(2017—Director: Guy Ritchie) ★★ 1/2 (out of 5 stars) Director Guy Ritchie (Snatch, Sherlock Holmes, The Man From U.N.C.L.E.) tends to emphasize style over substance in his films. This remains the case with his latest work—Warner Bros.’s King Arthur: Legend of the Sword. Ritchie tries to combine the classical nature of Arthurian legends with his trademark montages and quick cuts. The …
Mid-Year Report on Cinema in 2017
2017’s summer movie season has begun to wind down as the cinema world prepares for the expected annual onslaught of Oscar contenders that seek to attract awards voters throughout autumn and winter. While they do that, I would like to take a moment and consider cinema in 2017 so far—the highs, the lows, and the green. Around the start of …
Defeat and Victory Synchronize in ‘Dunkirk’
(2017—Director: Christopher Nolan) ★★★★ (out of 5 stars) “He’s shell-shocked, George. He’s not himself. He may never be himself again.” — Mr. Dawson (Mark Rylance) on Shivering Soldier (Cillian Murphy) Potential spoilers below Since the start of this millennium, few filmmakers have earned the widespread critical praise and commercial success as British-American writer, producer, and director Christopher Nolan. He elevated Batman …
Marvel’s Cage Match: Netflix’s ‘Luke Cage’ Review
— By Carly Twehous — In case you’ve been living under a rock for the past few years or in case you’re one of the four remaining American citizens without a Netflix account, Marvel has been creating an empire for the small screen, starring everyone’s favorite vigilantes of Hell’s Kitchen. Luke Cage and the preceding Jessica Jones and Daredevil serve …
A Wounded Soldier Enters the Lionesses’ Den in ‘The Beguiled’
(2017—Director: Sofia Coppola) High ★★★ 1/2 (out of 5 stars) Sofia Coppola, daughter of the Godfather trilogy and Apocalypse Now director Francis Ford Coppola, continues to be a formidable female voice in modern cinema. With her adaptation of Thomas P. Cullinan’s 1966 novel, she boldly and brilliantly stripped the Southern Gothic story down to an island of sexual tension and …
Sin, Not Tragedies: Review of History Channels’ ‘Vikings’
— By Carly Twehous — [The following review contains major spoilers for Seasons 1-3.] Everyone had that favorite time period and culture in history class. You know the one. It’s the subject that inspired enough genuine curiosity that it would rouse you from your regularly scheduled third period nap and give you the inexplicable superhuman strength to listen to Mr. …
Creating Content: Advice from a Spanish TV CEO
The following article is part of a reflection from the “Hollywood Mentor Series.” Through the Hollywood Mentor Series students in JPCatholic’s MBA in Film Producing program get the opportunity to meet and network with a variety of top executives and professionals in all sectors of the film industry in Los Angeles. MBA graduate Tyler Carlos shares the lessons he learned …
Ace in the Hole: Netflix’s ‘House of Cards’ Review
— By Carly Twehous — If you’re not sick of the constant news coverage from the most recent election cycle—the scandals, the Russian hacking, the debate whether or not our current president is a reincarnated prophet or the antichrist—or if you prefer to drown yourself in fiction and ignore all of life’s infinite problems, yet still have an inexplicable craving …
Heartfelt Performances Wasted in ‘The Book of Henry’
(2017—Director: Colin Trevorrow) High ★★ (out of 5 stars) Back in 2012, I stumbled upon an indie sci-fi rom-com called Safety Not Guaranteed, the narrative film debut of writer-director Colin Trevorrow (the 2004 documentary Reality Show). Though not a perfect package, Safety was the type of film that makes its viewers watch the director’s next move. That next move, as …
Learning the Ins and Outs of Alcon Entertainment
(Pictured: Alcon Entertainment’s new film, Blade Runner 2049, which will be released October 6, 2017). The following is a reflection from JPCatholic student Rachel Wostenberg, on her internship at Alcon Entertainment. How did you secure your internship? When the internship search began I contacted Prof. Chris Riley, my screenwriting professor. He gave me the email of his friend Ryan Dornbush …