by Michelle Keenan & Chip Kaufmann – 45 Years ****1/2 Short Take: Just before their 45th wedding anniversary a couple receives news that will forever change their relationship. REEL TAKE: 45 Years is a quiet, tiny film. But it seeps into your pores and packs a surprising emotional wallop. It’sContinue Reading
Chip Kaufmann’s Pick: Die Hard (1988) I was genuinely saddened by the death of Alan Rickman. He was one of the very few contemporary performers whose name got me into a cinema seat no matter what the movie was. It all started with his first big role in the 1988Continue Reading
The Force Awakens in Hollywood by Michelle Keenan – Happy New Year, dear readers! As we put the January section to bed, Star Wars: The Force Awakens is trouncing the box office. With such a knockout punch, we knew we didn’t need to battle opening weekend crowds to get aContinue Reading
by Michelle Keenan & Chip Kaufmann – Carol **** Short Take: Beautifully mounted period piece, set in the 1950s, about a married woman’s relationship with a shop girl and the fallout it causes. REEL TAKE: There has been a lot of buzz surrounding Carol and I’m sure that come OscarContinue Reading
by Chip Kaufmann & Michelle Keenan Just a few weeks ago we were wondering how we were going to come up with ten films for our critical and personal best lists for the year. We were also lamenting the lack of that one beguiling film, the one that captures ourContinue Reading
’Tis the Season … The Force Awakens by Michelle Keenan – With the holidays upon us, Hollywood is in full swing. As we put this issue to bed, the final installment of The Hunger Games, Mockingjay – Part 2 is trouncing the box office and the world is anxiously awaitingContinue Reading
by Michelle Keenan & Chip Kaufmann – Brooklyn ***** Short Take: The story of a young Irish woman who moves to America in the early 1950’s. Reel Take: To describe John Crowley’s Brooklyn as a masterpiece makes it sound very grandiose, when in fact it is this film’s smallness thatContinue Reading
Chip Kaufmann’s Pick: Johnny Got His Gun (1971) I first saw Johnny Got His Gun when I was a freshman in college. It came out at the height of the Vietnam War and quite simply blew me away. It was the only film to be directed by legendary blacklisted screenwriterContinue Reading
by Michelle Keenan & Chip Kaufmann – Bridge of Spies **** Short Take: Good old fashioned story telling about good old fashioned courtroom drama and cold war espionage, based on the true story of an American attorney called upon to defend a Russian spy in the late 1950’s. REEL TAKE:Continue Reading
