Rochester City Newspaper - Movies

'One Night in Miami' is a fly-on-the-wall to an historic gathering

Fri, 22 Jan 2021 09:30:00 GMT

With four terrific performances, ‘One Night’ is a triumphant directorial debut for actress Regina King. Oscar-winning actress Regina King makes her feature directorial debut with the drama “One Night in Miami,” adapted by Kemp Powers (who’s having an incredible year, having co-directed and written the screenplay for Pixar’s “Soul”), from his own 2013 play of the same name.…

‘The Reason I Jump’ aims to evoke the experience of living with autism

Fri, 08 Jan 2021 13:32:57 GMT

Using the language of cinema, the powerful film attempts to portray the experiences of five autistic young people from around the globe. First published in Japan in 2007, “The Reason I Jump” is a memoir written by Naoki Higashida when he was 13-years-old. A nonverbal person with autism, Higashida made use of an alphabet grid his mother developed that allowed him to communicate the thoughts he was never able to express verbally.…

Film studios adopt new strategies to save their biggest releases

Fri, 01 Jan 2021 10:00:00 GMT

2020 caused a seismic shift in how films are distributed. Here's what's coming to theaters and streaming services in 2021. Last year was a hard one for movie theaters across the nation, but in December the already beleaguered industry was dealt what was arguably its biggest blow yet. On Dec. 3, WarnerMedia dropped the bombshell that throughout 2021 it will be releasing its entire slate of films for the year, each on its respective release date, simultaneously in theaters and on its streaming service HBO Max.…

The best 15 films of 2020

Thu, 31 Dec 2020 18:45:32 GMT

In a year without movie theaters, film releases were held or debuted digitally. Of the films that did come out, here are Adam's favorites. The whole of 2020 was a weird time to be writing about film. It was a year basically without movie theaters, as the majority remained closed due to COVID-19.…

'Wonder Woman 1984' is hopeful and optimistic, but spins its wheels

Thu, 24 Dec 2020 00:24:10 GMT

We're not going to turn down a Chris Pine '80s makeover montage, but too much of Diana's identity revolves around her romantic relationship. There’s a lot riding on “Wonder Woman 1984” (or “WW84,” if you go by its on-screen title). 2017’s “Wonder Woman” is by far the most successful of the DC Comics films, translating a beloved comic book character to the screen in a way that managed to please fans and newcomers alike, while earning critical raves and huge box office numbers.…

In his final role, Chadwick Boseman steals 'Ma Rainey's' show

Fri, 18 Dec 2020 15:35:38 GMT

The contentious story highlights the contributions Black Americans have made to culture, and how little the country values them in return. It’s all but impossible to watch “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom”— the film adaptation of August Wilson’s 1982 stage play, inspired by the titular, pioneering real-life blues singer — without forgetting that at its center is the final performance of actor Chadwick Boseman. The tragedy of Boseman’s death adds an additional poignancy to the film, but his work is powerful enough on its own.…

Film review: 'Another Round'

Fri, 04 Dec 2020 12:39:38 GMT

Danish filmmaker Thomas Vinterberg's tale about male friendship, aging, and alcoholism is by turns funny, sad, and ultimately cathartic. The official film selection chosen to represent Denmark at this year’s Oscars, “Another Round” reunites filmmaker Thomas Vinterberg with his “The Hunt” star Mads Mikkelsen for a story about the pleasures as well as the perils of tossing back a few drinks with your buds. At the center of the film are four men who decide to battle their midlife ennui with alcohol, hoping it might help them rediscover the joy that’s been missing in their lives.…

Film review: 'Happiest Season'

Wed, 25 Nov 2020 21:36:38 GMT

'Happiest Season' is a vibrant, gay twist on a conventional narrative that makes a welcome addition to the holiday rom-com cannon. It’s been a long, difficult year, and all current signs suggest that this winter is only going to get harder. So it’s little wonder that people have seemed particularly eager to dive into the holidays this year.…

Dark comedy ‘The Columnist” tackles freedom of speech issues with camp

Fri, 13 Nov 2020 20:25:43 GMT

In Ivo van Aart's dark comedy-horror film "The Columnist," a newspaper journalist gets bloody revenge on her merciless internet trolls. Anyone who remembers Rebecca Black’s hit song “Friday” knows how cruel internet critics can be. When the song was released in 2011, trolls hit up YouTube comments, Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram to berate the singer with insults, jokes, and even death threats.…

Quoc Bao Tran's feature film debut 'The Paper Tigers' is a knockout

Fri, 13 Nov 2020 16:31:18 GMT

Quoc Bao Tran's film is a fresh take on the action genre, following three former kung fu students avenging their master's murder. Watching “The Paper Tigers,” I settled in with excitement, right after I recovered from the line, “You look like a fat, Asian Mr. Rogers.” Quoc Bao Tran’s impressive debut film — the 2020 opening night selection of the Rochester-based Anomaly film festival — is a refreshing and hilarious take on the kung fu movie genre.…

Bertolt Brecht meets David Lynch in satirical fantasy film 'The Twentieth Century'

Thu, 12 Nov 2020 18:15:15 GMT

"The Twentieth Century," an absurdist political fantasy depicting a dystopian Canada of the past, may have prescient lessons in the present. An ice skate decapitation. A traitor impaled on a narwhal.…

Jack Garner gets his own screen at The Little Theatre

Mon, 09 Nov 2020 22:38:07 GMT

The Little Theatre is naming one of its five theaters after the late Jack Garner, the longtime film critic of the Democrat and Chronicle. Coming soon to The Little: The Jack Garner Theatre. The Little Theatre, the art-deco gem of downtown Rochester, is naming one of its five theaters after Garner, the longtime film critic of the Democrat and Chronicle and Gannett Newspapers.…

'Photo City' is a snapshot of Rochester

Mon, 02 Nov 2020 10:00:00 GMT

Even as the the Eastman Kodak Co. has faced its share of hardships over the years, the Photo City imprint it left on Rochester has not faded. The shadows of George Eastman and Kodak loom large over the city of Rochester. Even as the legendary photography company has faced its share of hardships over the years — massive layoffs, bankruptcy, mismanagement, an ever-shifting technological landscape, and a dubious foray into pharmaceuticals — the Photo City imprint it left on Rochester has not faded.…

New York movie theaters can open, but that's easier said than done

Wed, 21 Oct 2020 09:58:00 GMT

Gov. Andrew Cuomo has announced that movie theaters can reopen this week. But before people can fill the seats again, changes must be made. A murmur of excitement rolled through the area’s movie-going community, long in coronavirus limbo, when word came out early Saturday afternoon that Gov. Andrew Cuomo had just announced that theaters throughout the state — umm, except you, New York City — could reopen as of this Friday. The news seemed to catch everyone by surprise.…

Film review: 'The Wolf of Snow Hollow'

Fri, 09 Oct 2020 19:59:15 GMT

"The Wolf of Snow Hollow" uses horror and comedy to forge its own path, and features the last performance of Rochester native Robert Forster.“The Wolf of Snow Hollow” (R), Directed by Jim Cummings Opens Friday, October 9 at the Vintage Drive-In, 1520 W. Henrietta Rd in Avon, and on VOD Spooky season is officially upon us, and “The Wolf of Snow Hollow” arrives just in time to capitalize on audiences looking for a frightful night of movie entertainment. It’s a werewolf tale that’s darkly funny, though calling it a horror-comedy feels like overstating both sides of that particular coin.…

ImageOut 2020 comes down to the final reel

Wed, 07 Oct 2020 10:00:00 GMT

For ImageOut's 28th iteration, the LGBTQ film festival has had to adapt to the changing cinema landscape while maintaining its identity. The task of booking films for Rochester’s ImageOut LGBT Film Festival has been unfolding like a good thriller: It’s all coming down to the final reel.…

2020 Witness Palestine Film Festival explores Middle East conflict, goes virtual

Fri, 02 Oct 2020 11:32:12 GMT

This year's Witness Palestine Film Festival is free and completely virtual, with four films centered around the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Like many other arts organizations this year, the Witness Palestine Film Festival has been forced to be flexible with their event plans for 2020. Typically held at The Little Theatre (among a rotating selection of other venues), this year’s edition of the annual event will take place completely online, presenting four programs of films followed by virtual discussions throughout the month of October.…

TIFF from my living room

Fri, 25 Sep 2020 14:46:47 GMT

Despite the lack of access to the 2020 Toronto International Film Festival, several of its worthwhile movies will be available to watch soon. My remote movie-watching of the Toronto International Film Festival continues unabated, as I try to jam as many films into each day as possible. What follows are brief reactions to a few of the films I’ve been able to screen, along with how and when you might eventually be able to see them for yourself.…

George Eastman Museum awarded $250,000 grant to conserve Indian, Pakistani films

Tue, 22 Sep 2020 14:37:10 GMT

A grant from the Institute for Museum and Library Services will be used to conserve films which need urgent rehousing and cleaning to prevent decay. The George Eastman Museum has been awarded a $250,000 grant to conserve more than 1,000 South Asian films. A grant from the Institute for Museum and Library Services will be used to conserve films which need urgent rehousing and cleaning to prevent decay.…

Toronto International Film Festival 2020: Home Edition

Fri, 18 Sep 2020 15:41:15 GMT

This year's Toronto International Film Festival, a preview of movies to come, includes the compelling "Nomadland" and "One Night in Miami." The 45th edition of the Toronto International Film Festival kicked off on September 10, with a hybrid festival mixing in-person and virtual screenings. Sadly due to the global pandemic, the festival this year is only open to residents of Canada, which is a bummer for Rochester-area movie buffs who look forward to making the trek to a world-class festival just a few hours from home.…