Back in 2015, every element of the first Sicario was perfect. That murderous tale about the drug wars on the USA/Mexico border was impeccably orchestrated, even including the timing of its release. Emily Blunt played honorable FBI agent Kate Macer who sought to bring down a drug cartel that killed members of her unit. […]
Lions and tiger and bears, oh my. Tyrannosaurus, velociraptors and brachiosaurus—run for your lives. The cloned dinosaurs from the theme park Jurassic World are in trouble on the volcanic isle of Isla Nublar, which is erupting, spewing hot lava and emitting a deadly ash cloud. If they aren’t rescued, they will die. That’s the premise […]
If mood were an actor, it would get top billing in this poignant ode to veterans of the Iraq war who suffer from PTSD. The feeling of sadness that prevails is even stronger than the solid performances by Alden Ehrenreich (Solo: A Star Wars Story), Tye Sheridan (Mud, X-Men: Apocalypse), Jennifer Aniston (Horrible Bosses), Jack […]
The 26thAnnual Capital Jazz Festival beckoned thousands of music lovers to the Merriweather Post Pavilion in downtown Columbia, Maryland. Since 1993, it’s become a tradition that has several givens: 1.) Stellar musical lineups. 2.) African American adults gather for the artists and the camaraderie with elaborate picnics, tents and tailgating—without the cars. 3.) Iffy weather […]
Two things hit you over the head once this 2hr 15m Star Wars edition finishes: 1.) It’s cool that it coyly pulls together characters, in their younger selves, that will know each other in the future. 2.) Given so much goodwill and creative capital, why did the filmmakers squander the moment with a weak script, dull […]
In the pantheon of comic book hero movies, Deadpool set itself apart from the herd. It was ultra-violent, pansexual, hysterical, unapologetically sarcastic, frenetic and broke the 4thwall down with a sledgehammer. The deeply droll and irreverent Canadian actor Ryan Reynolds played the vomit-faced superhero. The script by Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick took audiences down a […]
The very creative Jean-MichelBasquiat died at age 27 in 1988. His legend as an urban artist, clothing designer, painter and musician are on view in this informative and perfectly rendered (director/writer Sara Driver) retelling of his formative teenage years. Rapper/entrepreneur Fab 5 Freddy, graffiti artist Lee Quiñones (star of the classic hip-hop movie Wild […]
The 17thannual Tribeca Film Festival provided an urban showcase for 96 feature films. The fest’s documentaries outshined the narrative and international features, while a host of TV shows, shorts, tech seminars, immersive experiences and special events also filled out the programming. Black films, filmmakers, actors and artists basked in the glow of a […]