Old Sport's Sundance 2020 Flick Picks
by Rosalie Kicks, Old Sport
Next week, I shall find myself donning my journo cap, sporty new puffy coat and hopping on a jet plane headed to the mountains of Park City for the 2020 Sundahhhhnce film festival (please take your eyeballs and ears here to understand the pronunciation, courtesy of Crispin Hellion Glover).
Read More1917
Directed by Sam Mendes
Written by Sam Mendes and Krysty Wilson-Cairns
Starring Dean Charles-Chapman, George MacKay and Andrew Scott
Running Time 1 hour and 59 minutes
MPAA Rating R for violence, some disturbing images, and language
by Rosalie Kicks, Old Sport
Brothers was the last war flick I watched circa 2009 and it absolutely wrecked me.
Read MoreInherit the Viper
Directed by Anthony Jerjen
Written by Andrew Crabtree
Starring Josh Harnett, Bruce Dern and Margarita Levieva
Running time 1 hour, 30 minutes
MPAA Rating R for drug content, violence and pervasive language
by Rosalie Kicks, Old Sport
I am always up to watch any flick featuring America’s sweetheart from the midwest, Josh Hartnett.
Read MoreBlack Christmas (2019)
Directed by Sophia Takal
Written by Sophia Takal and April Wolfe
Starring Imogen Poots, Aleyse Shannon, Lily Donoghue and Cary Elwes
Running time: 1 hour and 32 minutes
MPAA Rating: PG-13 for violence, terror, thematic content involving sexual assault, language, sexual material and drinking
by Rosalie Kicks, Old Sport
Sophia Takal and April Wolfe’s rendition of the well known holiday horror Black Christmas may not find itself in my top ten flicks of the year list, but it also isn’t gonna find itself among the worst.
Read MoreRichard Jewell
Directed by Clint Eastwood
Written by Marie Brenner (magazine article) and Billy Ray (screenplay)
Starring Paul Walter Hauser, Sam Rockwell, Olivia Wilde, Kathy Bates and Jon Hamm
Running Time: 2 hours and 9 minutes
MPAA Rating: R for language including some sexual references, and brief bloody images
by Rosalie Kicks, Old Sport
“I don’t want any Mickey Mousing around on these grounds.”
There is a lot I loved about the nineties (hello! 👋 Blink-182 fans) including: those colorful swishy track suits, stirrup pants, my pencil box and scrunchies. However, the Macarena song doesn't make the cut. That song was very much NO and was the last thing I expected to hear in Richard Jewell.. but it truly is a 90s staple.
Read MoreUncut Gems
Directed by Benny and Josh Safdie
Written by Benny Safdie, Josh Safdie and Ronald Bronstein
Starring Adam Sandler, Julia Fox and Kevin Garnett
Running Time: 2 hours and 15 minutes
MPAA Rating: R for pervasive strong language, violence, some sexual content and brief drug use
by Rosalie Kicks, Old Sport
“The beauty of betting.”
A key takeaway from Good Time and Uncut Gems is that I will never turn to the Safdie brothers when I am seeking a relaxing night at the cinema.
Read MoreBombshell
Directed by Jay Roach
Written by Charles Randolph
Starring Margot Robbie, Charlize Theron, Nicole Kidman and Kate McKinnon
Running time: 1 hour and 48 minutes
MPAA Rating: R for sexual material and language throughout
by Rosalie Kicks, Old Sport
“No crying at Fox.”
It is rather precious that a story about women being sexually harassed and demoralized in the workplace is being told by a couple of men. (cut to: major eyeroll)
Read MoreKnives and Skin
Written and Directed by Jennifer Reeder
Starring Kate Arrington, Marika Engelhardt and Tim Hopper
Running Time: 1 hour and 51 minutes
by Rosalie Kicks, Old Sport
“I shoulda been a manicurist, they hold hands for a living.”
Knives and Skin is a sleek neo-noir film that takes a stab at playing homage to the eighties teen thriller drama genre flicks but ultimately gets lost along the way.
Read MoreDark Waters
Directed by Todd Haynes
Written by Matthew Michael Carnahan, Mario Correa (screenplay) and Nathaniel Rich (magazine article story is based on)
Starring Mark Ruffalo, Anne Hathaway, Tim Robbins, Bill Pullman
Running time 2 hours, 6 minutes
MPAA Rating PG-13
by Rosalie Kicks, Old Sport
“We got the cancer.” Ta-dah. ✨
This holiday season, don't forget to give thanks to our wonderful companies for all the great things they have gifted us: cancer, a polluted environment, new identities, radioactive oatmeal and oh yea, prime shipping.
Read MoreKnives Out aka Wills ‘n Thrills
Written and Directed by Rian Johnson
Starring Daniel Craig, Chris Evans, Ana de Armas and a slew of other sharp dressed people
Running Time 2 hours, 10 minutes
MPAA Rating PG-13
by Rosalie Kicks, Old Sport
In some families, when a relative kicks the bucket it can be quite thrilling.
Ford v Ferrari, a DAD MOVIE™
Directed by James Mangold
Written by Jez Butterworth, John-Henry Butterworth and Jason Keller
Starring Christian Bale, Matt Damon, Jon Bernthal (other white dudes too!)
Running Time 2 hours, 32 minutes (surprisingly it mostly races by… ha!)
MPAA Rating PG-13
by Rosalie Kicks, Old Sport
“I’m not what they call a people person.”
The entire premise of Ford v Ferrari can be summed up as: just a couple of dudes havin’ an old fashioned pissing contest.
Read MoreCharlie's Angels
Directed by Elizabeth Banks
Written by Elizabeth Banks (screenplay), Evan Spilotopoulous and David Auburn (story)
Starring Kristen Stewart, Naomi Scott, Ella Balnska, Elizabeth Banks and Patrick Stewart
Running time 1 hour, 58 minutes
MPAA Rating PG-13
by Rosalie Kicks, Old Sport
“Mo money, mo horses.”
Not sure what I am more surprised by: that a flick like Charlie’s Angels is coming out in mid-November or that it somehow managed to drop a Burt Lancaster reference.
Read MoreMotherless Brooklyn
Directed by Edward Norton
Written by Jonathan Lethem (novel) and Edward Norton (screenplay)
Starring Edward Norton, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Alec Baldwin and Willem Dafoe
Running time Two hours, twenty four minutes (sigh)
MPAA Rating R
by Rosalie Kicks, Old Sport
”I always did enjoy a night drive.”
In regards to my film criticism, Edward Norton is catching me at a very sensitive and compassionate time in my life.
Read MoreLight from Light
Written and directed by Paul Harrill
Starring Marin Ireland, Jim Gaffigan, Josh Wiggins and Atheena Frizzell
Run time 1 hour, 22 minutes
by Rosalie Kicks, Old Sport
“Do you believe in ghosts?”
When it comes to the subject of the afterlife, I am very wishy washy. On one hand, I think it would be rather exciting to know that there is something beyond this breathing existence. However, then I think, wouldn’t it be nice to just close my eyes and catch up on all those zzzzzzs I have missed from the comfort of a plush coffin?
Read MoreWaves
Written and Directed by Trey Edward Shults
Starring Taylor Russell, Kelvin Harrison, Alexa Demie and Sterling K. Brown
Running Time 2 hours, 15 minutes
MPAA Rating R
by Rosalie Kicks, Old Sport
“No second chances, no second place.”
I saw Trey Edward Shults’, Waves at the Toronto Film Festival based solely on the director’s previous work, It Comes at Night (I still need to watch Krisha, I KNOW! but cut me some slack guys. So many movies so little time.) and the buzz it generated from the fest. There was so much chatter about this flick that they made an additional screening available, which is how I was fortunate enough to see it. By not watching the trailer or reading the logline on IMDb, I was not prepared for the emotional roller coaster that I would be taken on. I recommend that viewers do the same for this one, as it may be best to avoid any spoilery plot details to experience the same powerful impact that it had on me.
Read MoreBlow the Man Down
Written and Directed by Bridget Savage and Danielle Krudy
Starring Sophie Lowe, Morgan Saylor and June Squibb
Running time 1 hour 30 minutes
by Rosalie Kicks, Old Sport
It is always the small quaint towns that one has to worry about. Sure they are quiet, but that silence usually signifies secrets.
Read MoreThe Vast of Night
Directed by Andrew Patterson
Written by James Montague and Craig W. Sanger
Starring Sierra McCormick, Jake Horowitz and Gail Cronauer
Running Time 1 hour, 29 minutes
by Rosalie Kicks, Old Sport
”Can’t waste tape on a tombstone.”
In the film Vast of Night, Everett (Jake Horowitz) and Fay Crocker (Sierra McCormick) are two radio obsessed beatniks that have an admiration for the airwaves. Setting the film in a fictional 1950s sleepy town called Cayuga, New Mexico, it is safe to say that the writers and director are fans of the Twilight Zone. Cayuga being the name of the host and creator of Twilight Zone, Rod Serling’s production company.
Read MoreThe Lighthouse
Directed by Robert Eggers
Written by Max Eggers and Robert Eggers
Starring Willem Dafoe, Robert Pattinson, Valeriia Karaman
Running time 1 hour, 49 minutes
MPAA rating R - because of the mermaid sex, farts and f-bombs
by Rosalie Kicks, Old Sport and Benjamin Leonard, Best Boy
“Bad luck to kill a seabird.”
There is a lot to unpack in Robert Eggers’ latest feature, The Lighthouse, so it only made sense to have this review be more of a conversational piece. After you view the film, it will most likely make sense how we arrived at this decision. It is one of those movies that immediately upon exiting the theater there is an urge to discuss every frame that was seen, every sound bite that was heard and all the feels that were experience. Sit back, relax and join Moviejawn’s Old Sport and Best Boy on the high seas to discuss this hypnotic tale of adventure about two lighthouse keepers.
Greener Grass
Written and Directed by Jocelyn DeBoer and Dawn Luebbe
Starring Jocelyn DeBoer, Dawn Luebbe, Beck Bennett, and Neil Casey
Run time 1 hour 35 minutes
by Rosalie Kicks, Old Sport
“Julian just got awesome!”
As the end credits of Greener Grass hit the screen I was left pondering what I just watched. This is not to say that I felt my time was wasted. On the contrary, I found that for a little over ninety minutes, I was treated to a delightfully amusing, somewhat bewildering tale from writer/director/acting team Jocelyn DeBoer and Dawn Luebbe.
Read More