Movie Trailer Reviews

2017’s Wonder Woman felt like a game changer for WB’s DCEU. After several misfires with Batman v Superman and Suicide Squad, it felt like maybe, just maybe, the DCEU was getting back on track. The film wasn’t perfect (by any means) but Patty Jenkins was able to bring the icon that is Diana Prince to the big screen. To this day the No Man's Land scene is still talked about and the way that Gal Gadot embraced the role solidified her as Wonder Woman. That’s what makes Wonder Woman 1984 such a disappointment. It’s hard to understand how we went from an extremely competent first solo outing to a convoluted mess that looks like it has unfinished special effects, lackluster fight scenes, underused performances from Pedro Pascal and Kristen Wig and most importantly, a script that should be an embarrassment to all those involved. And don't get me started on how this film is set in 1984 and yet doesn't have a memorable soundtrack. How is that even possible?  Where to begin? Let’s start with how this film looks. WW84 reportedly had a budget of $200 million and I’ve been spending the last 24 hours trying to figure out where it was spent. There’s an awkward looking scene in the trailers (one of the first clips ever released) of Wonder Woman running where you can clearly tell they put Gadot on a treadmill then edited the background to look like she’s running in the streets. It looks very weird but we all thought it would be fixed. It wasn’t. Not only was it not, but scenes like that are throughout the entire movie. In the first 20 minutes of the film there’s a scene where Wonder Woman is stopping some criminals in a mall. The scene is shot so awkwardly and poorly, I thought they were doing it on purpose to suggest that it was really a cheesy, 80’s movie someone was shooting. What's worse is EVER big action set piece is like this. It feels like you're not watching a 2020 blockbuster but a 1980's film on VHS. What’s frustrating is that, we’ve seen so much better from the DCEU. The fight scenes in Birds of Prey from earlier this year are so much better than WW84. The special effects and CGI of Aquaman blow this film away. If you go all the way back to 2013’s Man of Steel, we’ve seen a female super-powered character use speed in fights and it look amazing. Yet in this film, watching characters run and fight gives you the feel of watching a 70’s Superman film. The movie looks so bad at times you may pause it and then start messing with your TV's settings thinking it's something on your end. It's not. The film just looks bad. Like it’s predecessor, WW84 doesn’t do the film’s antagonists any justice which is a shame considering Kristen Wiig as Barbara Minerva and Pedro Pascal as Maxwell Lord are actually pretty good. If you’re looking for the comic book versions of these characters you’l be disappointed but at this point in the DCEU, it’s to be expected. Where this film fails is that it doesn’t give them enough time to shine (because it’s too busy focusing on a love story between Diana & Steve) and then completely removes all of the stakes by the end of the film. There may have been some worry about how Wiig would pull off this role and I can happily report that those worries were unfounded. She does an excellent job in the role and honesty should have been the main antagonist of the film and really leaned on the bond then eventually conflict between Diana and Barbara. Unfortunately that doesn’t happen because WW84 seems to have forgotten one of the biggest appeals of the first film: Men aren’t necessary for this story. Both Diana and Barbara are inexplicably tied to male characters that could have easily been cut out of the film. Pascal’s performance is good but the audience also isn’t given the motivations behind the character to actual care about him until nearly the very end.

Sylvie’s Love is  a beautifully shot film that centers healthy, non-toxic black love that we sadly don’t get enough in films. As audiences we’re used to black love stories not centering black women or when they do, it's inevitably still surrounding some trauma involving a man. That’s what makes Sylvie’s Love such a refreshing watch. Eugene Ashe put together a beautiful offering about love, sacrifice, and purpose.    The first thing that hits you about Sylvie’s Love is the aesthetics. One of the best trends in movies lately has been how vibrant period films starring Black people have been. This film is visually gorgeous. From the way it’s shot all the way to the outfits. When telling a story about black love, aesthetics can go a long way. Sylvie’s Love could absolutely work as a silent film and could tell its entire story with just the looks of the characters and the soundtrack. There’s an “old school” romance film vibe to Sylvie’s Love that has part of me want to see this film in black & white. I have no doubt it could pull this off. NNAMDI ASOMUGHA as ROBERT HALLOWAY and TESSA THOMPSON as SYLVIE PARKER in SLYVIEÕS LOVE   Of course it helps to have a lead like Tessa Thompson. She’s absolutely fantastic as Sylvie. Black women aren’t typically given the chance to play a character like Sylvie and so it’s a joy to see someone as talented as Thompson get the chance. The film’s title “Sylvie’s Love”  is just as much about Sylvie finding and achieving what she loves and loving who she is as much as it about her love with Robert. Nnamdi Asomugha puts in an incredibly solid performance as Robert. Again, it's refreshing to see a character like Robert who has suffered trauma and disappointment but never takes that out on the Black woman he loves. We really do need more films that normalize non-toxic,  normal love between men and women, particularly Black men  and women.    This is Eugene Ashe’s second feature film as a writer-director. If this is the quality we can expect from Ashe’s work then my hope is that we see much more from him and soon. Sylvie’s Love is a must see. The film premieres on Amazon Prime Video on December 23rd and shouldn’t be missed.   You can listen to Kriss, Ro and Brandon talk about this film on the Movie Trailer Reviews feed.   Like what you hear? Subscribe so you don't miss an episode! Follow us on Twitter: @Phenomblak @InsanityReport @TheMTRNetwork   Our shirts are now on TeePublic.  https://teepublic.

The Doctor, Shanna, and friends of the show Ejiro and Tai join us to discuss season 4 of the Crown, including the introduction of Diana, the selfishness of Charles, the weak NY accents, the tyranny of Margaret Thatcher, and the failure of Queen Elizabeth II to truly mentor her heir in preparation to take the throne.     Follow us on Twitter: @TheMTRNetwork @TheDrIsIn2015   Want more podcast greatness? Sign up for a MTR Premium Account!

On the surface, Promising Young Woman might seem like another rape revenge film but Director Emerald Fennell's film has a lot more depth to it than the torture porn the sub-genre has unfortunately become. A lot of films that fall into the "rape revenge" category, particularly those made by men, end up focusing more on the brutality of the rape or the revenge and in doing so, tend to still make these films that should center on women, more about the men. Where Promising Young Woman succeeds is that it never really takes the focus off the victim. It also explores what a victim really is in these situations, showing that there are a lot more victims that are affected than just the direct victim and the long lasting affects of this violation. Promising Young Woman also doesn't let anyone "off the hook". Any time we see news about a rape or sexual assault that has occurred, we also see that the accused has a lot of enablers and defenders. And those people and systems that help these men get away with their crimes only leads to more bad behavior by "good guys". This film makes sure to call out the enablers and show how they all the sudden change tunes when they're the ones in the hot seat. To put it nicely (and without spoilers), let's just say there are a lot more people that are Dean Walkers and Madisons than want to admit. This cast works very well together. Carey Mulligan is perfectly cast as Cassandra Thomas. She's perfectly blends humor, sarcasm, anger and vulnerability. Clancy Brown and Jennifer Coolidge are a great combination of loving parents who are also ready for their child to get out of their house and try to move on. The rest of the cast also works very well together and most do a lot with very little screen time. Molly Shannon has what can best be described as a cameo but it's a pretty impactful and more serious performance than one would expect. The cast doing so much with  so little screen time is also what might disappoint some. Laverne Cox plays Gail, Cassandra's boss and she's great. But because she's Laverne Cox audiences might be expecting more. This is not to say that this is a film plagued by an underused cast. Rather its in the much better position of leaving an audience wanting more instead of needing more. Promising Young Woman is by no means a perfect movie. No film really ever is. But it is a great blend of humor and seriousness that explores survivors guilt just as much as it does revenge. Listen to Ro, Brandon and Kriss discuss this film (Plus the current state of 'Award Season' during COVID and more). Like what you hear? Subscribe so you don't miss an episode! Follow us on Twitter: @Phenomblak @InsanityReport @TheMTRNetwork   Our shirts are now on TeePublic.  https://teepublic.com/stores/mtr-network  

Kriss, Ro and Brandon are back to review and discuss the last three episodes of Lovecraft Country: * Jig-a-Bobo * Rewind 1921 * Full Circle There's a lot to discuss with not just these three episodes but the whole series. The first thing though is that HBO did a great job of giving Misha Green the space to tell this story (and make the appropriate adjustments for the show compared to Matt Ruff's novel). It's not just important that a Black woman got to tell this story but it also shows the benefits of giving creators the space and room to tell the full story. The final episode being called "Full Circle" is appropriate for how it pulls in a lot of elements from the previous episodes as well as themes to connect everything. To those paying attention, those threads were always there but sometimes audiences need to see the finished product to really put it all together. Lovecraft is definitely a show that could benefit from a second (or more) viewing to catch even more hints at how things will come together. There's also a needed conversation about the generational pain and trauma that is passed down through Black families. Atticus and Montrose's complex relationship becomes more clear and understandable at the end of this series. The series doesn't make excuses for it but focuses more on how to break the cycle so the next generation is allowed to live without those burdens.  Make sure you subscribe to Movie Trailer Reviews on iTunes, Spotify and your favorite podcast app to listen as Ro, Kriss and Brandon discuss these three episodes and the entire series. Like what you hear? Subscribe so you don't miss an episode! Follow us on Twitter: @Phenomblak @InsanityReport @TheMTRNetwork   Our shirts are now on TeePublic.  https://teepublic.com/stores/mtr-network   Want more podcast greatness? Sign up for a MTR Premium Account!  

Culture columnist Femke Boot (Katja Herbers) is used to getting negative comments online. She’s always believed it should be possible to be nice about having different opinions. But the backlash to a recent article taking a stance against ‘Black Pete’ challenges her belief in people’s decency. When the internet trolls turn vicious and Femke realizes one of her neighbors is among them. The realization proves too much and Femke snaps and pushes her neighbor to his death. What starts as a drama about the boldness of keyboard warriors and the loss of civility in debate and discourse swiftly shifts into a all out horror movie. Because Femke decides its time to get back at her harassers - and use the adrenaline rush to break through her writers block - face to face.    Both Kriss and Ro found The Columnist to be a Fantasia Fest highlight. It's unexpected twists, solidly disturbing performances and highly relevant (and relatable villain) subject matter. It  dip it's toe into plot-driven social commentary without ever losing the drive and entertainment value.  Listen as they discuss this festival favorite. The Columnist is currently streaming at the Chicago International Film Festival until October 25th. Tickets are $12.00.  Directed by Ivo van Aart | Country The Netherlands  | Runtime: 83 minutes Follow more of our Film Festival  Reviews and Coverage on our Press Page Page: https://press.mtrnetwork.net Follow us on Social Media: MTRNetwork MTRNetwork @TheMTRNetwork

There are certain movies that automatically make the Halloween marathon, or at least they should. For years, cult classic The Witches, based on Rolad Dahl's book by the same name, starring Anjelica Huston has landed somewhere on that list between Hocus Pocus and Nightmare on Elm Street.  Now, HBO hopes you add the Anne Hathaway-led remaking directed by Robert Zemeckis to that watch list. This film - still geared towards children (allegedly) - offers a few unsettling chills and plenty of campiness wrapped in sly humor.  Leaning into Dahl's The Witches It's 1967, a young boy (Jahzir Bruno) and his Grandma (Octavia Spencer) find themselves trapped in a hotel during a convention of witches plotting to bespell the world's children turning them into mice. The duo - along with some unlikely accomplices - must outwit the Grand High Witch (Anne Hathaway) and thwart her master plan. Viewing audiences grew up with the child-friendly version this story (this is a lie, Huston's coven of witches scared the bejeezus out of plenty). It's a wicked adventure of a boy left unexpectedly orphaned - who's then attacked by a wicked witch - learning to persevere.  For the most part, the main plot points remain unchanged. And while Zemeckis tries to (re)capture the darker undertone of Dahl's forty-year-old tale, the Kenya Barris and Guillermo del Toro crafted script updates time, place, and the ethnic origins of several main characters along with reworking certain key story elements. (L-r)OCTAVIA SPENCER as Grandma, JAHZIR BRUNO as Hero Boy, and STANLEY TUCCI as Mr. Stringer in Warner Bros. Pictures’ fantasy adventure “THE WITCHES,” a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Photograph by Daniel Smith The costumes are stellar, the cast and location (Alabama) add just the right touch of macabre, and the practical effects and CGI work together to create the right edgy if uptight notes.  So, the really question is will it appeal to today's audience? Listen as Ro gives a quick breakdown of The Witches and how she thinks it stacks up against the source material and 1990 Roeg adaptation.  The Witches premieres on HBOMax October 22, 2020 Like what you hear? Subscribe so you don't miss an episode! Follow us on Twitter: @Phenomblak @InsanityReport @TheMTRNetwork   Our shirts are now on TeePublic.  https://teepublic.com/stores/mtr-network   Want more podcast greatness? Sign up for a MTR Premium Account!  

Director Rick Korn took some time to sit down with the MTR Network and discuss his latest documentary Harry Chapin: When in Doubt Do Something. Singer/songwriter and philanthropist Harry Chapin's best known in music circles for his number one single Cat's in the Cradle. But, Harry Chapin, the man, threw his entire self - and his career - in to being an citizen activist. He wanted to end poverty and hunger in the world; he was willing to dedicate his platform, time and energy wholly to the cause.  Watch the Full Interview:  https://youtu.be/Wzv2AKPvk3Y Rick Korn is a film/TV producer, writer, and director who works with different non-profit organizations - including WHYHunger, co-founded by Harry Chapin, - producing fundraising concerts. He's last documentary focused on the rescue and recovery 9/11 workers. During its production, Korn interviewed Chapin's former partner, Bill Ayres. His casual query of Ayers wondering why no one's ever made a documentary about Harry elicited the response, "Why don't you do it?" Korn discusses bringing this story to life, his person connection to Harry Chapin and what he how he hopes learning more about Chapin and the activism Chapin dedicated his life to will motivate others to stop doubting, and do something.  What Would Harry Chapin Be Doing? Taking up Harry's mission, like many before him, director Rick Korn and his partners are throwing a free docu-concert to encourage people to get out and vote. TONIGHT, Tuesday, October 20, 2020 DO SOMETHING AND VOTE | BENEFIT CONCERT DOCUMENTARY Featuring commentary from: Harry Chapin, John Lewis (final words as read by Morgan Freeman), Jon Stewart and John Feal, Onondaga Indian Chief Oren Lyons, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, and Greta Thunberg   And performances from:  Alabama Shakes, Black Puma's, Head and the Heart, Keb Mo, Bruce Springsteen, Tedeschi Trucks Band, Raye Zaragoza, and Harry Chapin  Available Free LiveXLive at 8:00 PM ET | Tune in HERE The docu-concert benefits over 25 charities including WhyHunger, LI Cares, Sandy Hook Promise, Fealgood Foundation, and Michelle Obama's When We all Vote.  To donate to any of the charities and get voting information, visit https://bit.ly/cauzedosomething.  All donations will be matched. Follow more of our Film Festival  Reviews and Coverage on our Press Page Page: https://press.mtrnetwork.net Follow us on Social Media: MTRNetwork MTRNetwork @TheMTRNetwork

Idris Elba as a cowboy? I mean who wouldn’t be sold? Overall, Concrete Cowboy is a solid film based on the real life Fletcher Street Urban Riding Club in Philadelphia. It’s a mix of fictionalizing the club with a (sometimes stereotypical) story of a young teen reconnecting with his father. Caleb McLaughlin plays Cole, a troubled teen that is sent by his mother to live with his father Harp (Idris Elba), in a last ditch effort to get Cole to turn his life around.  Image credit: Courtesy of TIFF Concrete Cowboy is one of those films that is solid but could have been so much more if given to directors and writers with a bit more lived experience with the subject. There are times where it feels that this film tries to handle more complex issues and the script just wasn’t equipped for that. Where this film works is when it focus on the story of Fletcher Street and the riding community. This film uses actual members of the community in some of the roles and they such a good job that it might not be until the end of the film when they do a montage of some of them and their real names that you realize they weren’t actors at all. It works because Concrete Cowboy leans on seasoned actors like Elba, McLaughlin, Lorraine Toussaint and Method Man to help flesh out the story. Yes you read that right. Method Man is quietly rises in my rankings of rappers turned actors. What’s actually impressed me about Clifford Smith (gotta use his government for this one) is the roles he’s taking. We know he can do the silly and ridiculous (The How High films are still hilarious). But we’re seeing him in more roles like the one he plays in Concrete Cowboy where he’s taking a more serious and balanced role. I’m here for it. He’s clearly good at it and he has the range.  Unfortunately, Concrete Cowboy doesn’t stick to what it's good at. The film decides to go the route of Cole being “pulled back in” by a friend, played by Jharrel Jerome, in the neighborhood. A lot of time is wasted on this storyline that could have been better served really going into more details about the neighborhood, the history of Fletcher Street, urban cowboys and more. Instead  it feels that we get just parts of these stories and not the whole picture. It also takes the audience away from its strong suit (the actors and chemistry). While we do get enough of the turmoil between Harp and Cole, there could have been more. We also only get hints of the relationship/friendship between Harp and Leroy (Method Man) and Lorraine Toussaint is criminally under used. Image credit: Courtesy of TIFF All in all, Concrete Cowboy is worth checking out but it will leave audiences feeling a bit empty and wanting more. Now if that feeling of wanting more leads to more people looking up and supporting the Fletcher Street Urban Riding Club then it still ends up being a net positive. Follow more of our Toronto Film Festival 2020 Reviews and Coverage on our Press Page Page: https://press.mtrnetwork.net Follow us on Social Media: MTRNetwork MTRNetwork @InsanityReport @TheMTRNetwork

Rape revenge movies can be hard to review and after watching Violation during the Toronto Film Festival, I'm still not  sure if it's a good movie or not. The problem with reviewing rape revenge movies is that that there are two ways to look at them. On one hand, you can treat them just like every movie and grade them one acting, coherent plot, the way they’re  shot, etc. The other way to review them is to grade them on a curve based on how good the revenge is. If you’re lucky, the movie will both be traditional good, with a fairly deserving dish of revenge being served. Unfortunately for Violation, I’m less sold on it as a good movie than I am on giving it a pass for the way the revenge was enacted. Without spoiling I’ll just say, this is why you never eat Karen’s homemade ice cream at the company pot luck. Image credit: Courtesy of TIFF The first 40 minutes of this movie works. Madeleine Sims-Fewer plays Miriam, a woman that is a trying to reconcile with her sister (Anna Maguire) on a weekend retreat with their significant others, who is raped  by her sister’s husband Dylan (Jessee LaVercombe). Violation tells the story of Miriam not only getting revenge one Dylan but also how she was gaslit by both Dylan and Greta after revealing to Greta that she was raped. This is where Violation succeeds. The way this film handles rape and the subsequent shaming and gaslighting of victims is one of the more realistic depictions in a film. Rape typically isn't the "stranger danger" kind but rather a true violation by someone the victim trusts. Follow that up with the immediate shift in blame by the abuser and the betrayal of family and Violation can hit really close to home. Image credit: Courtesy of TIFF Unfortunately, this film can't stick to where it's good at. Where Violation goes wrong is its non-linear, barely coherent story. This pains me to say this because I love a non-linear story. It's clear that Dusty Mancinelli and Sims-Fewer (who also co-directed the film) got a bit in-over-their-heads with their first feature length film. While I love a non-linear story, the key to making  them work is making sure the audience is aware of anchor points in the story so they know where in the timeline they are. on top of that, Violation jumps between time points almost too frequently to let key scenes sink in for the audience. This is the real tragedy of this film since its theme of not only rape but gaslighting is done really well, yet the audience doesn’t get a chance to digest some very important moments because the film hops to the next scene in a different point in time.  Violation is a film that should have been better and more. It's worth checking out for the revenge sequence but when it's all said and done, you'll just wish there was a bit more focus to make it a complete film. Follow more of our Toronto Film Festival 2020 Reviews and Coverage on our Press Page Page: https://press.mtrnetwork.net Follow us on Social Media: MTRNetwork MTRNetwork @InsanityReport @TheMTRNetwork

I had the opportunity to speak with actor Perry Yung - who plays Father Jun leader of the Hop Wei Tong in Cinemax Original Warrior. We discussed how he found his way starring on television after years away, what Warrior brings to television, how he works around trope to seize opportunities to subvert stereotypes, and his thoughts on representation in the age of 44.   Who is Perry Yung? Perry Yung is an American actor and musician from Oakland, CA. He plays Father Jun in Cinemax's Warrior, produced by Justin Lin, Shannon Lee (Bruce Lee's daughter) and Jonathan Tropper (Banshee show creator). Yung was fan favorite Ping Wu on Steven Soderbergh's The Knick and has guest starred on shows like, Gotham and The Blacklist. You may also recognize him as the Doctor in John Wick: Chapter 2.  Warrior, the Western... Based on the writings of Bruce Lee and brought to life by his daughter Shannon Lee, Warrior sits at the intersection of costume drama and spaghetti western. Only this fights involve bladed weapons and master martial artists.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OTfLx35b2Sw&ab_channel=FilmIsNowActionMovieTrailers Show Premise:  Warrior takes place in the latter half of the 19th century during brutal gang wars in San Francisco's Chinatown. The show premiered on April 5, 2019 and follows martial arts prodigy Ah Sahm, a Chinese immigrant who arrives in the City of Lights under mysterious circumstances. Once he proves his prowess as a fighter, Sahm is sold as a fighter to one of Chinatown's most powerful organized crime families. He came searching for his sister and ends up embroiled in a bloody turf wars between the gangs and struggle to survive amidst the rising anti-Chinese racism and societal/political upheaval in the city.   Cinemax Original, Warrior, returns with a second ten episode season of its high action crime drama set in 19 century San Francisco during the Tong Wars. And Father Jun once again tries to ensure his tong survives regardless the obstacle.  If this show isn't on your Fall watchlist you're missing out because it's brutal, full of intrigue, and high drama.  The action is kinetic. The plot multilayered. And the show as beautiful as it is bloody.  Warrior Season Two begins Friday, October 2 (10:00-11:00 p.m. ET/PT), exclusively on Cinemax https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V_wSj_1fWtY&t=3s&ab_channel=Cinemax Warrior Stars: Andrew Koji Kieran Bew, Olivia Cheng, Dianne Doan, Dean Jagger, Langley Kirkwood, Hoon Lee, Christian McKay, Joe Taslim (“A Night Comes For Us”), Jason Tobin (“Fast & Furious 9”), Joanna Vanderham (“Eddie & Sunny”), Tom Weston-Jones and Perry Yung. New season two series regulars include Celine Buckens, Dustin Nguyen, Chen Tang, Miranda Raison and recurring series regular Maria Elena Laas. The series will also be available on demand and on MaxGo.com. Warrior was created by and is executive produced by Jonathan Tropper (Cinemax 's Banshee) under Tropper Ink Productions, executive produced by Justin Lin (Star Trek Beyond and Fast & Furious 9) for Perfect Storm Entertainment and executive produced by Shannon Lee for Bruce Lee Entertainment. Like what you hear? Subscribe so you don't miss an episode! Follow us on Twitter:

Kriss,  Ro and Brandon are back to review episodes 5  to 7  of  Lovecraft Country. Like what you hear? Subscribe so you don't miss an episode! Follow us on Twitter: @Phenomblak @InsanityReport @TheMTRNetwork   Our shirts are now on TeePublic.  https://teepublic.com/stores/mtr-network   Want more podcast greatness? Sign up for a MTR Premium Account!  

The first 25 minutes of Pieces of a Woman should be enough to tell you that you’re  not prepared for the emotional toll of this movie. It should absolutely come with a trigger warning but at the same time  is a must watch. At first this film seems like it’s about loss and grieving after Martha (Vanessa Kirby) and Sean (Shia LaBeouf) lose their child after a difficult  home birth. However, what director Kornél Mundruczó and writer Kata Wéber really do is tell the story of how society dictates to women how they should feel and behave. This film really exposes how selfish people can be even when it appears (even to themselves) that they're being selfless. Losing a child is a tragic, heartbreaking experience for parents. But only one of those parents carried the baby inside their own body and that's the reality we have to life with. A woman who loses a child should be able to grieve (or not) how they want and shouldn't have to shoulder the emotional baggage of everyone else's grief and expectations.  Pieces of a Woman works because of the two leads in the film, Shia LaBeouf and Vanessa Kirby. As I said in my capsule review, I want someone to give Shia LeBeouf a hug. I'm worried about him. Although maybe I shouldn't because he's come such a long way. From screaming "OPTIMUS!!!!" every 2 seconds in those terrible Michael  Bay Transformers films to that weird stretch as a battle rapper, he’s had some rough patches. But with Honey Boy, The Peanut Butter Falcon and now Pieces of a Woman, he’s put together not only the 3 best performances of his career, but three roles that at least put him in the conversation during Oscar season. We can make all the jokes we want but LeBeouf has more than proven that he's a damn good actor. To be honest, part of my concern for his well being comes from the fact that he plays these roles so damn well,  I start to question if he's even acting. When it's hard to discern where the fictional character begins and where the real person is, particularly when its different roles with their own  unique traits and quirks, then it's safe to say, that's some damn fine acting. But the real  star of Pieces of a Woman is Vanessa Kirby. LeBeouf  puts in a great performance but this is Kirby's movie. Whatever your feelings about Pieces of a Woman are, the one thing that should be agreed upon is that Vanessa Kirby is absolutely fantastic in this film. If you weren’t a fan of Kirby before, you should leave this film as one. I’ve seen some reviews that suggest that Kirby didn’t really connect because at times she felt too stoic and emotionally detached. The irony of that is how meta that critique is. Martha spends most of the film having to defend herself from her mother and husband who think she’s not showing enough emotion after what happened and therefore must need their help  or that something is wrong with her. To complain that Kirby isn’t showing enough (or the correct emotional reaction) as Martha really does miss the whole point the film is trying to make. Pieces of a Woman was one of my favorites of TIFF 2020, coming in second to One Night In Miami. It's a film that will definitely generate more conversations as more people see it. Netflix picked this up to distribute which makes sense. This film fits well in the conversation like Marriage Story did and is definitely worth checking out. Follow more of our Toronto Film Festival 2020 Reviews and Coverage on our Press Page Page: https://press.mtrnetwork.net Follow us on Social Media: MTRNetwork MTRNetwork @InsanityReport @TheMTRNetwork

If there was any doubt if Marvel’s The Eternals was in good hands with Chloé Zhao at the helm then Nomadland should be all the evidence you need. Nomadland is a slow burn, but the journey it takes the audience is worth it. This is a gorgeous, well-acted film but it might actually be too subtle with some of the themes for the average viewer. The film follows Fern (Frances McDormand), a widow who has settled into a nomad lifestyle living out of her van as she follows seasonal work throughout the midwest. McDormand plays Fern in typical McDormand fashion and it works extremely well here. Not only is Fern dealing (or rather not dealing) with the loss of her husband but also the loss of her  entire way of living. When the factory in her town went out of business, so did the town (even losing its zip code). Fern has all that remains of her life left in a storage unit and her utility van that she lives out of as she travels from seasonal job to seasonal job. McDormand really captures Fern's internal struggles as someone who can't completely let  go of her past but also doesn't want to ask for help or seem dependent on others (even her remaining family). Image credit: 01 Courtesy of TIFF This film also explores several reasons why so many live the nomad life. This film does a good job of telling those stories or rather, making the audience aware of these through the other people Fern interacts with. It  really comes down to some people choosing the life while other are forced. Some have sold everything they own and decide to live on their own terms. Others are forced into this life due to their economic situation. And that distinction between choice and being forced are where some of my issues with the film surface. There are times when I wish this film hit a bit  harder. Sometimes it feels as though when Nomadland peels back the layers on what happens with these forgotten towns in America, it doesn’t completely go down the path. Nevertheless this  is a solid, well-made film. It's no real fault of the film that I wanted more from it, if anything it's a sign that it did it's job. While fiction, there's a lot of truth and reality in it and if at the end it made me want more and ask more questions, then it's done its job as a film. Follow more of our Toronto Film Festival 2020 Reviews and Coverage on our Press Page Page: https://press.mtrnetwork.net Follow us on Social Media: MTRNetwork MTRNetwork @InsanityReport @TheMTRNetwork

Is there anything that Regina King can’t do? She’s been a versatile actress for 35 years that has always impressed. I could have a heated argument with myself over what my favorite Regina King role is (Her role as Detective Lydia Adams on the criminally underrated Southland is always going to be up there). It’s nice to see her finally get her due. On top of her acting she’s also apparently a vampire that hasn’t aged at all.  Her and  Paul Rudd  drink from the same fountain of youth.  So when I saw she was trying her hand at directing a feature length film, I  had no doubt that she could pull it off and was not disappointed  with the result. For a directorial debut, One Night in Miami is pretty ambitious project. Adapting a play into a movie is always a bit difficult and doing it for  your first feature film is even harder. But King along with writer Kemp Powers  really pull this film together and make it very engaging. One Night in Miami is the fictionalized tale of the convergence of four black icons in Miami in the height of the civil  rights movement. The film has Malcom X (Kingsley Ben-Adir), Cassius Clay(Eli Goree), Sam Cooke (Leslie Odom Jr) and Jim  Brown (Aldis Hodge) meeting up right  after Clay won the heavyweight championship. Each man is facing a crossroad in their career and how they reconcile their career with the civil rights fight for rights Black people (and themselves) are facing. While this fictionalized “meeting of the minds) didn’t happen, it’s also not too far fetched to think that each of these men had similar conversations (albeit maybe not with each other) with others at some point. Anytime there is a film based on a play, a key part in the success is the acting and One Night in Miami is no exception. As I mentioned in my early capsule review, Aldis Hodge is criminally underrated. He’s racked up a series of roles recently that really make me hope that he gets the really big role next. Leslie Odom Jr  is another one of these supremely talented Black actors instantly commands the screen whenever he appears. It's funny. Leslie Odom Jr is one of those actors that everyone recognizes and seems to be in everything, yet still seems like he's not given enough roles. Part of that could be that any time he's on screen is never enough and you just want more. Honestly, One Night In Miami could be the jumping off point for a Sam Cooke bio film with Leslie Odom Jr as Cooke and I wouldn't be mad at all. What really makes this film work though are the two actors playing Malcom X and Cassius Clay. King uses the talent of Odom Jr and Hodge to give support to Kingsley Ben-Adir and  Eli Goree who are less well known yet knock out the roles of Malcolm X and Cassius Clay with ease. There are several times when Goree goes on one of those infamous Muhammad Ali ad libs and you'll find yourself hitting rewind because it sounds so much like Ali. Ben-Adir also is fantastic as Malcolm X. He presents a more vulnerable and measured character than I think most people would associate with their idea of Malcolm X but feels natural.  All together this cast makes this film not only insightful but relevant to today. The conversations between  this men, while fiction, feels like the conversations they would have had and directly represent some of the conversations we have today about the movement and fight for Black lives and rights. King does a great job of depicting the various opinions of these men as all valid and doesn't necessarily take a side. In today's world where there's so much infighting and debate on the "right way" to fight for rights, I think it is important that One Night in Miami takes the stance that everyone might not agree on the exact method but the sum of the parts is what matters.  Amazon Studios picked up One Night in Miami so it should be hitting the screens soon (just in time for award se...