James RutherfordMay 22, 2022'American History X': A Searing Depiction of Neo-Racism and Fractional Familial RedemptionAmerican History X (1998) is a searing drama starring Edward Norton as Derek Vineyard, a reformed neo-Nazi released from prison 3 years...
James RutherfordMay 14, 2022'Drive My Car': A Captivating Drama About a Japanese Director's Struggles with Grief and AcceptanceDrive My Car (ドライブ・マイ・カー) (2021) is the thoroughly engrossing tale of a Japanese theater actor/director named Yusuke Kafuku (Hidetoshi...
James RutherfordMay 8, 2022'The Great Beauty': An Exquisite Tale of Wistful Reflection and Personal Enlightenment from ItalyThe Great Beauty (La Grande Bellezza) (2013) is an enchanting Italian drama starring Tony Servillo as Jep Gambardella, a 60-something...
James RutherfordMay 2, 2022'Ronin': A Frenetic Action Thriller About a Team of Mercenaries Out to Steal a Mysterious BriefcaseRonin (1998) is a frenetic and electrifying action thriller starring Robert de Niro as Sam, a former CIA agent now operating as a private...
James RutherfordApr 28, 2022'Parallel Mothers': A Resounding and Deeply Sentimental Tale of Human Affinity from Spain Parallel Mothers (Madres Paralelas) (2021) is a deeply moving Spanish-language drama starring Penelope Cruz and Milena Smit as Janis and...
James RutherfordApr 23, 2022'Frailty': A Sublime and Inventive Tale of Faith, Familial Discord and Profound Psychological HorrorFrailty (2001) is a sublime and inventive psychological horror film starring Matthew McConaughey as Fenton Meiks, a Texas lawman with an...
James RutherfordApr 22, 2022'Central Station': A Moving Tale of Compassion and Human Reclamation from BrazilCentral Station (Central do Brasil) (1998) is a vibrant and resounding tale of human reclamation starring Fernanda Montenegro as Dora, an...
James RutherfordApr 11, 2022'The Power of the Dog': An Exquisitely-Crafted Psychological Drama Set in the American WestThe Power of the Dog (2021) is an exquisitely-crafted Western drama starring Benedict Cumberbatch and Jesse Plemons as Phil and George...
James RutherfordApr 4, 2022'Deep Cover': A Shrewd and Forceful Depiction of an Undercover Cop Infiltrating the L.A. UnderworldDeep Cover (1992) is a dynamic urban thriller starring Laurence Fishburne as Russell Stevens Jr., an LAPD officer recruited to operate...
James RutherfordMar 26, 2022'Stop Making Sense': An Exhilarating Concert Film Starring New Wave Pioneers Talking HeadsStop Making Sense (1984) is a landmark concert film starring New Wave pioneers Talking Heads, shot over 3 nights at Hollywood Pantages...
James RutherfordMar 21, 2022'Good Will Hunting': An Acutely Reflective Depiction of An Emotionally Damaged Young GeniusGood Will Hunting (1998) is an acutely reflective and absorbing human drama starring Matt Damon as the titular Will Hunting, an...
James RutherfordMar 17, 2022'Titane': A Wildly Transgressive French Drama-Thriller About a Killer Masquerading as a Lost YouthTitane (2021) is a bold and wildly transgressive French drama-thriller starring Agathe Rousselle as Alexia, a showgirl living with a...
James RutherfordMar 13, 2022'Black Hawk Down': A Pulse-Pounding and Reflective Reenactment of the 1993 Battle of MogadishuBlack Hawk Down (2001) is a pulse-pounding war drama that reenacts the U.S. military's controversial raid on Mogadishu, Somalia in...
James RutherfordMar 7, 2022'Nebraska': The Wryly Comical Tale of a Father and Son's Languid Midwestern Road TripNebraska (2013) is a charming and uniquely sentimental comedy-drama starring Bruce Dern as Woody Grant, an aging resident of Billings,...
James RutherfordFeb 28, 2022'Joker': A Gritty Reinterpretation of the Titular Villain's Rise from the Streets of Gotham CityJoker (2019) is a hard-boiled psychological thriller fashioned as a reinterpretation of the titular DC Comics villain, portrayed here by...
James RutherfordFeb 22, 2022'First Cow': The Charming Tale of Two Transients' Unique Pursuit of the American Dream First Cow (2019) is a measured and rewarding drama about a pair of mismatched transients in 1820’s-era Oregon who collaborate to pursue...
James RutherfordFeb 16, 2022'The Worst Person In The World': An Emotionally Palpable Coming-of-Age Romantic Drama From NorwayThe Worst Person In The World (Verdens Verste Menneske) (2021) is a spirited romantic drama from Norway that stars Renate Reinsve as...
James RutherfordFeb 14, 2022'Confessions of A Dangerous Mind': The Beguiling Tale of a Television Host-Turned-Covert AssassinConfessions of A Dangerous Mind (2002) is a captivating and darkly comical drama-thriller starring Sam Rockwell as real-life television...
James RutherfordFeb 7, 2022'A Touch of Sin': A Searing Dramatic Anthology Depicting the Darker Shades of Modern Chinese SocietyA Touch of Sin (天注定) (2013) is a searing drama-thriller delivered in anthology form and fashioned as a forthright depiction of...
James RutherfordJan 31, 2022'The Wackness': The Colorful Tale of a Young Man's Coming-of-Age in 1990's-era New York CityThe Wackness (2008) is a colorful and charming comedy-drama starring Josh Peck as Luke Shapiro, a street smart New Yorker experiencing a...
James RutherfordJan 27, 2022'My Octopus Teacher': A Deeply Touching Documentary About an Incredible Undersea FriendshipMy Octopus Teacher (2020) is a profoundly touching documentary feature that follows naturalist-filmmaker Craig Foster as he explores the...
James RutherfordJan 16, 2022'21 Grams': The Uniquely Expressive Tale of Interwoven Fates Delivered in Striking Nonlinear Form21 Grams (2003) is an evocative psychological drama (named for the alleged weight of the human soul) that interlaces the fates of three...
James RutherfordJan 9, 202210 for '21: My Favorite Films from the Year of the Ox1. Red Rocket: "Red Rocket' is the serio-comic tale of a down-on-his-luck adult film actor named Mikey Saber (Simon Rex)
James RutherfordJan 3, 2022'Melancholia': Lars Von Trier's Visceral and Exhilarating Depiction of the Coming ApocalypseMelancholia (2011) is a visceral and thought-provoking drama starring Kirsten Dunst as Justine, a young woman beset by periods of...