‘Movie Corner’ Archives
Top Ten Movies of 2016
1. “Moonlight” (R) Running time: 111 minutes. Director: Barry Jenkins. A young African American goes from childhood and adulthood in Miami with many struggles including his sexuality. Drama. 2. “Manchester by the Sea” (R) Running time: 137 minutes. Director: Kenneth Lonergan. A working class handyman suffering from depression has to face the tragedy in his past after his brother dies and leaves him sole guardian of his nephew. Drama. 3. “Fences” (PG-13) Running time:139 minutes. Director: Denzil Washington. The late African American playwright August Wilson”'s “Fences” is transferred to silver screen by Denzil Washington. A working class African American father raising a family in Pittsburg in the 1950s. 4. “Hidden Figures”(PG)Running time:127 minutes. Director: Theodore Melfi. Based on a true story and one of many denials of black Americans great achievements. This film depicts a team of college educated African [...]
“La La Land”
By Howard McQuitter II ****1/2 out of five stars “La La Land” (2016) Liongate Drama/Musical/Romance Sebastian has that same passion for jazz as did Andrew (Miles Teller) did in “Whiplash”(2014), by director Damien Chazelle, who directed both “Whiplash” and “La La Land”. In both cases, Sebastian, the pianist, and Andrew, the drummer, have uphill battles, not to mention Chazelle”'s “subtle” love of jazz. (I”'m sure, Mr. Chazelle listens to some of the jazz greats Thelonious Monk, Charlie Parker, Miles Davis, Louis Armstrong, John Coltrane, Coleman Hawkins, and more.) The best dance number is at the beginning of the film when people stuck in Los Angeles traffic decide to leave their vehicles temporarily to either jump on tops of their vehicles or stay on the ground to dance and sing. And at first when Sebastian and Mia meet on that highway there is no love at first sight. In time the romance will grow, [...]
“The Accountant” & “Moonlight”
** out of 5 stars “Accountant,” “R” Rating Ben Affleck”'s character Christian Wolf in “The Accountant” lives in an Airstream trailer in the hinterland where he stocks weapons, money, paintings by Renoir and Jackson Pollack (bought on the black market). He”'s involved with some nefarious organizations and some of assignments are completed by his expertise as an assassin. Christian”'s activities draw Treasury Department Director Ray King (J.K. Simmons) to track him down using unethical means by forcing a department analyst, Marybeth Medina (Cynthia Addal-Robinson) to find The Accountant in one month or be exposed for serious crimes in her past. A hit man from Chris”' past Brax (Jon Bernthal) appears to be a thorn in his side. But Christian goes to Living Robotics where he meets a kindly inventor Lamar Black (John Lithgow) and his sister Jean Smart (Rita Blackburn) before Mr. Wolf starts to investigate millions of dollars [...]
