★★★★ Directed by Sebastián Lelio Starring Daniela Vega, Francisco Reyes, Luis Gnecco Film Review by Hope Madden Four years ago, Chilean filmmaker Sebastián Lelio graced us with the nearly flawless coming-of-middle-age character study Gloria, the magnificent observation of a particular woman’s battle to truly participate in life. A similar approach and another utterly stunning lead performance guarantee that his latest, the Oscar-winning A Fantastic Woman, is also a triumph. The grace that envelopes every moment of Daniele Vega’s turn as the fantastic woman in question is very nearly magical. This is aided by surrealistic, Almodovar-esque flourishes, but it's mainly the result of Vega's quietly fiery performance. Resolutely uncommunicative, her deeply interior character demands your attention, refusing to surrender her dignity even as forces pummel it from every direction. A Fantastic Woman opens as the sixtyish Orlando (Francisco Reyes) meanders through a day leading to an audience with Marina, a trans singer (Vega). Then it's on to Marina's birthday dinner and home, to the apartment they’ve just begun sharing. The evening is lovely in its run-of-the-mill newness, and though Lelio appears to be setting up the coming conflict in rather broad strokes, the truth is that every moment so far has been a type of misdirection. When Orlando dies, the assault begins: at the hospital, where Marina’s treated with suspicion; with the family, whose contempt cannot be contained; with the police, whose baseless investigation is perhaps the most degrading moment of all. There is an aching tenderness to the first act of A Fantastic Woman as we begin to understand the nature of Marina and Orlando’s relationship, and we grieve the loss of that tenderness along with Marina. In Vega’s lovely performance we see not only her strength and resilience but also the courage it must have taken Orlando to be himself. There is a drawback to such a quiet performance, though. In detailing the harassment and abuse Marina suffers from all sides without offering a clearer look inside the character, Marina becomes a symbol rather than a character, an object of sympathy rather than empathy. Even if Lelio and Vega don’t let you truly know Marina, you cannot help but respect her. #SebastiánLelio #LuisGnecco #FranciscoReyes #DanielaVega #Chileanfilm #HopeMadden #movies #film #moviereviews #filmreviews #independentfilm #FilmReviews #WorldCinema

★★★ Directed by Ava DuVernay Starring Storm Reid, Oprah Winfrey, Reese Witherspoon, Mindy Kaling, Deric McCabe, Chris Pine, Levi Miller Film Review by Hope Madden It was a dark and stormy night. With this cheeky line, Madeleine L’Engle began an odyssey that entertained and emboldened, taught us to take responsibility for our own choices, highlighted the drawbacks of conformity and showed us how to be warriors for the light. L’Engle’s novel, A Wrinkle in Time, though massively popular and never out of print since its 1970 publication, had its critics. Not Christian enough to be Christian, too Christian not to be, it was also among the first SciFi novels with a female point of view. This wasn’t taken super well by adults in 1970, but it was immediately and forever beloved by its intended audience. A Wrinkle in Time was smart and groundbreaking, which, of course, makes it the ideal tale for Ava DuVernay. Can the filmmaker who landed two near-perfect punches of social commentary in the last four years (Selma, 13th) bring this imaginative, vibrant, lovely classic of adolescent literature to life? Yes and no. With the help of scripters Jennifer Lee (Zootopia) and Jeff Stockwell (Bridge to Terabithia), DuVernay remains faithful enough to L’Engle’s vision without being limited by it. But she stumbles to translate some of the more dated concepts in the book, creating a conclusion that feels a bit rushed and confused. Her picture looks glorious, though, conjuring images and movements vibrant enough to stand up to our own imaginations. Of course, the casting is where DuVernay, with little fanfare and no disruption in the story, breaks the most ground. Storm Reid (Sleight) turns out to be the best choice the director makes, offering the perfect mix of adolescent self-loathing and smarts as our reluctant hero, Meg. On the fourth anniversary of the disappearance of her NASA scientist father, Meg is called on a mission across time and space to find him. She's joined by her genius little brother Charles Wallace (Deric McCabe, perfectly precocious and/or creepy, depending on need), a cute (and, let's be honest, needless) boy from school (Levi Miller) and three unusual women (Oprah Winfrey, Reese Witherspoon, Mindy Kaling). Their adventure is colorful and beautiful. It’s also full of lessons that feel less like a sledgehammer than reasonable nudging. (“You can do this. You’re choosing not to.”) The supporting cast—Zach Galifianakis, Michael Peña, Chris Pine and Gugu Mbatha-Raw—balance the fantastical with the heartfelt. Galifianakis is particularly impressive. Yes, there are more than a few corny, too-precious moments, but it is a kids’ movie. DuVernay can be credited with keeping that audience in mind to create a lovely film unabashed enough to bear-hug L’Engle’s message of positivity. #HopeMadden #movies #film #entertainment #moviereviews #filmreviews #OprahWinfrey #AvaDuVernay #StormReid #ReeseWitherspoon #MindyKaling #DericMcCabe #ChrisPine #LeviMiller #FilmReviews #MovieTrailers

★★ Directed by Nash Edgerton Starring David Oyelowo, Joel Edgerton, Charlize Theron, Thandie Newton, Amanda Seyfried Film Review by George Wolf Gringo roll call: Theron! Edgerton! Oyelowo! Seyfried! Copley! Newton! Even M.J.'s daughter, Paris (better call her Miss Jackson, in case we get nasty). The point is, there's talent a 'plenty here. The question is why? Director Nash Edgerton (Joel's brother) never fully commits to either madcap romp or suspenseful manhunt, settling for black comedy that's never really dark or funny, and a tired, "wrong man" adventure propped up by tired cliches. David Oyelowo gives it is all as Harold, a pharmaceutical exec who accompanies his bosses (Joel Edgerton and Charlize Theron) on a business trip south of the Border. The deal, like most everyone around Harold, is shady, and quickly dissolves into mistaken identities, multiple kidnappings, and one drug lord who will kill you for bad mouthing the Beatles. That drug lord goes by the name "Black Panther," a minor point that only reinforces how forgettable this film is. The script, from Anthony Tambakis (Warrior) and Matthew Stone (Intolerable Cruelty) offers scattershot bits of promise, but nothing that provides any solid clue to why all these people signed on. Maybe they all had a good time. Great, but Gringo runs in many directions without ending up anywhere worthwhile, and you're left wondering just what the point was anyway. #NashEdgerton #DavidOyelowo #JoelEdgerton #CharlizeTheron #ThandieNewton #AmandaSeyfried #GeorgeWolf #movies #film #entertainment #moviereviews #filmreviews #blackcomedies #FilmReviews #TheatricalReleases

Written and Directed by: Joshua Eley Starring: Steve James Moore, Tabitha Lois Cox, Daniella Faircloth, Connor Richardson, Oliver Rogers, Joseph Tedder, Lauren McClelland Short Film Review: by Chris Olson With its central character suffering from a kind of agoraphobia, short film View, written and directed by Joshua Eley, takes time to explore its story’s themes of fear, violence, and redemption using a claustrophobic filmmaking aesthetic and intense drama. Arthur (Steve James Moore) starts the short film View as a man too timid to answer the door to the food delivery guy. Inside his flat, we see a man living life inside his shell, avoiding unnecessary human contact, and even taking his rubbish out like a bin ninja. Through fractured flashbacks we see glimpses of his past and suggestions of why he is acting this way, but in his present, Arthur is forced into a moral dilemma after witnessing an event which will test his hermit capabilities to the max. Told with an uneasy balance between heavy dramatic themes and an introspective human journey, the most successful parts of Joshua Eley’s View are the intrigue created around Arthur. His antisocial behavior and avoidance of human beings is served up with wonderful mystery, creating a palpable tension as the audience craves to discover the original source. Regrettably the plot veers off into a quick resolution and unsatisfying theatrics. Had the short stayed the course of a more fascinating humanity piece, the results could have been pretty impressive. That being said, Eley's short film does have some workable and enjoyable content. The framing of Arthur in his flat was particularly well done, as was the layering of audio during the scenes where he listens to his self-help book. I enjoyed the score for the most part, feeling that the final sequence at the kitchen sink let the side down by becoming like a light hearted television programme rather than an impactful piece of cinema. Moore's performance is also very strong, relying on his physicality more than line delivery, which suited the tone of the short. View works well from an indie cinema point of view, especially because it utilises minimal locations and really gets the most out of them, and also because there is limited dialogue to spoil the engaging atmosphere being created around the central character by giving amateur actors lots of bulky dialogue and exposition. Instead, Eley takes a more unburdened approach, and the film is all the more efficient and effective for it. Forgiving the limp second half of the plot, this is a short film to be commended for its intelligent approach and noble thematic discussions. Eley proves himself to be a thoughtful filmmaker, and with the right script could prove to be a serious talent. Watch the official movie trailer for View below. #ShortFilmReviews #ShortFilms #ChrisOlson #Drama #JoshuaEley #SteveJamesMoore #TabithaLoisCox #DaniellaFaircloth #ConnorRichardson #OliverRogers #JosephTedder #LaurenMcClelland

★★ Directed by Max Winkler Starring Zoey Deutch, Kathryn Hahn, Adam Scott, Joey Morgan Film Review by Alex Edeburn Max Winkler’s coming-of-age film, Flower, is one which is filled with a number of confusing and problematic plot turns. Erica, played by Zoey Deutch, is a 17-year-old girl who is exploring her sexuality while also extorting several men in her community for the oral care she is so fond of providing to them. Erica seems to be as carefree as she is snarky, although we see she is emotionally-reliant on her single mother (Kathryn Hahn) while her father sits in a prison cell. The plot of the film involves Erica and her friends implementing the old “fellatio-from-a-minor” blackmail scheme against a former teacher (Adam Scott) who was accused of sexually abusing Erica’s new step-brother, Luke (Joey Morgan). The film becomes increasingly problematic with its blasé attitude toward sexual abuse and even levels of consent. Immediately after Luke suffers from a panic attack, Erica continues to pester her step-brother about letting her perform oral sex on him. It takes him yelling at her before she realizes she has crossed the line. Later on, Erica and Co. hatch a plan to roofie Luke’s accused abuser and take photos with his unconscious body in order to blackmail him. One would hope a voice of reason would advise the children otherwise or perhaps Erica would come-of-age at this opportune moment and realize the extreme moral fallacy in this decision. Flower likes to borrow from recent teen comedies as it attempts to mold Erica into a more unruly and vulgar Juno MacGuff. Instead of a quirky hamburger phone, Erica has a pet rat named Titty. Unlike Juno, this film’s main character is increasingly off-putting and irredeemable by story’s end. She also has a penchant for filling a composition notebook with her illustrations of the male anatomy, a hobby she shares with Jonah Hill’s character from Superbad. However, as morally-bankrupt as Erica seems in many circumstances, we cannot help but be drawn in by her cocksure attitude. We can thank Zoey Deutch for her ability to play Erica as someone who is endlessly frustrating, undeniably selfish, but also pretty damn endearing. Her entertaining performance is one reason to see Flower. Nevertheless, the talent of its lead is not enough to save this movie from its bizarre plot-line and questionable treatment regarding sexual assault. It’s likely this movie meant to say much more than it actually does concerning a young woman and her body, consent and fractured families, but it’s hard to find much nuance even when you dig into the soil. #AlexEdeburn #movies #film #entertainment #moviereviews #filmreviews #MaxWinkler #ZoeyDeutch #KathrynHahn #AdamScott #JoeyMorgan #comingofagefilms #independentfilm #comedy

Movie News / Film Trailers A brand new trailer (Trailer 2 to be exact) has been released for Tully, starring Charlize Theron as the title character. A new comedy from Academy Award®-nominated director Jason Reitman (“Up in the Air”) and Academy Award®-winning screenwriter Diablo Cody (“Juno”). Marlo (Academy Award® winner Charlize Theron), a mother of three including a newborn, is gifted a night nanny by her brother (Mark Duplass). Hesitant to the extravagance at first, Marlo comes to form a unique bond with the thoughtful, surprising, and sometimes challenging young nanny named Tully (Mackenzie Davis). #MovieNews #MovieTrailers #CharlizeTheron #Films2018

★★★★ Directed by Ted Geoghegan Starring Kaniehtiio Horn,Ezra Buzzington, Eamon Farren, Justin Rain, Noah Segan Film Review by Hope Madden How many Westerns are told from the Native American's point of view? None, basically. When First Nation filmmakers (Chris Eyre, Sydney Freeland, Neil Diamond, Sterlin Harjo, Adam Garnet Jones, among others) create, they seem to ignore the genre that has, for most of Hollywood’s history, defined them in popular culture. Jim Jarmusch’s brilliant Dead Man comes closest, as Gary Farmer’s character Nobody informs William Blake’s (Johnny Depp) journey. Though Farmer’s not the lead, it is his character’s perspective of the West that guides the film. For co-writer/director Ted Geoghegan (We Are Still Here), that’s not enough. His sophomore effort Mohawk spins a far more typically Western story: battle lines drawn between Mohawks and new Americans, each trying to secure a piece of American soil. But Geoghegan changes things up in important ways, and the result is a dramatic departure from traditional fare. Oak (Kaniehtiio Horn) hopes to convince her mother that the dwindling Mohawk nation needs to side with the English in the War of 1812. If Wentahawi (Sheri Foster) can’t be convinced, Oak and her lovers, Mohawk Calvin Two Rivers (Justin Rain) and Englishman Joshua Pinsmail (Eamon Farren), will find her uncle and cousins at the mission and convince them. What follows is an often brutal, certainly mournful look at a chapter in our national history no American should be proud of. Essentially, as a small batch of white soldiers follows the trio through the woods, it is simply by altering the point of view—not by making any individual faultless or wise beyond measure—that Geoghegan shakes up the genre. Horn’s Oak stands in stark contrast against garden variety Western heroes by virtue of her sex and her race, though Mohawk does not go to great lengths to make a “woman-centric” effort. Oak is simply another warrior, another survivor, a participant who happens to be our guide through this slaughter. This change of perspective is very simple and utterly revolutionary. The sexuality of the three on the run from the military is another surprisingly subtle and quietly effective change. Performances are solid—Horn and Ezra Buzzington as military leader Hezekiah Holt are particularly strong. Geoghegan’s story (co-written with novelist Grady Hendrix) is as sadistic and brutal as we’ve come to expect from a Western—certainly from the burgeoning Western/horror mash-up. But if the plot chooses not to break new ground, the film still manages to offer a much-needed sting of rebellion. #TedGeoghegan #KaniehtiioHorn #EzraBuzzington #EamonFarren #JustinRain #NoahSegan #HopeMadden #film #movies #entertainment #moviereviews #filmreviews #horror #thriller #historicaldrama #NativeAmericanfilm #Western #FilmReviews

★★★ Directed by Julius Ramsay Starring Alex Essoe, Perla Haney-Jardine, Dylan McTee, Ward Horton Film Review by George Wolf It's December 31st and the party is on, but Lindsey and Jeff leave early. Their marriage has been a bit strained lately, and it only gets worse on the drive home, when Jeff strikes a pedestrian in the middle of an old country road. They try to call 911 but get no service, and when the accident turns fatal, worries about their blood alcohol level lead the couple to take the body home and sober up before making their next move. Somebody wake up Dick Clark, because this New Year's is going to get rockin'. Why did the dead man have Jeff (Dylan McTee) and Lindsey's (Alex Essoe) address in his wallet? Has Lindsey's sister Hannah (Perla Haney-Jardine, B.B. from Kill Bill, Vol. 2!) gotten them mixed up in some trouble? And what's with that bag full of money and the weirdly polite detective (Ward Horton)? "Bag full of money" is a pretty good clue things are about to get complicated, and indeed they do in the debut feature from director Julius Ramsay (The Walking Dead) and his brother Alston (a former speechwriter penning his first screenplay). Though the Ramsays show plenty of promise, the talent is raw and unpolished, and too often indicative of inexperience. Most every element here in Midnighters, from shot selection to pacing to performance, is by-the-numbers proficient, never allowing the film to become a truly memorable sum of parts. You'll find substance with little style, twists that seldom surprise, and at least one nasty bit of revenge violence. Drawing heavily from a neo-noir party planner, Midnighters is a capably entertaining diversion, not quite a can't-miss event. #JuliusRamsay #WardHorton #DylanMcTee #PerlaHaneyJardine #AlexEssoe #GeorgeWolf #movies #film #entertainment #thrillers #moviereviews #filmreviews #neonoir

Directed by: Joaquin Sharpe Jr Starring: Ethin Goodman and Jared Hittle Short Film Review by: Annie Vincent The Gem, one of two short films currently in circulation from Joaquin Sharpe Jr, is an amateur short film with a tragically ironic title. The film follows two boys, Ethan and David, as they wander along some wastleland and spy a glowing rock. David goes to pick it up, only to find his hand is fixed to it and when Ethan tries to help him, an explosion causes them both to be thrown to the ground. David’s immediate instinct is to run away, while Ethan secretly pockets the stone. What follows is a hastily shot sequence of conversations between the two boys which the audience have to work surprisingly hard at to understand, mainly because there is no confirmation that this gem has done anything to either of the boys. David appears to have slept for sixteen hours since the explosion and has woken with a headache. He makes a call on his phone which exacerbates his pain, causing him to knock over a deodorant can in his bathroom. Nothing too problematic here, but there are some mumbled lines about soap and the sort of vague notion that we need to pay attention to this moment – like David didn’t try to knock it over, it just happened itself. Next, David and Ethan are driving home to radio reports of a robbery of their local shop at gunpoint. Ethan then reveals he has a lot of money which he’s looking forward to spending and David immediately jumps to the conclusion that Ethan held up the shop with their ‘new powers’! I must have missed a scene here because I didn’t know they had powers, though apparently both of our characters knew. Later, David makes some remarks about his gym workout being incredible and how he managed to lift a tree, as he walks by a damaged tree. It’s unclear whether this is male, teenage bravado, but his apparent strength crops up again and again in the next few minutes of the script. Finally, David and Ethan become embroiled in a sort of comic-style battle, complete with ‘kapow’ sound effects and graphics, but the audience isn’t quite clear about why. Perhaps the characters know that too, but they don’t give much away. The script isn’t the only issue here though unfortunately. Whilst the comic-style effects might have worked in a film of a different tone, here there is a tragic juxtaposition of Yamaha-keyboard sound effects and 1980s comedy explosion graphics, with a scrap of wasteland in Michigan, circa 2017 and a script that attempts realism but is so woefully clichéd not even the actors themselves believe in the motivations and feelings of their characters, with Ethan’s horror at the destruction of his home at the hands of his best friend the most underplayed reaction I have ever seen in an actor. Sadly, very little in this film works to engage, excite or entertain. The fact the film was shot solely on an iPhone 7 is possibly the only impressive thing here because some nice effects have been achieved by Kat McCormick, including up-shots angles and close ups in the car, but whilst there is some skill in the filming, it comes to no effect because of the severe lack of understanding about storytelling here. As such, The Gem is a film you can afford to miss. #ShortFilmReviews #ShortFilms #AnnieVincent #SciFi #JoaquinSharpeJr #EthinGoodman #JaredHittle

★★ Directed by Eli Roth Starring Bruce Willis, Vincent D'Onofrio, Elisabeth Shue, Camila Morrone Film Review by George Wolf Many things about this Death Wish reboot make you wonder why, in the wake of current events, the film's release might not have been postponed a bit. Waiting wouldn't have made it a better film, just a little less tone deaf. But hell, director Eli Roth doesn't have time for any of that sensitive crap. He's coming in guns hot, seemingly confident he's crafting a self-awareness that must be invisible to the rest of us. Bruce Willis is mostly effective, and sometimes disinterested, as the new Paul Kersey, and this time Kersey is a surgeon. He's spurred to vigilante action after a home invasion leaves his daughter (Camila Morrone) in a coma and his wife (Elisabeth Shue) in the grave, and his violent alter ego quickly gains fame on social media as "the Grim Reaper." Kersey's success at keeping his identity hidden is one of the many eye-rolling conveniences in Joe Carnahan's script, all minor nuisances next to how far Roth and Carnahan end up from where they thought they were going. While Brian Garfield's original novel probed the futility of vigilante justice, Charles Bronson's string of Death Wish films moved the Kersey character from anti-hero to overtired cliche. Roth seems to think he's revamped the franchise as some sort of satire, but he's wildly off the mark. That would require smart humor and strategic nuance, and Roth (Hostel, The Green Inferno) just doesn't work in shades of gray. The humor, thanks to a couple of corny detectives (Dean Norris and Kimberly Elise), is straight outta sitcoms. Nuance? Meet bombast. Kersey saves lives by day and takes them at night! Do you get the contrast? Do you, really? Here's a split screen montage to help you understand. As Kersey points out that the problem is cops who just aren't violent enough, Roth intersperses arguments from talk radio hosts in a feeble attempt to counter the film's overriding message. It's just literal lip service. The finale, a "good guy with a gun's" wildest fantasy, cements the film's worldview. And even if you're fine with that, you can find it in plenty of other films with better execution. Pun intended. #GeorgeWolf #movies #film #entertainment #moviereviews #filmreviews #DeathWish #remakes #actionmovies #EliRoth #BruceWillis #VincentD39Onofrio #ElisabethShue #CamilaMorrone #FilmReviews #TheatricalReleases

Directed by: Debanjan Majhi Starring: Aryann Rpy, Kheya Chattopadhyay, Aritra Dutta, Sharonyo Banerjee and Skye Steedman Short Film Review: by Rachel Pullen War films have been done, again and again, and that sadly is because war never seems to end, history has a way of repeating itself I guess. So here we are, facing another tale of a soldier desperate to escape the madness of his surroundings and make his way back home, but despite this take being a little played out during war films, I mean who does not actually want to be back at home with their loved ones, director Debanjan Majhi approaches the subject from another angle to create his short Butterflies of War. Amidst the war- torn lands our leading man Pvt. Martin, played by Aryann Rpy, struggles to make his way back to his home land of Bangladesh, but during his turbulent travels he finds himself forcing his way into a young woman’s home to seek refuge. Here these two unlikely companions develop a friendship as they delve into their pasts and the effects that the war has had on them. The real factor of this short film is not the war itself, it’s the juxtaposition between the 2 characters, our young lady is privileged, living in a home with water and electricity [a luxury during the war] as she is the daughter of a UN member, while our protagonist is a soldier, facing the hardships of war and defending himself on a daily basis. But both come together like negatively charged ions, as they realise not all personal hardships occur on the battlefield. This tale is one of relationships, of how even during the unkindness of war, we still can find hope in a connection with another, we are social beings at the end of the day and human condition calls out for us to be desired, to desire and to have relationships be they social or sexual. We see this desire for a deeper connection shine through between our two lead roles, and it offers some calm during the extreme backdrop that they are forced to play in. Butterflies of War is competent in its delivery, offering up a believable helping of locations, costumes and makeup, throwing us into the deep end of the hardships of war, if this short was made on a small budget you certainly would have no way of knowing it. Gratefully this movie is subtitled as dialogue is heavy and important, often switching between languages, it’s a well needed addition to the short, and while the language change can be slightly distracting it does not take away from the quality of the script. An enjoyable and heart-wrenching piece, Butterflies of War is a great addition to anyone who enjoys war films or even tales of human kindness. #ShortFilmReviews #ShortFilms #RachelPullen #WarFilms #DebanjanMajhi #WorldCinema #AryannRpy #KheyaChattopadhyay #AritraDutta #SharonyoBnaerjee #SkyeSteedman

★★ Directed by Francis Lawrence Starring Jennifer Lawrence, Joel Edgerton, Matthias Schoenaerts, Jeremy Irons Film Review by Hope Madden Jennifer Lawrence could use a hit. Though few could throw shade at the film star’s talent—one Oscar and two nominations in a three year span!—she’s made a series of critical and commercial missteps. The slide began with David O. Russell’s weak biopic Joy, then wallowed in all that can be wrong with a superhero movie in X-Men: Apocalypse before hurtling through space with the underwhelming Passengers, and ending with the flaming disaster (though bold and compelling) mother! Can her sexy espionage thriller Red Sparrow turn that luck around? Doesn’t seem likely, does it? I mean, come on—you’ve seen the trailer. And yet, surprisingly enough, the film has some style, some queasying violence and unrepentant perversions, and Jennifer Lawrence. It could be worse. Lawrence plays Dominika Egorova, a Bolshoi ballerina (yeah, right) who breaks the wrong leg, is related to the wrong uncle (the always welcome Matthias Schoenaerts), makes the wrong compromise and winds up in a nasty state. Writer Justin Haythe, working from Jason Matthews’s novel, has never written a film worth seeing. This is no masterpiece, but it is the kind of material director Francis Lawrence (no relation) manages well. The helmsman of the last three Hunger Games films knows how to take what amounts to dreary, ugly, mean tales of human bondage and slick them up with a plucky female lead, good costuming, a talented supporting cast and smooth camera movement. The ugly, demeaning sexuality, though, that’s mostly just Red Sparrow. Lawrence’s steely, emotionless mask of an expression suits this performance even more perfectly than it did her Hunger Games franchise, but the lacking chemistry between the star and her co-stars keeps the film from ever reaching the sexy thrills it hopes to achieve. Joel Edgerton, playing the good-hearted American, can’t generate any believable connection with Lawrence’s Russian sparrow, and the crissing and crossing of teams and tales and sides and stories feel forever superficial and convenient. Red Sparrow might at least be a fun time waster if Charlize Theron hadn’t done that better with last year’s Atomic Blonde. So, no, this won’t be the film to point Jen’s career back toward true north. But she does have another X-Men coming up. That’s sure to be a winner, right? #FrancisLawrence #JenniferLawrence #JoelEdgerton #MatthiasSchoenaerts #JeremyIrons #HopeMadden #film #movies #entertainment #moviereviews #filmreviews #spymovies #thrillers #FilmReviews #TheatricalReleases