Category Archives: Newer films

Avengers: Endgame

Posted on May 7, 2019 by Mark DuPré

I’ve been lax in writing lately, and for those who look for and enjoy what I write, my apologies. I’ve been busy working on other people’s scripts. I’ve also been seeing lots of films, including two 1938 classics (Only Angels … Continue reading →

Posted in Film Reviews, Newer films | Tagged Ant-Man, Avengers: Endgame, Captain Marvel, Chris Pratt, Gamora, Iron Man, Marvel universe, Only Angels Have Wings, Peter Quill, Robert Downey Jr., Room at the Top, Spider-Man, Thanos, The Agony and the Ecstasy, Thor, You Can't Take it with You | Leave a comment

Isn’t It Romantic

Posted on February 17, 2019 by Mark DuPré

I tried, I really tried. I thought I could be somewhat objective about this film, but have failed utterly. Full disclosure: The film is directed by Todd Strauss-Schulson, my former film student who became and has remained a friend. … Continue reading →

Posted in Film Reviews, Newer films | Tagged Adam Devine, Betty Gilpin, Emily Blunt, Isn't It Romantic, Liam Hemsworth, Miley Cyrus, Nick Jonas, Priyanka Chopra, Quantico, Rebel Wilson, rom-com, The Devil Wears Prada, The Final Girls, The Hunger Games, Thor, Todd Strauss-Schulson | Leave a comment

The Favourite: A death knell for truth in film?

Posted on January 26, 2019 by Mark DuPré

Now that the Oscar nominations are out (to be commented on at a later time), it’s probably time to write about The Favourite, which ties with Roma for the greatest number of nominations with 10. I love historical films, and … Continue reading →

Posted in Film Reviews, Newer films | Tagged 300, Bohemian Rhapsody, Emma Stone, Green Book, Mark Gariss, Nicholas Hoult, Olivia Coleman, PBS, Pocahontas, Queen Anne, Rachel Weisz, Red Tails, The Favourite, The Killing of a Sacred Deer, The Lobster, Victoria, Yorgos Lanthimos | Leave a comment

Bohemian Rhapsody

Posted on January 21, 2019 by Mark DuPré

Bohemian Rhapsody is perhaps better known at the moment as the surprise winner of the Golden Globe for Best Picture (Drama). Black Panther, If Beale Street Could Talk, and A Star is Born (and of course Roma, which wasn’t even … Continue reading →

Posted in Film Reviews, Newer films | Tagged A Star is Born, Black Panther, Bohemian Rhapsody, Bryan Singer, Freddie Mercury, If Beale Street Could Talk, Jim Hutton, Queen, Rami Malek, Roma | Leave a comment

If Beale Street Could Talk

Posted on January 20, 2019 by Mark DuPré

If Beale Street Could Talk is a film that will grow in stature and appreciation over the next several years. Not that it’s being ignored now–Regina King will win the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress, and there will be other … Continue reading →

Posted in Film Reviews, Newer films | Tagged Angelica Huston, Barry Jenkins, filmsplaining, If Beale Street Could Talk, Imitation Game, KiKi Lane, mansplaining, Michael Beach, Moonlight, Prizzi's Honor, Regina King, Stephan | 1 Comment

Mary Poppins Returns

Posted on January 1, 2019 by Mark DuPré

Warm, sometimes touching, exciting, and uneven, with a compromised central performance. Plus, oh yes, it’s got to withstand the viewer’s recollection of its superior predecessor. That’s a lot for any film to bear. Mary Poppins Returns is mostly a delight, … Continue reading →

Posted in Film Reviews, Newer films | Tagged A Cover is Not a Book, A Quiet Place, Ben Whishaw, Colin Firth, Dick Van Dyke, Emily Blunt, Emily Mortimer, I Love to Laugh, Julie Andrews, Julie Walters, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Mary Poppins, Mary Poppins Returns, Nowhere to Go But Up, Rob Marshall, The Devil Wears Prada, The Young Victoria, Trip a Little Light Fantastic, Turning Turtle | Leave a comment

A Star is Born (2018)

Posted on December 5, 2018 by Mark DuPré

In film school, we learned that one of the most intriguing of artistic collisions is when a strong auteur director with a signature style decides to take on a genre with its own rigorous formulaic demands. The result is usually … Continue reading →

Posted in Film Reviews, Newer films | Tagged A Star is Born, Ally, Barbra Streisand, Bradley Cooper, Britney Spears, George Cukor, Jack, Judy Garland, Kris Kristofferson, Lada Gaga, Sam Elliott, What Price Hollywood? | Leave a comment

Green Book

Posted on November 26, 2018 by Mark DuPré

Note: It’s been a long time since my last entry. Apologies. I’ve seen many an older, classic film, but no films in the theater. Yes, it’s been that busy. The older films I saw deserve their own entry, but an … Continue reading →

Posted in Film Reviews, Newer films | Tagged Aragon, Green Book, House of Cards, Jim Crow, LOTR, Mahershala Ali, Moonlight, The Negro Motorist Green Book, Viggo Mortensen | Leave a comment

Mission: Impossible–Fallout

Posted on August 18, 2018 by Mark DuPré

For my friend Steve: Mission: Impossible—Fallout is the latest in the series that was rebooted with Tom Cruise way back in 1996, when the image of Cruise suspended above the floor grabbed the nation’s attention and helped kick-start the new … Continue reading →

Posted in Film Reviews, Newer films | Tagged 007, Alec Baldwin, Christopher McQuarrie, Daniel Craig, Henry Cavill, Jack Reacher, Leah Remini, Michelle Monaghan, Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation, Mission: Impossible-Fallout, Netflix, Rebecca Ferguson, Simon Pegg, Superman, The Crown, The Usual Suspects, The Way of the Gun, Tom Cruise, Ving Rhames | Leave a comment

Summer Fun: One good, one medium, and one piece of dreck

Posted on July 7, 2018 by Mark DuPré

Incredibles 2 Incredibles 2, a financial success and the longest animated feature film in history, is a good argument for not popping out a sequel right after the success of the first film. Fortunately, this film is more … Continue reading →

Posted in Film Reviews, Newer films | Tagged Casablanca, conflate, Dwayne Johnson, Elastigirl, Incredibles 2, Jack-Jack, Jeff Goldblum, Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, Malin Akerman, Mr. Incredible, Naomie Harris, Rampage, Summer fun, The Final Girls, Todd Strauss-Schulson | Leave a comment