BOFCA REVIEW ROUNDUP: 4/25/2025

ON SWIFT HORSES

The good news is that you get not one but two movies when you go see On Swift Horses…The bad news is that neither story is developed enough to stand on its own.”John Black, Cinekong

 

THE TROUBLE WITH JESSICA

The Trouble With Jessica is less about the dead body than about the problems of the other characters, and how far they’re willing to go to get out of an increasingly messy situation.” Daniel M. Kimmel, North Shore Movies

 

THE SHROUDS

The Shrouds is a slow burning film that will either draw you into its exploration of the human condition, or leave you frustrated with its self-contradictory storytelling. As with Cronenberg at his best, he is using horror/SF tropes to tell us something about ourselves.” Daniel M. Kimmel, North Shore Movies

BOFCA REVIEW ROUNDUP: 4/18/2025

THE PRESIDENT’S WIFE

“This marks the feature film debut of director/co-writer Léa Domenach who shows a deft touch balancing both the comedy and the more dramatic moments. With the radiant Deneuve leading the way, The President’s Wife is a delight.” Daniel M. Kimmel, North Shore Movies

“She deftly handles the film’s pivotal scenes, which are the reimagined, real-life moments of the Chiracs’ lives, both public and private. It’s in the quieter moments, when it’s just Deneuve, the camera, and you that the actress’s power is revealed.”John Black, Cinekong

SCRAP

“Scrap is the sort of festival film that should thrive on streaming. Never intended to be a blockbuster, it’s a grown-up movie that doesn’t make you feel like you’ve just wasted your time on two hours of explosions and special effects.” Daniel M. Kimmel, North Shore Movies

THE WEDDING BANQUET

“Ultimately The Wedding Banquet stands as an example of a remake that was done for the right reasons. The world of 2025 is different from the world of 1993, and the new film reflects those changes in a positive way.” Daniel M. Kimmel, North Shore Movies

 

BOFCA REVIEW ROUNDUP: 4/4/2025

THE FRIEND

“Great Danes are the king of dogs,” declares a character in The Friend. If you believe that, you may be engaged by this story of a woman bequeathed a hulking dog named Apollo. Otherwise, in spite of a game performance by Naomi Watts, it is a chaotic mess.” Daniel M. Kimmel, North Shore Movies

TIME TRAVEL IS DANGEROUS

“For my second novel, Time on My Hands, I set out to spoof every cliché of the time travel story, a genre I enjoy. The makers of the British comedy Time Travel Is Dangerous have come up with something even I didn’t think of: having a time machine would come in really handy if you owned a shop selling vintage items.” Daniel M. Kimmel, North Shore Movies

 

BOFCA REVIEW ROUNDUP: 3/28/2025

THANK YOU VERY MUCH

“Do people even remember Andy Kaufman today? It’s hard to believe that this comedian/performance artist/actor has been gone for more than forty years, dying of lung cancer in 1984 at the age of 35. Thank You Very Much is a wonderful introduction to this unique talent. For those us who were around then, it provides interviews and insights into who he was and what made him tick.” Daniel M. Kimmel, North Shore Movies

THE PENGUIN LESSONS

Steve Coogan deserves better. So does the penguin.John Black, Cinekong

 

 

 

DEATH OF A UNICORN

“While wearing its homages to the alien franchise on its sleeve, I don’t see this fact as a bad thing.” Byron McNeal, On The Reel On Tumblr

 

BOFCA REVIEW ROUNDUP: 3/21/2025

SNOW WHITE

“The original film is not remembered fondly for its narrative, so there must have been an incessant amount of mental gymnastics to adapt this.” Byron McNeal, On The Reel On Tumblr

Snow White should do well as family entertainment but perhaps the best news is this: with the upcoming “live action” version of Lilo & Stitch, Disney is running out of animated features to remake.” Daniel M. Kimmel, North Shore Movies