Cinema Clash

On this edition of the Cinema Clash: ROMA makes a big splash on the award circuit; a Kipling classic gets a questionable makeover in MOWGLI: LEGEND OF THE JUNGLE; a teen beauty pageant sets the stage for a formulaic but heartwarming message movie, DUMPLIN’; High School Musical gets the zombie treatment in ANNA AND THE APOCALYPSE; and the documentary DIVIDE AND CONQUER: THE STORY OF ROGER AILES explores the rise and fall of a controversial media giant. Plus, initial thoughts on the selection of Kevin Hart to host the 2019 Oscars. Tune in!

On this edition of the Cinema Clash: Three strong female leads and a witty script could make THE FAVOURITE a royal favorite among fans of period dramedies; some of the worst films of 2018; a preview of the Washington Area Film Critics Association awards as voting gets underway; and serious debate over a veteran writer/director’s contention that today’s audiences don’t take movies seriously enough. Tune in!

On this Thanksgiving edition of the Cinema Clash: CREED II puts up a good fight while ROBIN HOOD does not; Willem Dafoe channels Vincent Van Gogh AT ETERNITY’S GATE; and a child prodigy rises to culinary fame in the documentary CHEF FLYNN. Plus, a quick recap of what you should be seeing over the long holiday weekend. Tune in!

On this edition of the Cinema Clash: The not so fantastic FANTASTIC BEASTS: THE CRIMES OF GRINDELWALD; the absolutely fantastic GREEN BOOK; the way better than expected INSTANT FAMILY; the surprisingly flat political drama THE FRONT RUNNER; the see-it-now-on-Netflix Coen Brothers anthology THE BALLAD OF BUSTER SCRUGGS; and Sweden’s extremely weird yet intriguing Oscar hopeful, BORDER. Plus, quick takes on DR. SEUSS’ THE GRINCH, BOY ERASED, A PRIVATE WAR and more! And we mourn the loss of two movie icons, with a ‘Rest in Peace’ red blend. Tune in!

On this edition of the Cinema Clash: Despite its faults, BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY will rock you with the music of Queen; Disney’s THE NUTCRACKER AND THE FOUR REALMS is underwhelming but still serves its target demographic; VIPER CLUB misfires as a well-intentioned homage to journalists who put themselves in harm’s way; and the documentary ON HER SHOULDERS shares the remarkable story of 23-year-old Nobel Peace Prize winner and genocide survivor Nadia Murad.

On this edition of the Cinema Clash: highlights from the Middleburg Film Festival, including the newly-released family caregiving drama WHAT THEY HAD and the biopic drama CAN YOU EVER FORGIVE ME?; Plus, a lesson in great acting and irresponsible parenthood in the indie drama WILDLIFE, and two documentaries – one delving into the art world, THE PRICE OF EVERYTHING, and another about the legendary New York City nightclub STUDIO 54.

On this edition of the Cinema Clash: a return to the horror that is HALLOWEEN; an introspective homage to an American hero in the space biopic FIRST MAN; a father-son story about the vicious cycle of addiction in BEAUTIFUL BOY; a cautionary tale about political tribalism in the disturbingly timely satire THE OATH; a gripping thriller from Denmark about an emergency dispatcher and a kidnapping in THE GUILTY; a documentary about a master of street photography in GARRY WINOGRAND: ALL THINGS ARE PHOTOGRAPHABLE; and a baseball comeback journey – perhaps - in the documentary LATE LIFE: THE CHIEN-MING WANG STORY.

On this edition of the Cinema Clash: a less toxic take than most on the twisted comic book (anti)superhero VENOM; stellar reviews for Cooper and Gaga in A STAR IS BORN; mixed reaction to a gripping documentary about a quirky rock climber in FREE SOLO; a brief assessment of Robert Redford’s (alleged) farewell performance in THE OLD MAN AND THE GUN; a toast to four iconic actresses and their enduring friendship in the documentary TEA WITH THE DAMES; and our newest nominee for best indie actress - Mary Elizabeth Winstead in ALL ABOUT NINA.

On this edition of the Cinema Clash: the formulaic Kevin Hart comedy NIGHT SCHOOL; a biographical drama about French writer COLETTE in the early 20th Century; and two documentaries – HAL for the cinephiles, and THE SCIENCE FAIR for the nerds and over-achievers among us. Plus, a beer that’s spot on.

On this edition of the Cinema Clash: THE HOUSE WITH A CLOCK IN ITS WALLS builds on the legacy of classic family-friendly films from the ‘80s; LIFE ITSELF attempts to spew enough multi-generational melodrama to reel in fans of ‘This Is Us’; LIZZIE revisits the notorious case of a New England couple chopped to death in 1892; Michael Moore’s anti-Trump documentary FAHRENHEIT 11/9 asks ‘How the f*** did we get here, and how do we get out?’; BLAZE pays homage to a little-known icon of the lesser-known ‘Texas Outlaw Music’ movement; THE CHILDREN ACT mixes legal drama and melancholy to deliver a quiet, compelling indie; and the documentary LOVE, GILDA reminds us why we loved Gilda Radner.

On this edition of the Cinema Clash: THE PREDATOR attempts to reinvent a classic series (Oh, the horror!); A SIMPLE FAVOR pairs Anna Kendrick and Blake Lively in a twisty thriller; WHITE BOY RICK dramatizes the true story of a teen drug informant-turned-dealer in 1980s Detroit; an arthouse drama from Zambia, I AM NOT A WITCH, casts a spell over Charlie; and Hannah defends the appeal of puppies with a purpose in the documentary PICK OF THE LITTER.

On this edition of the Cinema Clash: KIN suffers from an identity crisis as a road-trip crime drama buddy movie with a sci-fi twist; Israeli secret agents track down a notorious Nazi in the fact-based drama OPERATION FINALE; the melancholy biopic NICO, 1988 explores the final days of an alternative rock icon; THE BOOKSHOP is anything but a page-turner; and JOHN McENROE – IN THE REALM OF PERFECTION could be the strangest sports documentary ever.

On this edition of the Cinema Clash: THE HAPPYTIME MURDERS is a disgrace to both humans and puppets; PAPILLION revisits the true story of a classic prison break; THE WIFE generates early Oscar buzz for veteran actress Glenn Close; JULIET, NAKED charms as a “slight but sweet” romantic drama; SKATE KITCHEN ‘shreds’ light on the world of teenage girl skateboarders in NYC; and SUPPORT THE GIRLS features a talented ensemble cast in a so-so dramedy about scantily-clad waitresses at a Hooters-style “family” restaurant called Double Whammies.

On this edition of the Cinema Clash: Should you buy into the hype of the romantic comedy CRAZY RICH ASIANS, or risk a more lethal route with the pulse-pounding thriller MILE 22? The documentary SCOTTY AND THE SECRET HISTORY OF HOLLYWOOD exposes one man’s dedication to the ‘service’ of the rich and famous, and on the indie front, a quirky new adaptation of A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM. Lord, what fools these mortals be! Let the Clash begin.

On this edition of the Cinema Clash: MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – FALLOUT scales to great heights. But is it a great film? GENERATION WEALTH will make you feel better about not being insanely rich; LOVE, CECIL pays homage to a legendary photographer, designer and diarist; DETECTIVE DEE: THE FOUR HEAVENLY KINGS aims to woo fans of the wuxia fantasy genre; and THE BLEEDING EDGE may prove nightmarish if you have any kind of medical device implanted in your body. Tune in!

On this edition of the Cinema Clash: Lily James and the music of ABBA score big in MAMMA MIA! HERE WE GO AGAIN; Crime-drama sequel THE EQUALIZER 2 struggles to ‘lyft’ up to the level of its killer predecessor; EIGHTH GRADE nails the emotional rollercoaster of adolescence; BLINDSPOTTING hits the drama/humor sweet spot for a timely verse on race and class; the probing documentary DARK MONEY exposes the deep roots of campaign finance fraud; and GAUGIN: VOYAGE TO TAHITI paints the French post-impressionist artist into a creepy corner. Plus, we purr over some late-breaking casting news. Tune in!

On this edition of the Cinema Clash: Dracula and family board a cruise for the latest installment of the animated monster franchise, HOTEL TRANSYLVANIA 3: SUMMER VACATION; the life and times of Elvis Presley serve as a metaphor for the rise and decline of America in the cross-country roadtrip documentary, THE KING; a feud between neighbors escalates beyond repair in the dark Icelandic dramedy, UNDER THE TREE; and we ‘branch out’ with a tasty cabernet sauvignon. Tune in! (plus #Skyscraper #EighthGrade)

On this edition of the Cinema Clash: the family-friendly superhero sequel, ANT-MAN AND THE WASP; a strange, absurdist social satire, SORRY TO BOTHER YOU; two intriguing documentaries, WHITNEY and THREE IDENTICAL STRANGERS; a historical drama with two strong leads and zero buzz, WOMAN WALKS AHEAD; and a fine foreign film, THE CAKEMAKER, paired with a decadent red blend.

On this edition of the Cinema Clash: a bleak sequel to SICARIO, DAY OF THE SOLDADO with a return to the US/Mexico border; an absorbing psychodrama about a lonely woman named NANCY who may or may not have been kidnapped as a child; a dysfunctional family road-trip dramedy about BOUNDARIES, with stars who outshine the script; and a warped western about a bumbling pioneer determined to rescue and marry a DAMSEL not in distress.

On this edition of the Cinema Clash: a disappointing return to JURASSIC WORLD: FALLEN KINGDOM; a fascinating story goes afoul in THE CATCHER WAS A SPY; a gut-churning documentary about corporatization and cruelty in our food supply chain, EATING ANIMALS; a ridiculous documentary about a fashion icon who deems her own story boring in WESTWOOD: PUNK. ICON. ACTIVIST.; and a recap of the highs and lows of the AFI DOCS Festival in DC.