Category: Reviews

I, Tonya Review

I Tonya Review

3 out of 4 stars (3 / 4)

“There’s no such thing as truth. Everyone has their own truth.” This phrase is uttered by Margot Robbie’s Tonya Harding during one of the film’s most poignant scenes and if the central idea of the film had to be summed up this quote would suffice. While the scandal is salient in the minds of almost everyone who witnessed the Olympics in 1994, there has never been a story from Harding and her associates’ perspectives before. I, Tonya, directed by Craig Gillespie, provides a fresh examination of Harding’s early life as well as what transpired leading up to the infamous event and the fallout that ended Harding’s skating career. Although the film at times sacrifices nuance in an effort to make this story completely from Harding’s point of view, the film blends comedy and drama effectively to tell the story of an ice skater unlike any other. Whether Tonya’s unconventional approach to figure skating should be celebrated or vilified, much like the public during this time period, is up to the viewer to decide.

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Where the Wild Things Are Review

Where the Wild Things Are Review

3.5 out of 4 stars (3.5 / 4)

Where the Wild Things Are is a bold film in almost every sense of the word. This film could have easily played it safe and utilized traditional animation ala Disney or Dreamworks pictures and produced a kid focused film with little depth and some moral lessons sprinkled in. However, through director Spike Jonze’s unique vision along with collaborative work from the author of the original 1963 picture book (Maurice Sendak), Where the Wild Things Are instead unflinchingly depicts the ways in which children manage emotions in relation to burgeoning adulthood through the use of their imagination. I can safely say that the film provides a unique viewing experience that is unlike any film I have ever seen, especially for the coming of age film genre.

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The Shape of Water Review

The Shape of Water Review

2.5 out of 4 stars (2.5 / 4)

The Shape of Water is Guillermo Del Toro’s latest film and recently won several accolades during the 2018 Oscars including the highly coveted Best Picture award. I have been a fan of Del Toro’s work since the similarly celebrated Pan’s Labyrinth, which was released all the way back in 2007. I was especially fond of Pan’s Labyrinth due to the way in which the film blended classic fairytale themes and aesthetics with a real-life sense of grittiness. This fusion could best be described as featuring sweet sincere moments that wouldn’t be out of place in the latest live action Disney adaptation, but the subsequent scene could contain grisly moments such as a man’s skull being blown away in a manner that makes the violent acts all the more unsettling than if the entirety of the film were this brutal.

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