Review: "If Beale Street Could Talk" Finds Power in Compassion

Scene from If Beale Street Could Talk

The world can be an awful place and it is only nature to retaliate with animosity in your heart. However, there's something even more compelling about the films of director Barry Jenkins. As a man of compassion, he has taken to exploring a more tender side of African American culture. It's something that seems revolutionary by virtue of simply depicting a group whose cultural relevance has only been to radical protesters or submissive in a way that is, for a lack of a better word, human. With If Beale Street Could Talk, he adapts James Baldwin's novel into a tale of love that doesn't ignore the violence but instead finds optimism around it. There's no rioting in the streets. It's a tale of being grateful for the love in your life even as the world knocks you down. It may not be the most inventive story, but what Jenkins has done is provide a warm optimism to guide audiences in a time where cynicism runs rampant, and that's all that's really necessary.

A24 A-to-Z: #59. "The Disaster Artist" (2017)

Scene from The Disaster Artist

vIn case you didn't know, A24 is one of the great purveyors of modern cinema. Since 2013, the studio has found a way to innovate independent cinema by turning each release into an event. As a result, A24 A-to-Z will be an ongoing series that looks at every release from the studio by analyzing its production history, release, criticisms, and any awards attention that it might've received. Join me on a quest to explore the modern heroes of cinema by exploring every hit and miss that comes with that magnificent logo. They may not all be great, but they more than make A24 what it is and what it will hopefully continue to be for ears to come.

The First Trailer for "If Beale Street Could Talk" Finds the "Moonlight" Director Returning to Oscar Conversation

Scene from If Beale Street Could Talk

It was only last year that the Academy experienced one of the most exciting Best Picture wins in over a decade. Director Barry Jenkin's Moonlight was a film that undid a long pattern of milquetoast winners dominated by white leads and filmmakers. It was rejuvenating and just what cinema needed in 2016. So, what does Jenkins have in store next? He's returned with another film, based on a James Baldwin story, called If Beale Street Could Talk. With positive reviews swelling ahead of the film festivals, it's already an exciting time to expect another return to Oscar glory. If the teaser, released on Baldwin's birthday, is any indication, this is going to be another great turn for Jenkins and another impeccable cast likely to dominate the season.

Theory Thursday: "The LEGO Ninjago Movie" is the Best LEGO Movie

Scene from The LEGO Ninjago Movie

Welcome to a weekly column called Theory Thursdays, which will be released every Thursday and discuss my "controversial opinion" related to something relative to the week of release. Sometimes it will be birthdays while others is current events or a new film release. Whatever the case may be, this is a personal defense for why I disagree with the general opinion and hope to convince you of the same. While I don't expect you to be on my side, I do hope for a rational argument. After all, film is a subjective medium and this is merely just a theory that can be proven either way. 

Review: "The Disaster Artist" is Real Hollywood Movie (And Real Good, Too)

Scene from The Disaster Artist

It's the moment that director James Franco's The Disaster Artist has been building to. As the cast and crew walk in slow motion towards the studio where The Room will be shot, Faith No More's "Epic" begins playing. It's a song that altered the course of metal music with soporific vocals that may seem as disjointed but infectious as what's to come. Even more than that, the title says it all: this is an epic moment in cinema. Once first time director Tommy Wiseau (Franco) takes to the stage, he will become an icon; a proprietor of the acclaimed worst movie ever. It is an epic moment, and one that feels oddly understated at the same time. This is a comedy, but not one meant to mock bad decisions. It is a drama, but not one that revels in pretentious artistry. It's a satire that, like Faith No More, exists in the transparent grey area of pop culture; where descriptors defy logic. The Disaster Artist is swamped with actors who clearly adore the real life Wiseau's work, and their commitment to bringing the odd idiosyncrasies to life makes this one of the best and most perplexing movies of the year. La La Land may have taught artists to dream, but The Disaster Artist opens the door to everyone else.