chris rock

Watching the 2023 Oscars: A Year of Reckoning

Tara Taghizadeh

After the unforgivable slap seen and heard around the world at last year’s Oscars ceremony, a few major questions remain: whether the Academy did enough to punish Will Smith for the attack on Chris Rock, and, given the general decline in viewership, are awards ceremonies still relevant? Of course, the greatest slap in the face to Will Smith – pardon the pun-- would have been if Chris Rock had hosted this year’s Oscars, but Rock turned down the offer.

‘Amsterdam’ Is a Flawed Retelling of a Real Conspiracy

Ulises Duenas

While Washington and Robbie put in good performances, it’s Bale’s work that really stands out in the film. His portrayal of an eccentric doctor plagued with pain and trauma from the war is compelling and provides moments of comedy throughout the film. While a lot of the movie is lighthearted in tone, there weren’t any scenes that are "laugh out loud" funny, but the script does have some dry wit to it.

Oscars Brouhaha: Will Smith Crossed the Line

Forrest Hartman

One can endlessly debate whether Rock went too far or if Smith’s actions seem like that of an unhinged lunatic or a protective husband. What I haven’t seen is much talk about how the conversation might differ if the demographics of those involved in the altercation were changed. I believe that discussion is fundamental in an era defined by the #MeToo and #BlackLivesMatter movements.

‘Annie,’ ‘Top Five’ Arrive on Home Video

Forrest Hartman

There was no great outcry for another film adaptation of the Broadway musical “Annie,” but writer-director Will Gluck’s take on the material is as good as one could hope for. Gluck’s new “Annie” is hipper and more urban than the like-titled 1982 movie but the essence of the story is the same. Ten-year-old Annie (Quvenzhané Wallis) lives in a foster home with several other orphan girls, but she is convinced that her parents will eventually show up to reclaim her. 

‘Moonrise Kingdom,’ ‘Chernobyl Diaries’ Arrive on DVD, Blu-ray

Forrest Hartman

In a commercial film industry increasingly dominated by derivative fare, writer-director Wes Anderson is a beacon of creativity and inspiration. Anderson established himself as a force with his first feature film, 1996’s “Bottle Rocket,” and his follow-up movies – including “The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou” and “Fantastic Mr. Fox” – have been equally unique and appealing. His latest, “Moonrise Kingdom,” is set in 1965 and tells the quirky story of Sam (Jared Gilman) and Suzy (Kara Hayward), troubled 12-year-olds who run away together and hide in the countryside of a New England island. 

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