A- Archives

BS High (2023). Greed and Exploitation in American High School Football A-

Posted by Patrick | Aug 25, 2023 | A-, Documentary, Genres (Action - Music Scene), Historic Events, Max, Ratings: Movies and Television, TV / Streaming |

American high school/college football is one big exploitation racket that massively exploits the young men on whose backs the whole system rests.

The Eternal Memory (2023) Shines. A-

Posted by Patrick | Jan 2, 2024 | A-, Apple TV+ Amazon, Documentary, Ratings: Movies and Television |

Paulina’s optimism carries over to the audience – a film whose subject matter is inherently depressing is unexpectedly uplifting.

Love and Death (2023) Elizabeth Olsen Asks “Is That All There Is?” A-

Posted by Patrick | May 6, 2023 | A-, Drama, Genres (Action - Music Scene), Genres (Musical-Western), Historic Events, Max, Mystery, Ratings: Movies and Television, Romance, Thriller, TV / Streaming |

This is the superior version thanks to a spectacularly good Elizabeth Olsen as Montgomery, a housewife who has everything on the Baby Boom checklist.

Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Prequel (2023) A-

Posted by Patrick | May 30, 2023 | A-, Comedy, Drama, Genres (Action - Music Scene), Genres (Musical-Western), Historic Events, Netflix, Politics, Queer Film/TV, Queer Film/TV, Ratings: Movies and Television, Romance, TV / Streaming |

It’s all just as delicious as the original two series with the two Lady Danbury’s taking all of the acting honors in their respective time periods.

About Dry Grasses (2023) A Triumph for Director Nuri Bilge Ceylan Rated A-

Posted by Patrick | Mar 8, 2024 | A-, Drama, Film Reviews, Genres (Action - Music Scene), New Releases, Ratings: Movies and Television |

Dizar’s performance as Nuray, a woman who has lived through things that Samet can only imagine, takes over the film’s second and more impressive half.

How to Have Sex (2023) Mia McKenna-Bruce shines in Manning Walker’s debut A-

Posted by Patrick | Nov 6, 2023 | A-, Comedy, Drama, Film Reviews, Genres (Action - Music Scene), MUBI, Mystery, New Releases, Queer Film/TV, Ratings: Movies and Television, Romance, Thriller, TV / Streaming |

Walker’s film follows three teenage girls on vacation in Greece. Mia McKenna-Bruce delivers a heartbreaking performance as Tara. One of the year’s best.

Mia Goth Astonishes in X (2022) and Pearl (2022) A+

Posted by Patrick | Jun 26, 2023 | A-, Apple TV+ Amazon, Archival Posts, Drama, Favorites, Film Reviews, Genres (Action - Music Scene), Genres (Musical-Western), Historic Events, Horror, Hulu, Masterpieces, Mystery, Ratings: Movies and Television, Thriller, TV / Streaming |

“X/Pearl,” parts 1 and 2 of writer/director Ti West’s horror trilogy, are anointed by Mia Goth’s performance. Part 3, “Maxxxine”, arrives in 2024.

Rien à Foutre (2023) Adèle Exarchopoulos Dazzles! A-

Posted by Patrick | Sep 19, 2023 | A-, Archival Posts, Drama, Favorites, Film Reviews, Genres (Action - Music Scene), Genres (Musical-Western), MUBI, Ratings: Movies and Television, TV / Streaming, Underappreciated |

Adele Exarchopoulos gives a stunning performance as a flight attendant handling the grueling task of working for a low-cost carrier.

You Can Live Forever (2023) Film Review A-

Posted by Patrick | May 16, 2023 | A-, Apple TV+ Amazon, Archival Posts, Drama, Favorites, Film Reviews, Genres (Action - Music Scene), Genres (Musical-Western), Queer Film/TV, Queer Film/TV, Ratings: Movies and Television, Romance, TV / Streaming, Underappreciated |

Laporte is tremendous in portraying a complex character who appears to have an “escape” but really doesn’t. It’s a heartbreaking performance.

Bodies, Bodies, Bodies (2022) Film Review A-

Posted by Patrick | Aug 21, 2022 | A-, Apple TV+ Amazon, Archival Posts, Comedy, Drama, Film Reviews, Genres (Action - Music Scene), Horror, Mystery, Queer Film/TV, Queer Film/TV, Ratings: Movies and Television, Thriller, TV / Streaming |

Beautifully Queer friendly, the relationship between Bee (Maria Bakalova) and Sophiie (Amanda Stenberg) is the emotional center of the movie.

Lady Chatterley’s Lover (2022) Film Review A-

Posted by Patrick | Dec 17, 2022 | A-, Archival Posts, Drama, Favorites, Film Reviews, Genres (Action - Music Scene), Genres (Musical-Western), Historic Events, Netflix, Ratings: Movies and Television, Romance, TV / Streaming, Underappreciated |

Superb performances by Emma Corrin and Jack O’Connell transform this adaptation into a film of great beauty and, yes, sensuality.

The Menu (2022) Film Review A-

Posted by Patrick | Jan 3, 2023 | A-, Apple TV+ Amazon, Archival Posts, Comedy, Drama, Film Reviews, Genres (Action - Music Scene), Genres (Musical-Western), Horror, Hulu, Max, Mystery, Ratings: Movies and Television, Thriller, TV / Streaming |

There is a fantastic faceoff between Fiennes and a mysterious guest who was not invited. She is played by the extraordinary Anna Taylor-Joy

The Tale of King Crab (2022) Film Review A-

Posted by Patrick | May 1, 2022 | A-, Action, Apple TV+ Amazon, Archival Posts, Drama, Epic, Favorites, Film Reviews, Genres (Action - Music Scene), Genres (Musical-Western), Mystery, Ratings: Movies and Television, Thriller, TV / Streaming, Underappreciated, Western |

The directors are extremely cine-literate. However, their references never seemed forced and I basked in their cinematic vision.

Great Freedom (2021) Film Review A-

Posted by Patrick | May 9, 2022 | A-, Apple TV+ Amazon, Archival Posts, Drama, Favorites, Film Reviews, Genres (Action - Music Scene), Genres (Musical-Western), Queer Film/TV, Queer Film/TV, Ratings: Movies and Television, Romance, TV / Streaming, Underappreciated |

Meise directs what must be some of the most beautiful and heartfelt scenes ever captured on film between two men in love.

Passing (2021) Film Review A-

Posted by Patrick | Jan 7, 2022 | A-, Archival Posts, Drama, Film Reviews, Genres (Action - Music Scene), Netflix, Queer Film/TV, Queer Film/TV, Ratings: Movies and Television, TV / Streaming |

You cannot take your eyes off Ruth Negga’s Claire, a Black woman who can pass for White in New York in 1929.

Dance of the Forty-One (2020) Film Review A-

Posted by Patrick | Dec 27, 2021 | A-, Archival Posts, Drama, Film Reviews, Genres (Action - Music Scene), Genres (Musical-Western), Historic Events, Netflix, Queer Film/TV, Queer Film/TV, Ratings: Movies and Television, TV / Streaming, Underappreciated |

Ignacio de la Torre was the son in law of Mexico’s president for life and dictator Porfirio Díaz’s. But he was leading a double life with his lover Evaristo.

Undine (2020) Film Review A-

Posted by Patrick | Dec 27, 2021 | A-, Apple TV+ Amazon, Archival Posts, Drama, Film Reviews, Genres (Action - Music Scene), Hulu, Mystery, Ratings: Movies and Television, Romance, TV / Streaming, Underappreciated |

Christian Petzold’s direction is so seductive, and the two leads are so effective, that you fall easily for “Undine’s” charms.

Picnic at Hanging Rock (1975) Film Review A+

Posted by Patrick | Aug 11, 2022 | 70s | 80s | 90s, A-, Apple TV+ Amazon, Drama, Favorites, Film Reviews, Genres (Action - Music Scene), Historic Events, Horror, Masterpieces, Mystery, Ratings: Movies and Television |

Weir, who showed, like Hitchcock, that horror can be visited upon us on the brightest and most beautiful of summer days.

The Garden of the Finzi-Continis (1971) Film Review A-

Posted by Patrick | Sep 9, 2022 | 70s | 80s | 90s, A-, Apple TV+ Amazon, Drama, Favorites, Film Reviews, Genres (Action - Music Scene), Genres (Musical-Western), Historic Events, Queer Film/TV, Queer Film/TV, Ratings: Movies and Television, TV / Streaming |

“The Garden of the Finzi Continis” is based on the semi-autobiographical novel by gay Italian writer Giorgio Bassani who is played in the film by Helmut Berger.

Death In Venice (1971) Film Review A-

Posted by Patrick | Sep 5, 2022 | 70s | 80s | 90s, A-, Apple TV+ Amazon, Drama, Favorites, Film Reviews, Genres (Action - Music Scene), Genres (Musical-Western), Queer Film/TV, Queer Film/TV, Ratings: Movies and Television, TV / Streaming |

Visconti’s best idea was changing Aschenbach’s profession from a writer to a composer opening up the movie to the Mahler Adagietto .

The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes (1970) Film Review A-

Posted by Patrick | Apr 27, 2023 | 70s | 80s | 90s, A-, Apple TV+ Amazon, Comedy, Drama, Favorites, Film Reviews, Genres (Action - Music Scene), Genres (Musical-Western), Mystery, Queer Film/TV, Queer Film/TV, Ratings: Movies and Television, Romance, Thriller, TV / Streaming, Underappreciated |

Excellent work by Robert Stephens (his best screen performance) and Colin Blakely (Dr. Watson). Geneviève Page gives a gorgeous melancholy performance.

The Loved One (1965) Film Review A-

Posted by Patrick | Sep 11, 2022 | 50s | 60s, A-, Apple TV+ Amazon, Comedy, Film Reviews, Genres (Action - Music Scene), Genres (Musical-Western), Queer Film/TV, Queer Film/TV, Ratings: Movies and Television, TV / Streaming |

Great fun was had by all adapting Evelyn Waugh’s 1948 short satirical novel about the funeral business in Los Angeles.

The L-Shaped Room (1963) Film Review A-

Posted by Patrick | Sep 11, 2022 | 50s | 60s, A-, Cinematographers, Drama, Film Reviews, Genres (Action - Music Scene), Genres (Musical-Western), Queer Film/TV, Queer Film/TV, Ratings: Movies and Television, TV / Streaming, Underappreciated, YouTube |

Writer/director Bryan Forbes lovely and faithful adaptation of the Lynne Reid Banks novel boasts Leslie Caron’s greatest performance.

Advice and Consent (1962) Film Review A-

Posted by Patrick | Sep 11, 2022 | 50s | 60s, A-, Apple TV+ Amazon, Drama, Film Reviews, Genres (Action - Music Scene), Genres (Musical-Western), Politics, Queer Film/TV, Queer Film/TV, Ratings: Movies and Television, Thriller, TV / Streaming |

Preminger always liked to be cutting edge and he was with “Advise and Consent” a beautifully written, acted and directed movie.

The Dark at the Top of the Stairs (1960) Film Review A-

Posted by Patrick | Sep 11, 2022 | 50s | 60s, A-, Drama, Favorites, Film Reviews, Genres (Action - Music Scene), Genres (Musical-Western), Queer Film/TV, Queer Film/TV, Ratings: Movies and Television, Underappreciated |

A beautiful adaptation of the William Inge play directed by Delbert Mann from a great script by Harriet Frank Jr. and Irving Ravetch..

Tea and Sympathy (1956) Film Review. A-

Posted by Patrick | Jun 5, 2024 | 50s | 60s, A-, Apple TV+ Amazon, Drama, Favorites, Film Reviews, Genres (Action - Music Scene), Genres (Musical-Western), Queer Film/TV, Queer Film/TV, Ratings: Movies and Television, TV / Streaming, YouTube |

The film has improved with age. What could not be said under the Hayes code (according to Deborah, the words homosexual, gay, or queer were never mentioned during the entire production – not even, or especially, by gay director Vincente Minnelli) gives it a beauty and delicacy, especially in Deborah’s sublime performance.