Category Archives: Review Roundups

BOFCA REVIEW ROUNDUP: 12/9/2022

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EMANCIPATIONWill Smith in Emancipation.

“Emancipation may not be a perfect film, an explosive action movie buried in a wannabe prestige picture, but in it Will Smith avoids an Oscar slump and further cements his status as a top-tier actor.” – Derek Deskins, EDGE Media Network

Brendan Fraser in The Whale.THE WHALE

“Simply put, The Whale is yet another attempt by Darren Aronofsky to use provocation to achieve empathy, though here we’re treated to a story that has quiet disdain for its poor characters, their poor situations, and the poor, dying fat man at the center of it all.” – Sam Cohen, EDGE Media Network

CHRISTMAS BLOODY CHRISTMASAbraham Benrubi as robo-Santa in Christmas Bloody Christmas.

“If you’re here for overdetermined commentary on seasonal goodwill, you’ve come to the wrong place. If you’ll accept a fire ax to the face in lieu of fellowship, though, Begos will provide.” – Andy Crump, Paste Magazine

 

 

BOFCA REVIEW ROUNDUP: 12/2/2022

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Nathalie Boutefeu as Sophia Tolstoy in the movie A Couple.A COUPLE

“A Couple may make an interesting double feature with Todd Fields’ Tár, whose great, difficult, genius man is a great, difficult, genius woman.” – Andy Crump, Paste Magazine

“Wiseman’s work has always been interested in human nature, and the framework of A Couple simply provides him with an alternate means through which to view it. Taken as part of the Wiseman oeuvre, it is a quietly revolutionary work, one which secures his status as one of film’s most vital voices.” – Oscar Goff, Boston Hassle

WHITE NOISE

Adam-Driver-Greta-Gerwig-White-Noise

“I was utterly charmed by this strange little movie, which manages to do everything a good adaptation should do and quite a bit more. The cast is uniformly excellent, clearly having a ball sinking their teeth into DeLillo’s deliciously surreal dialogue; particularly good are Sam Nivola, May Nivola, and Raffey Cassidy as the three elder Gladney children, who volley their banter back and forth with remarkable comic precision. Less expectedly, the film is a treat to look at, a visual delight far beyond what one might expect from either a DeLillo adaptation or a Baumbach film.” – Oscar Goff, Boston Hassle

 

 

BOFCA REVIEW ROUNDUP: 11/25/2022

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Jeremy Pope and Raúl Castillo in "The Inspection."THE INSPECTION

“Though Bratton utilizes conventions of both “the queer film” and “the military film” (and frequently combines the two, cheekily playing up the Tom-of-Finland fetish cache of military regalia), his film never fully adheres to the formula of either. Ellis’ emotional journey is more emotionally complex than the typical protagonist of either genre, and Bratton hits some unexpected notes (the ethereal score by Animal Collective, for example, is not your typical training montage bombast).” – Oscar Goff, Boston Hassle

THE FABELMANSGabriel LaBelle as Sammy Fabelman in "The Fabelmans."

“A Spielberg picture is always a wonder to behold, but with The Fabelmans he does something unlike anything he’s done before. Rather than grand set pieces, he allows the emotions to drive the film.” – Derek Deskins, EDGE Media Network

Jonathan Majors in the Korean War drama Devotion.DEVOTION

“Devotion is the sort of movie that sneaks up on you. It can offer the thrill of battle without forgetting that this is the story of real people whose skills will be tested to the utmost.” – Daniel Kimmel, North Shore Movies

 

BLOOD RELATIVESVictoria Moroles and Noah Segan in the vampire movie Blood Relatives.

“Blood Relatives is a horror comedy hybrid with a heart which ultimately does something rare: it leaves you wishing it was longer.” – Daniel Kimmel, North Shore Movies

 

GLASS ONION: A KNIVES OUT MYSTERY

“There is just so much to love about Glass Onion. Like its predecessor, it feels both informed by a long cinematic tradition and something entirely fresh. It is the type of movie that you can recommend to your cinephile friend as excitedly as you can to your grandmother.” – Derek Deskins, EDGE Media Network

Jessica Henwick, Kate Hudson, Janelle Monáe and Daniel Craig in "Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery."

 

 

BOFCA REVIEW ROUNDUP: 11/18/2022

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BAD AXE  Chin Siev in the IFC Films documentary “Bad Axe.”

“Bad Axe won’t be the only film of its kind, but it will be hard to top in potency.” – Oscar Goff, Boston Hassle

 

THE MENU

“Having finished watching The Menu, I chewed on it further and came to notice that the flavors weren’t as interesting and there was a persistent bitter aftertaste. It is an extravagant meal with a hefty price tag that will leave you hungry and in need of a burger on the way home.” – Derek Deskins, EDGE Media Network

Ralph Fiennes and Anya Taylor-Joy in "The Menu." 

 

 

 

 

 

SPIRITEDWill Ferrell and Ryan Reynolds in Spirited.

“Spirited is riotous fun that takes off on its source without denigrating it.” – Daniel Kimmel, North Shore Movies

 

James Purefoy in Fisherman's Friends: One And All.FISHERMAN’S FRIENDS: ONE AND ALL

“Perhaps the best way to put it is that you can be entertained by both films, but if you only see Fisherman’s Friends: One And All you’d probably not seek out the original. And that would be a shame.” – Daniel Kimmel, North Shore Movies

THE PEOPLE WE HATE AT THE WEDDING

“The People We Hate At The Wedding is more like “The Characters Who Bore Us At The Movies.” Hate is too strong a word to use here, though, as the two-dimensional characters are too bland to warrant such a strong word.” – Daniel Kimmel, North Shore Movies

Allison Janney, Kristen Bell and Ben Platt in The People We Hate At The Wedding.

 

BOFCA REVIEW ROUNDUP: 11/11/2022

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Letitia Wright in Black Panther wearing a white robe, mourning the passing of T'Challa in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.

BLACK PANTHER: WAKANDA FOREVER

“This film is among the best work that director and co-writer Ryan Coogler has done, not to discount anything in his resume of course. You can tell he put his heart into it from the script alone — it felt like a beautiful tribute to Boseman throughout the film’s runtime.” – Byron D. Zero, Nerd Caliber

“The strength of BLACK PANTHER: WAKANDA FOREVER comes from the great ensemble of women that try their best to hold this together. Bassett, Wright, Gurira, and Nyong’o are all capable and compelling actors, but there’s obviously something missing here. BLACK PANTHER: WAKANDA FOREVER cannot shake the ghost of Chadwick Boseman.” – Max Covill, It’s the Pictures

“Unfortunately, while WAKANDA FOREVER is an earnest, respectful, and often action-filled effort to replicate the quality of the first film; it falls short in several other areas to achieve the greatness exhibited by its predecessor.” – Tim Estiloz, Kaleidoscope Reviews