sadly, that’s not the case: A Good Person, his newest picture, is a disappointing misfire. 

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Film Review: “Don’t Worry Darling”

Wilde should be worried: Pre-release hype overshadows mediocre picture

Alice (Florence Pugh) and Jack (Harry Styles) live an idyllic life. Or do they?

Even if you’re not one to follow celebrity gossip, no doubt you’ve seen at least a headline or two about director Olivia Wilde’s new film Don’t Worry Darling. Stories about casting, the Venice premiere, tensions between director and star, and salacious sex scenes have saturated the Internet gossip machine. All this chatter either speaks to genuine interpersonal problems among the cast, or reveals a sly and savvy PR move by Wilde, who gained notoriety when she began dating her film’s star Harry Styles after her much publicized divorce from nice guy Ted Lasso himself, Jason Sudeikis. All publicity is good publicity, as the saying goes, and all the frenzied rumors certainly have kept Wilde’s film in the spotlight. So much so that I have to admit that the constant titillating headlines worked on me: when the screening came through, I of course had to see what all the fuss was about.

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Film Feature: Carrie and Chris Pick the 2020 Oscars

Film critics Carrie and Chris on who will – and who should – win the 92nd Academy Awards

The 92nd Academy Awards air tomorrow, Sunday, February 9th, on ABC at 5:00 pm PST. Once again, Spinning Platters film critics Carrie Kahn and Chris Piper share their predictions — and hopes — for the major categories. A lot of the winners feel like locks, based on earlier award season wins, but, honestly, we’d rather have some upsets to make for an interesting show then have all our predictions come true. Fingers crossed for some liveliness!

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Film Review: Fighting With My Family

Merchant throws down with charmer of a wrestling tale  

Wrestler Saraya (Florence Pugh, center) is embraced by her supportive parents (Lena Headey and Nick Frost). 

Florence Pugh, the young British actress best known for Lady Macbeth and The Outlaw King, steps out of those historic costume drama roles and into a costume of another kind in the terrific new wrestling picture Fighting With My Family. Written and directed by British comedian Stephen Merchant (Hello Ladies; Extras) with a whole lot of heart and verve, the film is based on a true story previously chronicled in the documentary The Wrestlers: Fighting With My Family. Merchant’s fictionalized account brings a sports underdog story to life — always a risk for clichés — but does so with such earnest spirit and genuine affection that you can’t help but develop a rooting interest in the film’s indelible characters and immensely enjoy yourself along the way. Continue reading “Film Review: Fighting With My Family“

Film Review: Lady Macbeth

What’s done cannot be undone: And that’s the way she wants it

Katherine (Florence Pugh) is restless and bored as the much younger wife of a middle-aged man who shows no interest in her. 

If Lady Macbeth is remembered for anything after its initial release today, it will be for introducing the mostly unknown British actress Florence Pugh to the world. Just 19 years old when she made the film, Pugh, in the picture’s title role, is reminiscent of a young Kate Winslet, and, based on her work here, is bound to go on to an equally impressive and acclaimed career.
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