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‘Juliet, Naked’ Review: Rose Byrne And Ethan Hawke Thrive In A ‘Waterloo Sunset’

Ethan Hawke, with a keyboard at the ready, sings The Kinks “Waterloo Sunset” during a standout moment in Juliet, Naked. These beautiful touches are sprinkled throughout this music infused story that’s blessed with a trio of beautifully rendered performances (Hawke, Chris O’Dowd, and Rose Byrne).

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‘BuyBust’ Review: Manila Set Thriller Powered By Anne Curtis Performance And Unrelenting Action

As a film enthusiast and Asian American (I’m part Filipino), I’m ashamed to admit that BuyBust is the first film I’ve seen from the Philippines. But there’s a first for everything, and this unrelenting and gritty action thriller exceeded all of my expectations.

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‘Never Goin’ Back’ Review: Summer Tale Shines With Maia Mitchell And Camila Morrone Pairing

Landing at a trim 85 minutes, Never Goin’ Back is nonetheless a meaty narrative about two girls who whether their storms with aplomb, bringing a healthy share of mayhem in the process. Directed and penned by Augustine Frizzell, the flick is powered by standout work from leads Maia Mitchell and Camila Morrone. The balls out final act also took me by surprise, which is a great thing.

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‘Hot Summer Nights’ Review: Timothée Chalamet Headlines Visually Arresting Coming Of Age Flick

There will be a ton of style versus substance arguments with Hot Summer Nights, director/writer Elijah Bynum’s visually hypnotic and balls out homage to such features as Goodfellas and Boogie Nights. Is this movie more than a series of beautifully composed shots and a wonderfully curated soundtrack (kudos for the use of The Outfield’s “Your Love”)? I believe it does, but maybe you need to look a little closer at this 1991 Cape Cod set odyssey.

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‘Izzy Gets The F**K Across Town’ Review: Mackenzie Davis Anchors Memorable L.A. Story

I’ve lived in Culver City, worked at Miracle Mile, and have traversed the somewhat tony confines of Los Feliz, and these areas are among the locales spotlighted in director Christian Papierniak’s seductively beguiling Izzy Gets The F**k Of Town. But neither the director or Los Angeles are the stars of the show. The Queen Bee is Mackenzie Davis, and she’s a huge reason for this movie’s creative success.

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‘Hearts Beat Loud’ Review: Nick Offerman and Kiersey Clemons Are A Perfect Team In Brooklyn Set Tale

 
There will be naysayers who won’t buy writer/director Brett Haley’s bittersweet yet ultimately sentimental Hearts Beat Loud, but don’t be deterred. Open hearted to the core, and blessed with lived in performances from Nick Offerman and Kiersey Clemons, Hearts Beat Loud is a total charmer.

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