By: Dominic La-Viola Stork of Hope carries the almost unbearable weight of telling a true story. A story that must remain faithful to actual events. Heartbreaking, difficult, and at times, almost impossible to convey with precision and pacing. Yet Stork of Hope embraces this challenge. It tells an incredible story set during one of history’s … Continue reading Stork of Hope: Humanity in the Midst of Horror
Film Critiques
A War Observed, Not Explained: Roberto Minervini’s The Damned
By: Dominic La-Viola Roberto Minervini makes his fictional feature debut with The Damned, a Civil War drama captured in such a way that it feels closer to a documentary than a traditional narrative film. Leaning heavily into his background and expertise in nonfiction filmmaking, Minervini is able to tell a story that feels otherwise impossible, … Continue reading A War Observed, Not Explained: Roberto Minervini’s The Damned
We Bury the Dead – A New Sub-Genre of Zombie Film
By:Dominic La-Viola Zak Hilditch’s latest film “We Bury the Dead” creates a new sub-genre of zombie film. Focusing less on the premises of the dead and more on the living. The approach in which Hilditch takes on the film is similar to what we have seen before. Borrowing heavily from iconic work that has come … Continue reading We Bury the Dead – A New Sub-Genre of Zombie Film
Marty Supreme – An Underdog Story Like We’ve Never Seen Before.
By : Dominic La-Viola When talking about the best films of the year, Josh Safdie’s “Marty Supreme” easily comes to mind. Now, while there are some films that were “released” this year that have yet to come to theaters. This is without question one of the best films that have. How does one make a … Continue reading Marty Supreme – An Underdog Story Like We’ve Never Seen Before.
The Housemaid – Just Short Of. A Good Thriller
By:Dominic La-Viola From the director of films such as “A Simple Favor,”“Spy,” “Ghostbusters” ( 2016), and “Bridesmaids” comes yet another thriller. Paul Feig, who got his start in directing comedies and then made his way into other genres. With this latest film feels very much like a throwback to early 2000s thrillers, although not as … Continue reading The Housemaid – Just Short Of. A Good Thriller
Ella McCay – A Reminder Of What Comedy Used To Be.
By:Dominic La-Viola Ella McCay is a modern film that reminds us of what movies used to be like. Kindling with nostalgia, witty dialogue, and the perfect blend of humor and heartbreak. Funny, witty, blissful, typical, but not predictable. I remember first seeing the trailer for the film and seeing it was from writer/director James L. … Continue reading Ella McCay – A Reminder Of What Comedy Used To Be.
Jay Kelly – One of the Best Movies About Movies This Year.
By: Dominic La-Viola Noah Baumbach’s new film, “Jay Kelly,” is easily in the top three best movies of the year about movies. Which could sound like an insult, considering there have only been three this year in the mainstream. But that would be far from the truth. Baumbach’s film offers an insightful look at an … Continue reading Jay Kelly – One of the Best Movies About Movies This Year.
Five Night’s At Freddy’s 2 – A Sequel That Debunks The Stereotypes
By: Dominic La-Viola “Five Nights At Freddy’s 2” definitely debunks the stereotypes that sequels are inferior to their predecessors. Director Emma Tammi brings her A-game and saves this franchise from a slow, painful, and public demise. From the jump, the film feels far more competent and coherent. Giving us a rather well-balanced narrative. One … Continue reading Five Night’s At Freddy’s 2 – A Sequel That Debunks The Stereotypes
Nouvelle Vague – A Love Letter to Cinema
By:Dominic La-Viola Nouvelle Vague is the perfect film for anyone who truly loves movies—not just watching them, but living and breathing them. For cinephiles whose obsession with cinema borders on the addictive, this film speaks directly to that deep, unshakable passion. I know because it spoke to me in a way few films have in … Continue reading Nouvelle Vague – A Love Letter to Cinema
Left-Handed Girl— A Must-See From The Team Behind “Take Out”
By: Dominic La-Viola Left-Handed Girl is another masterful, character-driven film from Shih-Ching Tsou, reuniting with Sean Baker, with whom she co-directed the 2004 indie gem Take Out. This time, Tsou takes the director’s chair solo, crafting a heartfelt family drama that examines the everyday struggles of a single mother raising her daughters. Having watched Take … Continue reading Left-Handed Girl— A Must-See From The Team Behind “Take Out”
Four Time Film School Dropout 