Tag: Olivia Colman

Film Review: “The Roses”

This Roses has jokes, but no thorns.

Theo (Benedict Cumberbatch) and Ivy (Olivia Colman) share a happy moment in ‘The Roses’

Comedies are making a noisy return to theaters this year! With One of Them Days, The Naked Gun, and Freakier Friday successfully attracting audiences, and Spinal Tap II and Good Fortune waiting in the wings, 2025 could be a turning point for the comedy genre’s decade-long theatrical absence. The Roses aims to continue the trend. The Roses comes from director Jay Roach (Austin Powers; Meet the Parents) and is based on the novel The War of the Roses by Warren Adler and the subsequent 1989 film adaptation starring Michael Douglas and Kathleen Turner. In a plea for wider audience approval, The Roses has declawed the source material in favor of a softer, mostly harmless black comedy. If not for the winning duo at its center, The Roses would wilt under the strains of its vignette-styled antics, but fortunately has the chemistry and enough laughs to withstand its structural shortcomings. Continue reading “Film Review: “The Roses””

Film Review: “Wicked Little Letters”

Buckley, Colman shine in sharply observant period mystery

Rose (Jessie Buckley, l.) defends herself against Edith’s (Olivia Colman) accusations.

Based on a true story, Wicked Little Letters is a charming period piece that reunites the terrific actresses Jessie Buckley and Olivia Colman, both of whom played the same character at different ages in 2021’s The Lost Daughter. While they share no scenes in that film, their new movie provides a welcome vehicle for showcasing their spirited chemistry.

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Film Review: “Wonka”

Chalamet charms as young Willy Wonka

Amiable Willy Wonka (Timothée Chalamet) dreams of opening his own chocolate shop.

In 2018, writer/director Paul King’s Paddington 2 earned the coveted number one spot on my Top 10 list. After a few years working in television, King has returned to the big screen with his Paddington 2 co-writer Simon Farnaby to bring us Wonka. The picture is a similarly delightful and warmhearted holiday treat.

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Film Review: “Empire of Light”

Bright spots transcend cliched moments in new Mendes picture  

Hilary (Olivia Colman) works the ticket booth at the Empire Cinema. 

Hollywood loves to make movies about itself. My last review was on The Fablemans, a movie about the magic of movies. This review is about Empire of Light, a movie about the healing power of movies. And my next review will be about Babylon, a movie about, you guessed it, the good and bad of the movie industry. If Hollywood wants to get folks back into theaters, maybe making a bunch of narcissistic films about itself isn’t the best way, but nevertheless, here we are, with three releases within a month that basically say, “Movies are awesome! Go to the movies!!” This week’s offering makes its case mightily, and somewhat succeeds in spite of the pervasive layer of schmaltz that covers the picture.

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Film Feature: Carrie’s Top 10 Films of 2021

After having to watch the bulk of our films from our living rooms in 2020, the slow but sure return to cinemas in 2021 was more than welcome. And the year rewarded us with many Top 10 list worthy contenders. I’ve narrowed mine down to the list below. You can also check out fellow film writer Chris Piper’s list here, as well as my 2020 list here. Now stop reading lists, and go seek these out! 

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Film Feature: Carrie and Chris Pick the 2019 Oscars

Film critics Carrie and Chris on who will – and who should – win the 91st Academy Awards

The 91st Academy Awards air this Sunday, February 24th, on ABC at 5:00 pm PST (with the requisite pre-show fashion assessments starting hours before). As they did last year, Spinning Platters film critics Carrie Kahn and Chris Piper share their predictions – and hopes – for the major categories.  Guild awards – often harbingers of Oscars to come – have been all over the map this year, so there may actually be some genuine surprises. Tune in on Sunday to see how things play out, and to find out if we correctly read the minds of Academy voters.

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