There are three kinds of documentaries: those that lionize their subjects, those that attack their subjects, and those that attempt to provide a balanced, objective perspective. “RBG,” a cinematic biography of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, fits in the first category. If there’s a negative about Justice Ginsburg, you won’t find it in Julie […]
James Berardinelli
Posted inCulture
Old Man, Take A Look At My Life
I'm a mutant and nothing like you
On the surface, “Logan” is a superhero movie featuring the return of two of movie-dom’s most beloved and venerable mutants. Patrick Stewart and Hugh Jackman were both on hand when Bryan Singer’s 2000 feature “X-Men” blew open the doors to modern motion picture superhero movies, allowing Marvel to challenge DC’s previous dominance. Now, 17 years […]
Posted inCulture
A Teen Version of “Groundhog Day”
“Before I Fall” follows a similar theme, but to lesser effect
It takes a mediocre movie like “Before I Fall” to illustrate how brilliant Harold Ramis’ “Groundhog Day” is. Founded on the same premise, the movies show the variances that can result from different approaches. “Groundhog Day” uses comedy and wit to buffer its existential angst and cosmic sense of karma. “Before I Fall,” on the […]