The High Note

the high note

In the Key of Eh

The High Note’s coronavirus-induced direct-to-streaming release might be a blessing in disguise, seeing as it’s a perfect example of a movie that makes no case whatsoever to be seen in theaters.  Its visual palette has that bland, distinctly digital warmth that has become the go-to for so many low-ish budget releases these days.  But since The High Note makes it clear from the get-go that it has no pretensions of visual style, its real test is how it fares as a frothy romantic comedy. Continue reading

The Wrong Missy

the wrong missy

Miss-taken Identity

I had low expectations going into The Wrong Missy.  On the surface, it seemed like another Netflix production designed primarily to give the Happy Madison crew a paid vacation in an exotic location, á la the aggressively mediocre Murder Mystery and The Do-Over.  And while The Wrong Missy doesn’t do much to refute that accusation, there are just enough signs of life to set it apart. Continue reading

Crazy Rich Asians

crazy rich asians

Hundreds of articles!  Overwhelming buzz!  93% on Rotten Tomatoes!

Unless you’ve been living under a rock the past few months, you’ve no doubt heard the roar of the Crazy Rich Asians hype machine chugging away.  Like Get Out and Black Panther before it, it’s been dubbed the Movie of the Moment, receiving endless praise for revitalizing its genre and for its all-Asian cast.  But pull back the Eastern twist and you’re left with a generic, if competent, rom-com. Continue reading

Movie Review: Trainwreck

la-et-mn-amy-schumer-bill-hader-judd-apatow-trainwreck-20150329

Written by star Amy Schumer and directed by Judd Apatow, Trainwreck tells the story of Amy Townsend, a successful magazine reporter whose love life consists solely of one-night stands and casual flings.  Enter Aaron Conners (Bill Hader), a good-guy sports doctor whom Amy is assigned to interview.  After an initial meeting followed by drinks and journalistically questionable sex, she stumbles into a relationship with him.

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