Ainda Estou Aqui/I'm Still Here

Movie Name: Ainda Estou Aqui/I'm Still Here
Year of Release: 2024
Director: Walter Salles
Starring: Fernanda Torres, Selton Mello, Fernanda Montenegro, Valentina Herszage, Maria Manoella, Barbara Luz, Gabriela Carneiro da Cunha, Luiza Kosovski, Marjorie Estiano, Guilherme Silveira, Antonio Saboia, Cora Mora, Olivia Torres, Pri Helena, Humberto Carrão, Charles Fricks, Maeve Jinkins
Genre: Drama
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 8
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Synopsis and Review

Walter Salles spent some time directing documentaries since his last feature film "On the Road", which premiered in 2012 to middling reviews. "Ainda Estou Aqui/I'm Still Here" is an adaptation of the book by Marcelo Rubens Paiva, which is an autobiographical look at the events that took place during his childhood. The narrative takes place in Rio de Janeiro in December of 1970, and focuses its attention on the Paiva family. The family is composed of Eunice Paiva, her husband Rubens, who is a former member of the parliament and is now a civil engineer, and their 5 children. Theirs is a home filled with warmth, laughter, love and the constant presence of friends. Some of their friends decide to seek refuge in London, in order to avoid the constant presence and menace imposed by the military Dictatorshi. Eunice and Rubens' oldest daughter goes with them (she and some of her friends had already been stopped by the military in one of their check points). The family has acquired a new plot of land in the area, and is planning on building a new home. One afternoon the family is surprised to witness a group of unknown men with guns come to their house, and demand Rubens goes with them for questioning. While Rubens plays along, a few of those men stay behind in the house with Eunice and the kids. Eunice keeps asking when Rubens is going to come back, only for them to repeat it should be soon. The next day Eunice and her fifteen year old daughter are taken for questioning as well, with hoods over their heads. Eunice is asked if she's been involved with any terrorists, and to identify people who may have ties with what the interrogator deems terrorist actions. She remains in questioning for 5 days, until she is finally released. She keeps asking for Rubens, but no information is provided. 

There's something quite wonderful in the way Walter Salles recreates and brings to life the universe of that family and that microcosms in 1970. The lived-in experience of what life is like in that period in Rio de Janeiro, where the beauty of the locale sharply contrasts with the roughness of the military dictatorship, is perfectly illustrated by the director. The situation in which these characters find themselves in, is progressively disclosed. We're able to witness an array of activities, friendships, and all the emotional ties that the family has with a group of individuals they interact with, all of which illustrate the type of individuals they all are, the joy they live with, embracing art and culture, and teaching progress and humanism to the children. The introduction of the military dictatorship, its violence, its agenda, is indeed presented as a brutal element, since in fact it is one. There's no reason, no justification, no respect, no tolerance, which makes it all the more revolting for Eunice who fails to realize why is her family being targeted. Even after she becomes fully aware of the events Rubens was involved with, the sheer brutality of a government meant to support its own citizens, revolts her, and sends her on a path of survival (for her and her children), but also a path emblazoned with a mission. Unlike other films about dictators or brutal regimes, such as Oliver Stone's "Salvador" or even Roman Polanski's "Death and the Maiden", this film doesn't make itself to be an illustration of the destruction of war, or the bruising felt by its survivors, it's an illustration of how a family perseveres when their existence is completely upended. The whole cast is fantastic, led by the always excellent and subtle Fernanda Torres, who has great support from the underrated Selton Mello and the wondrous Fernanda Montenegro. The production team is fantastic, with particular highlights going to Adrian Teijido's beautiful cinematography, Warren Ellis' score, Carlos Conti's production design, and Cláudia Kopke's costume design. A solid film, subtle but impeccably crafted and performed. 

The Outrun

Movie Name: The Outrun
Year of Release: 2024
Director: Nora Fingscheidt
Starring: Saoirse Ronan, Saskia Reeves, Stephen Dillane, Paapa Essiedu, Izuka Hoyle, Freya Evans, David Garrick
Genre: Drama
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 7
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Synopsis and Review

Nora Fingscheidt achieved a considerable amount of attention with her prior directorial endeavor, the Netflix release "The Unforgivable", with Sandra Bullock (which racked up quite a high volume of viewership, even if the reviews were not very complimentary). "The Outrun" is based on the book by Amy Liptrot and follows the story of Rona, a young woman who following a stint in rehab for alcoholism, returns home to live with her mom in the Orkney Islands in Scotland. Rona has had to deal with some unexpected issues since she was a child, including her father's bipolar disorder. Through flashbacks we witness her stint in college and the romantic relationship she forms with Daynin. Her drinking eventually leads to the demise of that relationship. She briefly reconnects with him when she's sexually assaulted following a night of drinking, and quickly realizes he's already moved on. While on the Orkney Islands she assists her father with his farming, and eventually takes a job with the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds. She has a brief relapse, which leads her to seek another position on a remote island, by the name of Papa Westray, where she lives by herself and starts forming friendships with the locals. Her mom comes for a brief visit and they manage to connect and communicate candidly. 

"The Outrun" doesn't cover material that hasn't been documented or explored before. There's been countless films about characters/individuals battling alcoholism, some with great results, such as Mike Figgis' "Leaving Las Vegas", others not so excitingly doing the same such as Betty Thomas' "28 Days". What makes "The Outrun" a compelling film to watch is of course the central performance from Saoirse Ronan. Rona is just a young woman trying to figure out her way in the world, and alcohol just enables her to let go of her fears. Unlike some of the characters from other films revolving around alcoholism, which center themselves around charismatic and damaged individuals drowning themselves in sorrow (and guilt), this central character is a young woman who is still trying to understand who she is, and what path she wants to carve for herself in the world. She comes from a slightly off-kilter upbringing, and whatever fears that has instilled in her, she sees drinking as a way to numb those fears and charge ahead. She feels like a regular individual that we could easily cross by in our world. That's one of the most interesting aspects of this character and the film itself: it feels authentic and rooted in the now, even if some scenes do veer off into the metaphorical cliché of embracing the unknown. The director also very smartly positions the narrative in these isolated islands, where very few people live, which gives the central character an opportunity to further reflect about her life, but also rely more on her own abilities and ultimately persevere. The cast is solid, with Saoirse Ronan creating a solid central character, with great supporting turns from Saskia Reeves and Stephen Dillane as her parents. The production team is solid, particularly the cinematography from Yunus Roy Imer. It's a well told story featuring a solid central performance. 

Venom: The Last Dance

Movie Name: Venom: The Last Dance
Year of Release: 2024
Director: Kelly Marcel
Starring: Tom Hardy, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Juno Temple, Rhys Ifans, Alanna Ubach, Stephen Graham, Peggy Lu, Clark Backo, Cristo Fernandez, Jared Abrahamson, Hala Finley, Dash McCloud, Andy Serkis
Genre: Action, Adventure
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 2
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Synopsis and Review

The last (at least for now) episode of the anti-hero Venom's narrative, arrives by the hand of Kelly Marcel, in her feature directorial debut (she also wrote the scripts for the prior two installments of the series, the first one directed by Ruben Fleischer and the second by Andy Serkis). This time around Eddie Brock/Venom realize they are being named prime suspects of the murder of former detective, Patrick Mulligan. Eddie/Venom decide to go to New York, and try to restore their good name, as they were not responsible for the demise of the former detective (who as it turns out, isn't dead, and is also a symbiote). In the interim they're being tracked by a creature known as a Xenophage, who wants a Codex, something they carry within themselves. The Xenophage wants it in order to give it to Knull, the creator of the symbiotes, and a creature of enormously destructive power. Eddie/Venom in the meantime become also the target of Rex Strickland, a soldier who is in charge of Imperium, a government sponsored operation which is situated on Area 51. Strickland has with him a team of scientists, led by Dr. Teddy Paine, who has the assistance of the resourceful Sadie, and they have been capturing and studying symbiotes. Eddie/Venom are tracked and nearly acquired by the Xenophage while on their way to NY, but manage to escape. They're barefoot and far from everything, but eventually meet up a hippie family who gives them a ride. They're on their way to visit Area 51 and agree to give Eddie/Venom a ride up until Vegas. Their plans however take a turn, when Eddie is captured while in city, and taken to Area 51. 

Looking at Kelly Marcel's screenwriting career, it's somewhat puzzling how she was actually allowed to direct this installment of this film, but then again this series has never been one which primes for the quality of its directorial talent. This latest installment of the Venom series, has even less of passable characters, while sub-plots such as the one involving Rhys Ifans' character's hippie family seemingly appears out of nowhere to further humanize Venom (much like Mrs. Chen), to place them in and out of Area 51, both as potential victims and later on to unexpectedly assist when the hero is in dire need of help, only to disappear once more. The villains are digitally rendered creatures (which usually works out so well in most films), whereas the puppet-master, and therefore the main villain, is barely given any screen time, personality or even a hint of motivation, and is shrouded in so much flowing hair (there are stylists in outer space) and dark lighting, that the individual is never fully seen (which is of course the goal of the film, but still not much is ever done with this entity). It's a brisk film, barely over 90 minutes, but one that is so shallow in terms of narrative/plot definition and characters, that by the time it comes to a closure, it mostly feels like a series of vignettes put together, with no exact purpose aside from gratuitous visual effects involving the symbiote with a horse, and whatever else it latches itself on. The talented cast tries their best with the material they have, but ultimately Tom Hardy, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Rhys Ifans, Alanna Ubach, and Juno Temple can't really salvage this feature. The film has a solid production team, starting with the great cinematography from Fabian Wagner, complemented by Dan Beacon's score, and the visual effects led by Tom Bailey and series of very talented teams. It's not a very good film, even considering the low bar the previous installments had established. 

The Monkey

Movie Name: The Monkey
Year of Release: 2025
Director: Osgood Perkins
Starring: Theo James, Tatiana Maslany, Christian Convery, Colin O'Brien, Elijah Wood, Sarah Levy, Rohan Campbell, Osgood Perkins, Tess Degenstein, Danica Dreyer, Zia Newton, Adam Scott, Laura Mennell, Katie Stuart
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 6
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Synopsis and Review

Writer/director Oz/Osgood Perkins is back, following the critical and commercial success of his prior film, "Longlegs". This time around he's adapting a short story by Stephen King, which focuses its attention on two brothers, identical twins by the names of Hal and Bill. Their father has abandoned/left the household, and their mother Lois, is suddenly back in the dating arena, trying to raise them while coming to terms with being by herself. The two siblings don't get along at all, with Bill bullying Hal most of the time. While going through their father's possessions, they come across a stuffed monkey inside a box. They decide to wind it, and later that evening while dining out with their babysitter, she experiences a particularly gruesome death. As Bill's bullying worsens, Hal out of sheer despair, winds the monkey again and hopes his brother is the victim. As it turns out, their mother dies of a particularly rare aneurysm, which racks Hal with guilt, leading him to dismantle and get rid of the monkey. The brothers also end up in Maine living with their aunt (and her husband). When the monkey reappears, it scares the brothers, but Bill decides to wind it up again, which results in their uncle getting killed (by a stampeded). The brothers decide to seal the monkey in a box and throw it down a well. Twenty-five years later, Hal and Bill are estranged, while Hal who has a son, has been avoiding him as much as possible out of fear the young boy is impacted by the monkey. When a series of horrific deaths starts happening again, Hal suspects the monkey may be involved. 

While "Longlegs" was an interesting exercise or variation on some of the paths that Jonathan Demme's "The Silence of the Lambs" created, "The Monkey" is a very different film, both in tone, and also in terms of character development. The film is very economical for starters, succinctly describing and positioning the antagonistic siblings as the focal points for the narrative, providing just enough dimension to them, while also never volunteering much of what has happened with them when they became adults. Osgood Perkins manages to, much like he did in "Longlegs", define an environment quite well, courtesy of stylistic options that he makes, which includes the cinematography and production design. His style options make his films always feel situated in the beginning of the 1980s, even if his narratives are contemporary. All these choices aside, Osgood Perkins also goes for over the top violence in this film, borderline Robert Rodriguez's splatter violence which he illustrated on "Planet Terror", always with a very clearly ironic stance. No matter how morbidly violent the deaths are, it always feels as if the characters are so jaded that none of them are very shaken by it in the least. The narrative moves fast and some character cameos are wonderfully loony, such as Elijah Wood's, Sarah Levy's and even Osgood Perkins' character. Theo James who gets to play Hal and Bill as adults sadly doesn't have much to give to the characters, but the film's purpose is definitely not to be a character study, but to bring this odd entity to life, with over the top death scenes, dark humor, and a conveniently eerie environment. The supporting cast is quite good, including Tatiana Maslany, Adam Scott (in a great cameo), Elijah Wood, and Osgood Perkins as the creepy uncle. The production team is quite solid as well, with highlights going to Nico Aguilar's cinematography, and Danny Vermette's production design. It's a dark and over the top narrative, one worth watching. 

Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy

Movie Name: Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy
Year of Release: 2025
Director: Michael Morris
Starring: Renee Zellweger, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Leo Woodall, Hugh Grant, Sally Phillips, Emma Thompson, Jim Broadbent, Gemma Jones, Nico Parker, Shirley Henderson, James Callis, Celia Imrie, Isla Fisher, Leila Farzad, Milla Jankovic, Casper Knopf, Colin Firth, Neil Pearson, Alessandro Bedetti
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 6
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Synopsis and Review

Following the unexpected indie success that was "To Leslie", director Michael Morris is back, with a decidedly more emotional turn in the adventures of Bridget Jones. The narrative finds Bridget, now a single mom with two young children, navigating an unexpected turn of events, as Mark Darcy has been killed a few years ago, leaving her with an emotional hole in her life, one that has been challenging to overcome. Following the advice of her medical practitioner, Bridget decides to go back to work, resuming her role as a producer for a TV show. Her friends also mention it's time for her to get back in the dating game, and set up a profile for her on Tinder. She meets a park ranger by the name of Roxster, a younger man, who becomes smitten with her. While the relationship seems to be moving fairly well, he suddenly ghosts her. In the meantime, Bridget finds herself supporting Daniel Cleaver, who has a health scare and in the interim has also become a close friend and confidante. When Roxster reappears and apologizes for his behavior, Bridget decides to move on, focusing on her children and making sure they continue their journey of healing. She also decides to attend a school trip, featuring her son's class with the additional attendance of various teachers, including science teacher Scott Walliker, who as it turns out, is a kind, intelligent and sweet man, and not the brash man Bridget mistook him for. At the school winter holiday pageant, Bridget's son Billy sings "I'd Do Anything" as a tribute to his father, and she thanks Walliker for his time spent with Billy. She also invites him for a holiday celebration. 

It's been a somewhat difficult task to replicate the spirit that the original "Bridget Jones's Diary" captured, which Sharon Maguire directed to much critical and commercial success in 2001, and the sequels that have since been released. Of all the sequels this may well be the most successful one, one where in parallel with the tropes of the romantic comedy, there's also deeper emotional aspects tied with grief, growing older, and trying to make sense of one's life, as life takes dramatic and unexpected turns. It's a bit like Lawrence Kasdan's "Grand Canyon" meets "Bridget Jones' Diary". Bridget is still very much herself, this time around, not as clumsily insecure as she was before, but still attempting to navigate the dating world, with deep bruises from the passing of her dearest one. It's a film that chronicles, not quite as literally as Richard Linklater's "Boyhood" did with the passing of time, but nonetheless it does chronicle the life changes that have occurred with Bridget, her family and circle of close friends. It's a bittersweet film, one that allows for some characters to be more than the typical cliché they've been in the past, even if some of the supporting characters should have gotten a bit more time/bandwidth (though it's nice to witness the evolution of Daniel Cleaver, though Bridget's other close friends deserved a bit more than just the footnote they ended up getting). The cast really does bring this film to life, particularly the always fantastic Renee Zellweger in the lead role, who gets great support from a cast that includes Chiwetel Ejiofor, Hugh Grant, Emma Thompson, Sally Phillips, Jim Broadbent, and Nico Parker. The production team is equally impeccable, featuring the cinematography of Suzie Lavelle,  score from Dustin O'Halloran, and production design by Kave Quinn. An entertaining film worth watching. 

Ever After: A Cinderella Story

Movie Name: Ever After: A Cinderella Story
Year of Release: 1998
Director: Andy Tennant
Starring: Drew Barrymore, Anjelica Huston, Dougray Scott, Megan Dodds, Melanie Lynskey, Timothy West, Patrick Godfrey, Judy Parfitt, Jeroen Krabbe, Lee Ingleby, Kate Lansbury, Walter Sparrow, Jeanne Moreau, Anna Maguire, Richard O'Brien, Peter Gunn
Genre: Fantasy, Romance
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 5
Watch it on Amazon

Synopsis and Review

Andy Tennant who prior to directing features had a long career in television, directing episodes for a series of TV shows including "The Wonder Years" and "Parker Lewis Can't Lose", firstly got a taste of middling success with "Fools Rush In", but his visibility increased substantially after the success of "Ever After". The narrative follows the adventures of Danielle de Barbarac during the French Renaissance. In the years since her father passed away, she has become a de facto chambermaid/servant to her stepmother, the Baroness Rodmilla, and her two daughters. One day while out and about she meets a young man, who turns out to be Prince Henry, who is attempting to flee the area in order to avoid an arranged marriage. Henry notices Danielle once again when she heads to the palace to buy back a family servant. He becomes so impressed with her passion he orders the man to be released. Henry's father, King Francis negotiates a deal with his son in the meantime: there's a masquerade ball to be held in a few days, upon which Henry will announce his engagement to the woman of his choosing by midnight, or marry the one they have chosen for him. Rodmilla accelerates her efforts of getting one of her daughters to become more visible to Henry, while he is secretly spending more and more time with Danielle. 

"Ever After: A Cinderella Story" much like its title implies, gets its inspiration from Charles Perrault's book "Histoires ou contes du temps passé" (which includes "Little Red Riding Hood" and "Cinderella", to name but a few), but adds a more modernist vibe courtesy of the screenplay by Susannah Grant, Andy Tennant, and Rick Parks. The film sadly doesn't have much substance to it, lacking the magical and delight that the original Walt Disney version originally rendered in its animated version from 1950 (directed by the team of Clyde Geronimi, Wilfred Jackson and Hamilton Luske). There's attempts at modernizing Danielle, by making her more humane and in touch with the plight of her employees (wouldn't you know, she's the original Norma Rae), and also by making her more tomboyish (a bit rough around the edges, means personality wise, you're that much more likely to be less judgmental or artificial). All these attempts at portraying the virtues of Danielle through a more modern prism, versus the not so friendly embodiment of selfishness and villainy from Rodmilla and her daughters, tries to slightly distance the narrative from the black or white aspects of these tales when it comes to defining characters' traits, while still retaining its core message intact. It would have been far more interesting if the narrative did attempt a more radical departure, by illustrating the challenges of women's roles during that time, as opposed to once again pitying them against each other. Even if the script is indeed superficial, it does provide Drew Barrymore and Anjelica Huston a few opportunities to shine and demonstrate what makes them always so watchable, even if the material doesn't do them enough justice. The rest of the cast is solid, particularly Melanie Lynskey, Judy Parfitt, and the magical Jeanne Moreau, who has a wonderful cameo in the film. The production team is equally solid, particularly the wonderful costumes authored by Jenny Beavan. It's watchable, but also forgettable, which seems to be an undercurrent with all the films from this director. 

The King of Comedy

Movie Name: The King of Comedy
Year of Release: 1982
Director: Martin Scorsese
Starring: Robert DeNiro, Jerry Lewis, Diahnne Abbott, Sandra Bernhard, Ed Herlihy, Shelley Hack, Jay Julien, Harry J. Ufland, 
Genre: Comedy, Crime
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 8
Watch it on Hulu

Synopsis and Review

Following the critical success of "Raging Bull", director Martin Scorsese decided to do an inflection of genres, and swerved towards dark comedy. While the film didn't win over audiences at the time of its release (which would also be the case with "After Hours"), it has steadily since then gotten more praise and is now considered one of the best in the director's portfolio. The narrative focuses itself on Rupert Pupkin, a deluded stand-up comedian who has been trying to launch his career without much success. After "meeting" Jerry Langford, the host for a very popular talk show, he believes that he can have his big break on his show. He starts hounding the show mercilessly, asking for a spot on the show, which is constantly denied. When that doesn't work, he alongside a woman he's on a date with, invade Langford's home, only to be expelled by the apoplectic entertainer. Not knowing what else to do, Pupkin partners with Masha, another Langford stalker who has romantic infatuations towards the entertainer, and decide to kidnap the man. The ransom they ask for is for Rupert to be allowed to guest star on the show, while Masha spend some "alone time" with Langford. 

"King of Comedy" has taken a more visible stance for modern audiences since Todd Phillips copied many of the themes, aesthetic, and even tone of the film for his version of what eventually became "Joker", released in 2019 to much commercial success (critical was more so and so, while the sequel is best not even to be mentioned). Martin Scorsese as is habitual in his films, manages to imbue a rhythm to the film that makes the narrative feel vividly inhabited, as opposed to feel artificial or without authenticity. He perfectly captures the dynamics of the TV world, but also the culture of celebrity, which in the early 1980s was on its upward trajectory (nothing obviously compared with today's standards). He also illustrates, by lifting the veil behind the dazzle of TV, the edgier sides of its entertainers, individuals themselves with their egos, their frailties, and their less than perfect persona they portray for audiences. He mixes this vibe, with the introduction of a character as obsessive as "Taxi Driver"'s Travis Bickle, this time around with the self-deluded Rupert Pupkin. Pupkin is someone who essentially lives in a construct of reality he has built for himself, which at times parks itself in this world, but that for the most part has very intersections with it. His ambitions of grandeur, and the role Jerry is supposed to play in it, go beyond fantasy, they consume his entire life and drive his constant pursuit. He surrounds himself with people who are as devoid of common sense and a grounded reality as him. It's a perfect illustration for the times we currently live in, and the film features three pitch perfect central performances: Robert DeNiro, Jerry Lewis, and Sandra Bernhard. This trifecta of performers compliment each other wonderfully, and they bring to life these damaged individuals, each with very different challenges, in a way that never feels judgmental or less than authentic. The film could have benefited from a bit more dimension to the lead and some supporting characters, but its economy is also one of its strong qualities. The production team is impeccable, including Fred Schuler's cinematography, Boris Leven's production design, and Richard Bruno's costumes. It's a great film from a tremendously talented filmmaker. 

Clockwatchers

Movie Name: Clockwatchers
Year of Release: 1997
Director: Jill Sprecher
Starring: Toni Collette, Parker Posey, Lisa Kudrow, Alanna Ubach, Helen Fitzgerald, Stanley DeSantis, Jamie Kennedy, David James Elliott, Debra Jo Rupp, Kevin Cooney, Bob Balaban, Paul Dooley, Scott Mosenson, Joshua Malina, O-Lan Jones, Joe Chrest
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 5
Watch it on Amazon

Synopsis and Review

"Clockwatchers" is the feature directorial debut of Jill Sprecher. It made the rounds of the Sundance Film Festival of 1997, where one of its stars, Parker Posey, also had Mark Waters' "The House of Yes" in competition. The film focuses its narrative on Iris, a shy young woman who takes a temp job with a credit company. She is soon befriended by another temp veteran, Margaret, who introduces her to Paula, an aspiring actress, and Jane, who is engaged to be married, both of whom are temping until their situations change. Margaret has hopes of becoming an assistant to one of the company's executives, but that soon fades to nothing when the gentleman in question dies of a heart attack. Margaret expects at least to get a good letter of recommendation out of all the temping she's done. In the meanwhile, office thefts have been occurring, with Margaret being one of the chief suspects. When Margaret proposes a one-day strike from work, the group agrees with that decision, but none of them follow through, resulting in Margaret being fired. Also as it turns out, she wasn't the office thief. As all of them go their separate ways, Iris has to portend with another colleague whom she witnesses stealing items from an executive's desk, and also her own notebook. Iris finally decides to take action.

Looking back on "Clockwatchers", this film feels very much like an indie release of the mid 90s. Not only because its cast is peppered with actresses who were the cream of the crop for Independent film of the 1990s, but also for its tone and rhythm. It's a feature where plot isn't necessarily the focal point of the narrative, but more the meeting point for these characters to interact and showcase a bit of their quirky traits. The four main actresses are cast to their strengths, with Toni Collette's Iris inheriting a bit of the shy demeanor that made the actress so well known in PJ Hogan's "Muriel's Wedding" (and even Douglas McGrath's "Emma"), while Parker Posey takes on the snarky and cynical Margaret (similarly to roles she had already taken on in Rory Kelly's "Sleep with Me", Hal Hartley's "Amateur" and her most recognizable role at the time, Daisy von Scherler Mayer's "Party Girl"). Lisa Kudrow who was then more well known for her run on "Friends", was also coming off Albert Brooks' "Mother", she got tasked with Paula, the aspiring and somewhat ditzy actress, whereas Alanna Ubach, who made a splash with the well received "Denise Calls Up" from Hal Salwen, got the role of Jane, who simply wanted to get married, and was a bit high strung on it. The film is more of a convergence of these characters, who sadly don't get much in terms of a compelling description, or motivation to speak of, however their interactions are nonetheless always peppered with an ease and charm, which makes them feel as lived in characters as they can be (considering how little we know of them). This narrative ploy is the best but also the most limiting aspect of the feature, which ultimately doesn't have much to itself. The cast is stupendous, but the production team is a bit subdued, and the film ultimately looks and feels very much like the time of its production and release. It's watchable for its very talented cast, but not necessarily very memorable. 

The Cloverfield Paradox

Movie Name: The Cloverfield Paradox
Year of Release: 2018
Director: Julius Onah
Starring: Gugu Mbatha-Raw, David Oyelowo, Daniel Bruhl, John Ortiz, Chris O'Dowd, Elizabeth Debicki, Zhang Ziyi, Roger Davies, Aksel Hennie, Clover Nee
Genre: Sci-Fi, Horror
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 6
Watch it on Netflix

Synopsis and Review

The Cloverfield franchise is now three films counting, with indication there's more to come. "The Cloverfield Paradox", which premiered in 2018, is the sophomore directorial endeavor for Julius Onah, who prior to this film had released a series of shorts, and "The Girl is in Trouble" as his feature directorial debut, which didn't fare very well. "The Cloverfield Paradox" takes place in 2028, and follows the adventures of an international team, located on a space station by the name of Cloverfield, who are attempting to test a particle accelerator in order to provide Earth with a source of infinite energy. There are groups on Earth who fear the accelerator will possibly open portals to parallel universes, which may turn out to be quite dangerous for Earth and its inhabitants. After years of unsuccessful attempts, the team apparently manages to create a stable beam, only for it to overload, eventually creating a power surge. Following these events the team notices that Eath has vanished and the gyroscope that is crucial for the station's navigation is missing. They soon also discover a woman named Mina Jensen who is within the walls of the station, fused with its wires. As more disturbing events keep occurring, the team eventually locates Earth, and realizes the accelerator was indeed activated, and that the station was transported to a parallel universe, where some of the team members are now different, as are some of the backstories for some of the crew members themselves. Ava Hamilton, the communications officer on the station tries to make sense of it all before everything gets out of control.

"The Cloverfield Paradox" had a rather colorful journey to the screen, with Paramount Pictures originally behind the production of the feature, until its budget spiraled quite a bit, upon which the feature got purchased and eventually released by Netflix. Upon its release the film received harsh reviews, mostly directed at its plot and its ties with the franchise originator. In reality the film isn't worthy of that lambasting, as it is a competent science fiction film, one that inherits influences from Ridley Scott's "Alien", Stanley Kubrick's seminal "2001: A Space Odyssey", and even Danny Boyle's "Sunshine", though it takes a detour into the territory of parallel universes, something that the Marvel Universe has made very popular. Director Julius Onah manages to create atmosphere and tension throughout the narrative, and in parallel illustrates in broad strokes the relationships between the crew members, with just a few of them being entitled to an actual view into their past, their motivations, and what ultimately haunts them. Sadly this more in-depth vision of the characters isn't shared by all of them, including the new crew member they add to their group, something that makes most of these characters rather forgettable, which in turn ends up being the sorest point of the feature. Some of the criticism directed at the film targeted how the creative team forced this feature to tie itself with the rest of the franchise, which is indeed an unexpected aspect of the film, but something that doesn't take away from the storytelling that Julius Onah and his team have crafted up until then. The cast is solid, with highlights going for the always fantastic David Oyelowo, Daniel Bruhl, Zhang Ziyi, Chris O'Dowd, Elizabeth Debicki, and Gugu Mbatha-Raw who ends up having the most central role. The production team is also solid, including Dan Mindel's cinematography, Bear McCreary's score, Colleen Atwood's costumes, and Amelia Brooke & Doug J. Meerdink's production design. Possibly not as impactful as Matt Reeves' first "Cloverfield" feature, this endeavor is nonetheless watchable and entertaining. 

Tomorrow Never Dies

Movie Name: Tomorrow Never Dies
Year of Release: 1997
Director: Roger Spottiswoode
Starring: Pierce Brosnan, Michelle Yeoh, Judi Dench, Jonathan Pryce, Teri Hatcher, Ricky Jay, Joe Don Baker, Vincent Schiavelli, Gotz Otto, Samantha Bond, Desmond Llewelyn, Colin Salmon, Geoffrey Palmer, Julian Fellowes, Terence Rigby, Cecilie Thomsen, Nina Young
Genre: Action
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 5
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Synopsis and Review

Following the immense success of "Goldeneye", the James Bond creative team was incensed to continue that success, and quickly reconvened with a new director in order to continue the adventures of the super spy, embodied by the newly appointed Pierce Brosnan. This time around James Bond gets involved in a scenario which includes a media magnate by the name of Elliot Carver, who is coincidentally married to one of his former lovers by the name of Paris, and who has made himself a figure of wealth and influence by owning a series of publishing outlets and broadcast stations. As it turns out, Carver is intent in provoking a war between China and the UK, broadcasting everything through his channels and reaping the audience numbers and money from the coverage of the whole ordeal. With that in mind he has some missiles he plans on deploying. Bond, with the help of Wai Lin, a Chinese State Security agent, they both manage to abort the firing one of the missiles directed at Beijing, but Wai Lin is captured in the process, forcing Bond to figure out a plan to rescue her and still deter Carver's plans. 

Roger Spottiswoode's career was not in the best of places in the mid 1990s when he chose to tackle "Tomorrow Never Dies". "Air America" didn't work at the box office nor with the critical responses, something that was made even worse with his next feature, "Stop! Or My Mom will Shoot", which was ridiculed, and not solely for its title. He got some redemption soon after with "And the Band Played On", and he remained in TV land, until the James Bond opportunity presented itself. Unlike Martin Campbell's "Goldeneye" which managed to reasonably balance the silliness and campy factor that at times permeates across the James Bond films, Roger Spottiswoode had a tougher time of reconciling these aspects, with the villainous Elliot Carver being an over the top villain, one that was almost too much for the narrative itself, something that Toby Stephens would repeat once again in "Die Another Day" (less is definitely more as some of the other Bond villains started to realize, including the fantastic Javier Bardem in Sam Mendes' "Skyfall"). The cartoonish aspect of some of the characters took away some of the grittiness Martin Campbell had set in motion with "Goldeneye", and in a way, "Tomorrow Never Dies" was a step back in the direction of the films that John Glen directed for the series during the 1980s (though not quite as tongue in cheek). The film does successfully place Michelle Yeoh as a co-lead, much more effectively than prior Bond Girls in similar situations had been rendered, but sadly she never got much to do, even if she is indeed a scene stealer wherever and whenever she appears. The film suffers from some tonal issues, undecided if it wants to be slicker than its previous chapters, or just as over the top. Ultimately there are some solid action set pieces, such as Bond and Wai Lin escaping Carver's building, but this ended up being a middling affair during Pierce Brosnan's tenure with the character. The cast while populated with great performers, had to portend with characters with very little dimension, including Jonathan Pryce's Elliot Carver (someone must have told the actor to go louder and louder), the previously mentioned Michelle Yeoh, and the always remarkable Judi Dench, who stole every scene she found herself in. The production team was excellent, including David Arnold's score, Robert Elswit's cinematography, and Allan Cameron's production design. It's a watchable and noisy entry to the series, but definitely a step down from "Goldeneye". 

Cooties

Movie Name: Cooties
Year of Release: 2014
Director: Jonathan Milott, Cary Murnion
Starring: Elijah Wood, Rainn Wilson, Alison Pill, Jack McBrayer, Leigh Whannell, Nasim Pedrad, Ian Brennan, Jorge Garcia, Cooper Roth, Miles Elliott, Morgan Lily, Sunny May Allison, Peter Kwong
Genre: Comedy, Action
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 6
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Synopsis and Review

"Cooties" is the feature directorial debut of the team comprised of Jonathan Milott and Cary Murnion, who have since directed other features, including "Becky" and "Bushwick". The film co-written by Leigh Whannell and Ian Brennan (Whannell is responsible and co-responsible for the "Saw" and "Insidious" franchises, as well as the films "Upgrade", "The Invisible Man", and the recent "Wolf Man") follows the story of Clint Hadson, an aspiring writer, but current substitute teacher. On his first day of teaching he is reunited with his former high school crush, Lucy McCormick, also a teacher at the same school, who is now dating the physical education teacher, the high strung Wade Johnson. Unbeknownst to the school staff, the kids eat chicken nuggets that are infected with a mutant virus. The kids start infecting each other on the playground, and they're soon turning on the school staff, killing quite a few of them, including the Vice Principal, and even the Sheriff who happens to come by to check on what's happening. The surviving school staff barricades themselves in the musicl room, and they soon realize that the virus only latches on to children, and not adults. They plan on notifying the parents when it's time for the pick-up at the end of the day, but soon the arriving parents are attacked and killed by the feral children. The survivors try to escape the school, which they do with some sacrifices, only to realize that the nearby city has also been overrun. 

One of the most interesting aspects of the film "Cooties" is the fact that it doesn't take itself seriously (the title is in itself a hint for the prior statement). The film, unlike your typical zombie outbreak film or series, takes its time in setting the premise, and smartly places the most innocent and unexpected group of characters as the harbingers of doom, namely children. The characters are thinly developed, but they also have just enough substance and dimension to feel more than your typical cliché. Where the film differentiates itself is the humor in which the characters are consistently placed on, balancing the element of horror and comedy at all times, in a way that it doesn't feel forced or cringe-inducing. The adult characters are teachers/frustrated professionals, even more overwhelmed by the new situation they're having to deal with, whereas the savagery of the children, is essentially their worst nightmare come alive. The dynamics that exists between the characters is nicely established, with Clint and Lucy's chemistry being one of the highlights, the same going for Wade's irascible yet charismatic presence. The group of actors is perfectly cast for these roles, with Elijah Wood, Alison Pill, Rainn Wilson, Jack McBrayer, all playing to the strengths of their abilities. The production team is equally solid, including Lyle Vincent's cinematography, Thomas William Hallbauer's production design and the makeup effects from the team that includes Megan Areford and Martin Astles. It's an unpretentious and entertaining film worth watching. 

Goldeneye

Movie Name: Goldeneye
Year of Release: 1995
Director: Martin Campbell
Starring: Pierce Brosnan, Sean Bean, Izabella Scorupco, Famke Janssen, Judi Dench, Joe Don Baker, Robbie Coltrane, Tcheky Karyo, Gottfried John, Alan Cumming, Desmond Llewelyn, Samantha Bond, Michael Kitchen, Pavel Douglas
Genre: Action
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 6
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Synopsis and Review

Following a series of films directed by John Glen during the 1980s, which included the stint with Roger Moore, and the brief one with Timothy Dalton, James Bond was in dire need of a reinvigoration which is precisely what Martin Campbell, and new star Pierce Brosnan brought to the long existing series. This episode of the series finds James Bond firstly attempting to prevent a coordinated robbery of a sophisticated helicopter, which he is unable to thwart, enabling the charismatic and lethal Xenia Onatopp from fleeing with the vessel. The newly appointed M, tasks him with investigating what happened after an electromagnetic pulse was deployed in Russia with devastating consequences. Traveling to Russia Bond eventually realizes the man behind the whole Goldeneye weapon is actually a former British Intelligence agent, a former friend of his, Alec Trevelyan. Bond is captured alongside Natalya Simonova, a survivor of the pulse deployment, and they both go through a series of pursuits of Alec and his accomplices, in order to crash their plans of massive destruction (and robbery). 

Ironically enough, director Martin Campbell didn't have much of a track record in terms of feature film direction before tackling "Goldeneye". He had made a name for himself with a series of TV shows and mini series, including "Reilly: Ace of Spies" and "Homicide: Life on the Street", with his sole feature film credits consisting of a few films in the 1970s, followed by the underrated "Criminal Law" in 1988 (with Gary Oldman and Kevin Bacon), "Defenseless" in 1991 (with Barbara Hershey and Sam Shepard), and the futuristic "No Escape/Escape from Absolon" in 1994 (with Ray Liotta and Lance Henriksen). "Goldeneye" however manage to encapsulate much of what action films had become from the work crafted by John McTiernan, Richard Donner, Tony Scott, and James Cameron, and bring a more engaging and muscular number of set pieces that while involving much destruction, it didn't necessarily become borderline a parody of the genre itself (which had happened on the latter films led by Roger Moore in the early to mid 1980s). While there are indeed over the top sequences in the film (the first set piece for instance), Martin Campbell was smart enough to bring some additional dynamics, grit and humor to the proceedings, even if at times, and particularly now with some distance from its release, the film does feel a bit like a bridge between the stylings of John Glen, Lewis Gilbert, and Terence Young, and more of what modern spy films were all about (which included more character development, and not necessarily the kitsch set pieces). The casting was also a successful one, with Judi Dench revitalizing the M character, bringing a much needed antagonism and pulse of vitality to an otherwise predictable supporting role, with the Bond girls, particularly Famke Janssen, creating an iconic villain, one that has no substance to it, but one what she peppers with humor, and an energy that not many have been able to match (before or since). Pierce Brosnan was also a good suit for Bond, even if at times too suave and debonair, something more applicable for instance on his take of Thomas Crown (directed by John McTiernan). The production team was solid, including the memorable title song performed by Tina Turner (written by Bono and The Edge). It's probably the most entertaining of the Bond films of the 1990s and always worth revisiting.  

Wolf Man

Movie Name: Wolf Man
Year of Release: 2025
Director: Leigh Whannell
Starring: Christopher Abbott, Julia Garner, Matilda Firth, Sam Jaeger, Benedict Hardie, Zac Chandler, Ben Prendergast
Genre: Horror
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 5
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Synopsis and Review

The talented Leigh Whannell has returned, following his well received "The Invisible Man", which premiered right as the pandemic was ramping up. While he has continued his acting endeavors, this is the first directorial endeavor he has released since that film. This time around the narrative follows the story of a family, comprised of Blake, the father, Charlotte, the mother, and Ginger, the young daughter. Charlotte is currently the main provider for the family, as she is a writer/journalist, whereas Blake is taking care of Ginger, until a new job comes along (he is also a writer). They live in the Seattle area, and Blake proposes they travel to Oregon as a family activity, since they've gotten a bit astray from each other, and that's the area where he grew up. It's also an opportunity to check his father's farm, since his father has been officially declared dead after quite some time without giving signs of life (Blake had stop engaging with him quite some time ago). Due to the remoteness of the farm, as they venture out through a forrest, Blake is unsure which path to take, until one of their last neighbors in the area, spots them and volunteers to take them to the property. As they're getting close to the property, Blake spots an individual in the middle of the dirt road, and in order to avoid hitting the individual, he swerves the truck and ends up getting everyone involved in an accident. While no one is hurt, something climbs the truck and takes Blake's neighbor. The creature comes back and while trying to take Blake, only manages to slightly hurt him. The family takes refuge in the family's house, but Blake starts to feel sick, at the same time the creature is closing in on all of them.

Something that has been so interesting about all of Leigh Whannell's projects thus far, is the way he reinvents what sometimes can be considered a clichéd subject matter. With "Upgrade" he took a stab at the revenge B-movie of the 1980s, embedding it with the AI perspective, all the while making the narrative an interesting question at what drives human will, and at what point do we become more than a collection of basic instincts. The same type of deconstructed approach was taken with "The Invisible Man", repurposing HG Wells' novel into something just as harrowing, and yet very much about the role technology has these days, even if in many ways, technology can indeed reinforce unbalanced power dynamics, abuse situations, and the case of the film itself, address how the human body can be changed through it. "Wolf Man" sadly is less of a deconstruction as his prior films have been. The film does start promisingly enough, by indicating that the werewolf strain is associated with a virus of sort, but sadly the film never goes beyond the family in danger situation, with some rather questionable set pieces. The most interesting aspect of the film is the perspective Leigh Whannell gives Blake as he's morphing into something else, and as a consequence of this alteration, his sense of reality is also being warped, almost feverishly so. The film almost feels rushed in a certain sense, as if the filmmakers were aiming to go further with some of the elements the narrative set in motion, but were held back from doing so. There's aspects to admire from the film nonetheless, namely the mood and ability to illustrate a truly remote locale, giving the characters a sense of complete isolation from the rest of the world. The cast tries their best with the material, but they feel miscast, particularly Julia Garner, who for all her talent, feels too young for the role of a mother of a young girl, whereas Christopher Abbott, usually so effective in roles of certain moral ambiguity, creates a rather forgettable Blake in this tale, neither convincingly embodying the adult coming to terms with a possibly damaging childhood, nor this new phase in which he finds himself, where the metamorphosis is neither embraced, nor combatted. The production team is effective, particularly Stefan Duscio's cinematography, Benjamin Wallfisch's score, and Ruby Mathers' production design. It's a watchable film, but hopefully the next project is a more rewarding one for this talented actor/writer/producer/director. 

Civil War

Movie Name: Civil War
Year of Release: 2024
Director: Alex Garland
Starring: Kirsten Dunst, Wagner Moura, Cailee Spaeny, Nick Offerman, Stephen McKinley Henderson, Nelson Lee, Jefferson White, Evan Lai, Vince Pisani, Justin James Boykin
Genre: Action, Adventure, Thriller
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 5
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Synopsis and Review

Writer/director Alex Garland is back, following the divisive "Men". 

This time around the film takes place in the United States in a non defined timeframe, where a civil war has thrown the country into chaos. Three journalists who are in New York decide to go to Washington, D.C. in order to interview the president, including Lee Smith a war photographer, her colleague Joel, and their mentor Sammy, a gentleman of a certain age. While Lee and Joel want to be in the midst of that journalistic coup, Sammy wants to go to the frontline at Charlottesville, Virginia. They're eventually joined by a young photojournalist by the name of Jessie Cullen, who begs them to take her with them. As the group crosses the country to get to D.C., they witness communities who are trying to live their existences oblivious to what is happening in the rest of the country, but also witness horrifying situations, one of which eventually results in Sammy getting mortally wounded. As they eventually get to D.C., they witness what remains of that fight for power. 

There's been many films about journalists in war conflicts, particularly during the 80s, when that genre seemed to flourish. Those films typically revisited the traumatic wars of the late 60s and 70s, such as Peter Weir's "The Year of Living Dangerously", Rolland Joffé's "The Killing Fields", Oliver Stone's "Salvador", Roger Spottiswoode's "Under Fire", to name but a few, all films that showcased the atrocities of war through the lens of those who documented it. What some of those films managed to do however, was to showcase who those reporters were, what motivated them to stay, and how the events taking place also shaped who they were as individuals/characters (you are changed by the environment in which you exist, something Francis Ford Coppola also captured in "Apocalypse Now"). Somehow of all the films written by Alex Garland, this is the one where his attention to characters is the shallowest, and the least compelling. The writer/director was able to capture and illustrate the context of the reality he has devised, but has somehow forgotten to inhabit this narrative with characters that have some depth and perspective to them. While Kirsten Dunst's Lee has some wariness of the war zone, that hardly constitutes a character trait, while Joel on the other hand is a character devoid of any substance (or meaning), the same eventually extending to Jessie. Sammy as the older and wiser character is written as the conscience of the group (a bit like Brendan Gleeson's character in "28 Days Later", another of Garland's scripts), but even he remains a bit of a cypher, with his sacrifice ultimately being a catalyst for the emotional disintegration of the group, something that is also underdeveloped. This film feels a bit like an extended episode of "The Twilight Zone", with great production values, but one that lacks the bite, insight, and character development to make it truly memorable. The cast tries their best with the characters they have, with Cailee Spaeny and Stephen McKinley Henderson creating the most compelling characters. The production team is phenomenal, including Geoff Barrow and Ben Salisbury's score, Rob Hardy's cinematography, and Caty Maxey's production design. It's a film in love with its topical theme, but undernourished in characters and relationships. Here's hoping the next one is a better endeavor for Alex Garland.  

His Three Daughters

Movie Name: His Three Daughters
Year of Release: 2023
Director: Azazel Jacobs
Starring: Natasha Lyonne, Carrie Coon, Elizabeth Olsen, Jay O. Sanders, Jovan Adepo, Jose Febus, Rudy Galvan, Jasmine Bracey
Genre: Drama
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 7
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Synopsis and Review

Following the well received Patrick deWitt's adaptation of "French Exit", writer/producer/director Azazel Jacobs returned with another feature, one that he wrote himself, which premiered at the Toronto Film Festival of 2023, upon which Netflix bought worldwide rights for it, and released it in September of 2024. The narrative follows the story of three sisters, Rachel, Katie, and Christina who reunite in New York, as their father is terminally ill, and they're together to see him through the last moments of his life. Rachel had been with Vincent through his ailment, and is the only one in the family on the lease for the apartment, something that keeps being brought up whenever there's a conversation. There's quite a bit of animosity of Katie towards Rachel, across everything the latter one does, in particular her habits of gambling and smoking pot. The sisters also have daily visits from Angel, a hospice worker who comes over to explain what is happening to Vincent, and what will happen once he passes away. When Rachel's boyfriend shows up, he becomes angered at Katie for her lashing out at Rachel, who has been the sole caretaker for Vincent throughout all the years, when Katie herself lives in Brooklyn and rarely showed up. Katie refers to Benjy as a stranger, but as it turns out, they had met before, and he had been coming over to spend time with Vincent very frequently. The relationship between the sisters boils over when Rachel hits back at all the criticism, including Katie's suggestion that she's less of a daughter, since she's a stepdaughter, to which Rachel states Vincent is the only father she ever knew. 

There's much to admire in Azazel Jacobs' drama, as the narrative slowly unfolds and reveals who these characters actually are. While initially they seem to fit certain stereotypes, namely the irresponsible pothead, the uptight one, and the loopy one, as the film progresses the more nuanced they all start to become, showing more vulnerability, and demonstrating that not all is what it seems (in their lives and in themselves). The film in certain aspects brings to mind Woody Allen's "Hannah and Her Sisters" and "September", firstly because of the similarities some of the sisters' personalities have, and secondly for the somber tone that the film has. A few aspects that prevents this film from truly soaring include at times the overly stagey aspect that it takes, particularly the set up of the feature and the beginning of the narrative itself. The way the characters are positioned in the physical space of the apartment, and even how their lines are uttered, reads as a theater play. Secondly, while a serious and dramatic topic, there's hardly a respite of humor in the entire film, something that Woody Allen has always been so good at embedding in his features, even the more dramatic ones. Lastly, while the casting is spot on perfect, it would be nice to see these performers shaken out of characters they've become accustomed to, and try something different for a change. The three central leads excel, particularly Natasha Lyonne, who manages to mix her usual tough persona, with vulnerability, pain and a melancholy that threatens to dim her light, but Carrie Coon as the uptight and self-centered Katie is solid, as is the quiet affirmation of Elizabeth Olsen's Christina, even if seems like we've seen these performers playing these characters before. The three central leads get great support from the always fantastic Jay O. Sanders and Jovan Adepo. The production team is impeccable, including Sam Levy's cinematography and Rodrigo Amarante's score. A solidly crafted and performed film, worth watching. 

Shattered Glass

Movie Name: Shattered Glass
Year of Release: 2003
Director: Billy Ray
Starring: Hayden Christensen, Peter Sarsgaard, Chloe Sevigny, Steve Zahn, Rosario Dawson, Melanie Lynskey, Hank Azaria, Mark Blum, Simone-Élise Girard, Chad Donella, Jamie Elman, Luke Kirby, 
Genre: Drama
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 7
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Synopsis and Review

Billy Ray made his name firstly as a screenwriter during the 1990s, having written films such as Richard Rush's "Color of Night", Mick Jackson's "Volcano", and Gregory Hoblit's "Hart's War" (sharing screenwriting credits that is). "Shattered Glass" was his feature directorial debut, of what has been thus far a very solid writing/directing career. The film which takes place in the late 1990s, is based on true facts, follows the story of Stephen Glass, a young journalist, who holds an associate editor role at The New Republic publication. Stephen is well liked by his colleagues and is somewhat sheltered by editor Michael Kelly. However due to internal conflicts, Kelly gets fired, and in his replaced by Charles Lane. Glass writes a story with the title "Hack Heaven", which reaches Forbes Digital Tool. One of the publication's reporters, Adam Penenberg, finds no supporting information/facts to corroborate the story. When trying to contact the individuals mentioned in the story, courtesy of a number Glass has made available, those calls go straight to voicemail. Charles Lane starts suspecting something is suspicious about the story, and as he pokes deeper into the details of the story, he realizes Glass made up all the events and facts that sustain the article. He confronts Glass about the situation, and decides to investigate prior articles he had written, only to realize the falsified facts were something he had equally done with his prior articles. 

Feature films focused on journalists have been a staple for decades. In the 1970s they took a qualitatively jump when Alan J. Pakula directed "All the President's Men", which is of course a classic, but since then other films have tackled life on the newsroom, some with a lighter tone such as Ron Howard's "The Paper", and others more dramatic such as Tom McCarthy's "Spotlight", Steven Spielberg's "The Post", and more recently, Maria Schrader's "She Said". "Shattered Glass" is an investigative story, but one that focuses on the integrity of one of the newsroom scribes, and essentially makes this film an analysis on the games of an impostor, who truly embodied the term impostor syndrome. The film deftly captures the relationship of camaraderie and trust between the characters on the newsroom team, simultaneously demonstrating how potent the illusion created by the central character actually was, and the amount of disbelief that occurred when the mountain of lies that had been created started to collapse. It's a testament to the quality of the writer/director that he doesn't demonize the central character, instead showing that character as someone who is crafting this made-up reality where he is an accomplished and trustworthy journalist, one that is being undone by external events, even if he is the one who has manipulated and fabricated most of the stories he had written. While what we get to know of these characters is somewhat limited, there's much to admire of the unfolding of the narrative as the lies become more and more evident. The cast is uniformly great, particularly Hayden Christensen as Stephen Glass, and the always underrated and superb Peter Sarsgaard as Charles Lane, though they all get additional solid support from Chloe Sevigny, Steve Zahn, Melanie Lynskey, and Hank Azaria. The production team is solid, including Mychael Danna's score, Mandy Walker's cinematography, and François Séguin's production design. A solid film worth watching.