P.I Carson Philips (John Travolta) accepts a missing persons case that returns him to his hometown. Reminding movie goers of Walking Tall, Philips observes that his old stomping ground is unlike how he remembers it, which leads into an overlapping conspiracy involving the recent murder of a star high school quarterback.
Dragged Across Concrete is an excellent contemporary crime thriller that feels painstakingly real. From its characterizations of bitter people blaming PC culture and 24/7 surveillance for their own faults to the drawn-out investigations that suggest other criminal activities are afoot, this is a divisive film that is identifiable and purposely tough on the viewer.
The Con Is On is a screwball crime comedy starring actors who have no problems playing up the absurd angles of an unconventional heist. The intention of the film is to bust the audience into fits of laughter but, instead, the only thing that’s busted is the film itself.
By: Trevor Chartrand In his feature film follow-up to 2013’s Spring Breakers, director Harmony Korine delivers a similarly raunchy, yet dark comedy with this year’s The Beach Bum. Much like Spring Breakers, this latest undertaking by Korine is bound to receive a mixed reaction from most moviegoers.
Beautiful Boy is a touching film that will break your heart. Based on the memoirs of David and Nic Sheff, Beautiful Boy chronicles the inconsistent dynamic between a coping father (Steve Carell) and his distraught son (Timothée Chalamet). The film leaps back-and-forth throughout their lives; capturing spirited memories, personal bonds, and the rift they currently face caused by Nic’s serious drug addiction.
Not to be confused with 2014’s brilliant ode to Roger Ebert, 2018’s Life Itself is a time-spanning family drama from Hollywood screenwriter and This Is Us creator Dan Fogelman. Fogelman has taken the clout he’s earned from his award-winning hit television show and he’s made a movie only an ambitious storyteller could make with a team of producers who trust his reputation.
The Happytime Murders is a bawdy comedy that’s being sold as “dirty Sesame Street”. However, as the film fired off obscenities and crude visual gags, I couldn’t help but be distracted by other filmmaking elements.
By: Jessica Goddard Mid90s is a coming-of-age period piece, chronicling how a mild 13-year-old boy finds acceptance and belonging with a reckless crowd of skateboarders. Our pint-sized protagonist, Stevie (Sunny Suljic), perfectly captures the in-the-middleness suggested by the title – we can’t help but see a child when he’s next to his older (taller) friends, but the mischief he gets up to makes him feel much more adult than we’re comfortable with.
By: Trevor Chartrand Apatow-comedy veteran Jonah Hill has diversified his career path considerably in recent years, taking on darker and more intense roles. Now he’s taken another step into new territory, this time helming a film from behind the camera: Mid90s is Hill’s directorial debut, and it’s chock-full of surprises.
