Film Review: “Twisters”

Powell’s charm almost saves lackluster Twister follow up 

Kate (Daisy Edgar-Jones), Tyler (Glen Powell, middle) and Javi (Anthony Ramos) survey the weather.

Director Lee Isaac Chung, who garnered well deserved attention and a Best Director Oscar nomination for his affecting indie family drama Minari back in 2020, tries his hand at a big summer blockbuster with Twisters, a sequel of sorts to Twister, the box-office success that opened way back in 1996. Lee should stick to indie fare. Twisters is at best a serviceable piece of entertainment, and, at worst, an uninspired and unimaginative virtual reboot of the original.

Continue reading “Film Review: “Twisters””

Film Review: Hidden Figures

Hidden figures brought to light in inspiring new film

Katherine (Taraji P. Henson) performs a calculation that will help NASA successfully launch manned capsules into space.

2016 hasn’t exactly been a stellar year in a lot of ways, but in terms of film, it’s been an exceptional year for girl power movies. This is a year in which we saw a brave 13-year-old stand strong against centuries of male-dominated tradition in The Eagle Huntress, a 14-year-old chess prodigy overcome tremendous odds in Queen of Katwe, and now, in Theodore Melfi’s new film Hidden Figures, we witness a trio of African-American women contribute to national success despite facing rampant and demoralizing sexism and racism in the segregated south of the early 1960s. There has never been a better time to be inspired at the movies.
Continue reading “Film Review: Hidden Figures