Robert Sodmak
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West Side Story / Video Review : Above the Line vs Below the Line. Episode 20

Above the Line vs Below the Line. Episode 20 Film Critic : Abe Friedtanzer Abe Friedtanzer is a film and TV enthusiast who spent most of the past fifteen years in New York City. He has been the editor of MoviesWithAbe.com and TVwithAbe.com since 2007, and has been predicting the Oscars, Emmys, Golden Globes, and…

Film Review – ‘Swan Song’ Tackles Ethical Questions in a Powerful Story of Connection

It’s never easy to say goodbye. Many people are not afforded the opportunity to know when the end is coming, and those who are often are less than eager to speak about it for fear of making it more difficult. Advances in medicine and technology have meant that life can be prolonged, even in the…

SPIDER-MAN: NO WAY HOME / Video Review / Above the Line vs Below the Line. Episode 19

Above the Line vs Below the Line. Episode 19 Film Critic : Joey Magidson Joey is the owner and editor-in-chief of Awards Radar. For nearly a decade and a half, he served as a writer at The Awards Circuit (even back when it was still called The Oscar Igloo). A member of the Critic Choice…

Film Review – Nightmare Alley is a Visually Stunning, Character-Driven Neo-Noir Psychological Thriller Set in Visceral Realism

All realms of life are driven by a sense of shock and wonder, from the working class on the fringe of society to the wealthy and powerful, especially when its members are continuously driven by seduction and treachery. That’s certainly the case for the troubled anti-hero and the people of various backgrounds he forms relationships…

The King’s Man, The Film Series’ Prequel Stands On Its Own Two…Predecessors

Matthew Vaughn’s The King’s Man, delivers a prequel to The Kingsman franchise that is enjoyable to the extent it can be enjoyed autonomously. This third instalment — which is based on the comic book The Secret Service by Mark Millar and Dave Gibbons, and chronicles the premises to 2014’s Kingsman: The Secret Service and 2017’s…

Film Review – ‘Don’t Look Up’ Casts a Wide Net in Its Skewering of Societal Stupidity

Much has been written in recent years about how reality has become so absurd that parody no longer has the same effect it once did since it can’t possibly top it. That’s not to say that exaggeration of moments that weren’t perhaps meant to be humorous can’t be funny, but that inventing storylines and characters…

Film Review – ‘France’ Critiques the Media and the Staging of Stories

The stories told by journalists can be extremely inspirational and affecting for viewers. The authenticity of an interview has the power to change hearts and to prompt action, but what audiences are seeing isn’t always a straightforward conversation. Minor editing to frame a particular narrative is understandable, but the staging of scenes to make them…

Film Review – ‘National Champions’ Has a Strong Message That It Struggles to Convey

There is a true passion athletes feel when they are playing their chosen sport, energized by the rush of the action around them and the cheers of crowds in the stands. Sports present an opportunity for audiences to be captivated by what they are watching, and the effect is even more profound on those running…

And Just Like That, Reprises The Original Series’ Spirit Presenting Life’s Evolutions

The ten-episode Max Original series And Just Like That, from executive producer Michael Patrick King, debuted on December 9th on HBO Max. This new chapter of the groundbreaking HBO series Sex and the City, follows Carrie (Sarah Jessica Parker), Miranda (Cynthia Nixon) and Charlotte (Kristin Davis) as they navigate the evolution of their friendship, that…

The Hand of God, Sorrentino’s Amarcord Is A Work Of Art About Love And Loss

The most intimate and autobiographical film of Neapolitan director, Paolo Sorrentino, will be available on Netflix from December 15th. The Hand of God (È stata la mano di Dio) is a tender love letter to cinema, Naples and most importantly Maradona — who was the Manus Dei that saved the filmmaker’s life, as he chronicles…

Film Review – ‘Being the Ricardos’ Offers a Peek Behind the Curtain of ‘I Love Lucy’

Today’s television landscape offers many certifiable hits, but none can compare to the early shows that defined what it meant to be popular and beloved by audiences everywhere. Chief among them was I Love Lucy, which gave star Lucille Ball a superb platform for her physical comedy and allowed her to work alongside her real-life…