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Andrea’s Angle | “Strays” – Hilarious and Surprising
When I saw the first trailer for Strays, I really wanted to see it. First, nothing about it seemed like the typical dog movie. Second, with Will Ferrell and Jamie Foxx voicing two of the main characters, I knew it would likely be incredibly funny. Both actors are also skilled performers. After watching the film,…
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Andrea’s Angle | “Landscape with Invisible Hand” – Painted with Layers
I wasn’t sure what to expect from Landscape with Invisible Hand. One thing I did know was that the cast intrigued me. Tiffany Hadish is an accomplished actress that I always enjoy watching. Asante Blackk I know from This is Us and loved his performance in the show. William Jackson Harper, I am very familiar…
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Ben’s Breakdown | “Red, White & Royal Blue” is almost a fairy tale come true.
Adapting books to the big screen is not new. Many Hollywood blockbusters came from an original novel. Many times it works. Sometimes it fails pretty badly. And sometimes you get something that is somewhat good but can’t snag that elusive gold ring. As romantic comedies go, this one is pretty basic. The adult child of…
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Andrea’s Angle | “The Last Voyage of the Demeter” – Horrific to the End
From the very moment I read an article about this film, I knew I wanted to see it. It is based on a single chapter in the book Dracula and had not ever been explored on screen before. I was hopeful from the trailers and descriptions that the writing and performances would create something different…
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Andrea’s Angle | “Shortcomings” – Excellent Performances, Story Falls Short
With this film, I was so excited to see it. I love Randall Park in every performance he’s been in and was excited to see his directing. I also was looking forward to seeing Sherry Cola and Justin H. Min, as I love the work they’ve been in. The story sounded compelling, but after watching,…
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Andrea’s Angle | Oppenheimer – Profoundly Revealing and Moving
There aren’t many people who don’t know who Oppenheimer is. As the father of the atomic bomb, most people have heard of the man. But how many of us know very much about his accomplishments and life outside of Los Alamos? I know there was a lot of information I wasn’t aware of. When I…
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Andrea’s Angle | “The Miracle Club” – Story Drags, Performances Shine
One of the main reasons I wanted to see this film was that I’m a fan of pretty much all the female leads. With Laura Linney, Maggie Smith, and Kathy Bates, this film is packed with stars of high caliber. So I was sure that the performances would be excellent and the story sounded like…
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Andrea’s Angle | “Joy Ride” – Joy, Laughter, and Friendship
When I watched the trailer, I knew this was one film I wanted to see. Female friends on a journey have been seen before, but this film looked like it would be crazy fun. I also had seen Sherry Cola in Good Trouble, and I knew that she was an incredibly funny actress. When I…
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Andrea’s Angle | “Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken” – Full of Depth
As soon as I saw the trailer for this Dreamworks film, I knew that it had the potential to be an excellent movie. It looked fun but, more importantly, at least to me, an imaginative storyline that was different. Once I had the chance to see the film, I was happy to see that I…
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Andrea’s Angle | “Asteroid City” – Style, Not Enough Substance
Let me preface my discussion of this film by saying that I typically love Wes Anderson and his unique style. When I saw the trailer, I was excited because it looked unique and captivating. After I saw the film, I found there was much of the style that I loved combined with meta-commentary on acting,…
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Andrea’s Angle | “The Blackening” – Perfect Comedy Horror
When I first saw the trailer for this film, I knew I wanted to see it. Not only did it look funny, but it also appeared to be using horror tropes in a completely new way. The cast looked terrific as well. During the screening, the entire audience was laughing at the unique way the…
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GILBERT BAKER FILM FESTIVAL 2022 IS HERE FOR PRIDE 2023!
We received this press release from Hamish Downie regarding the Gilbert Baker Film Festival. The Virtual Worldwide LGBTQIA+ Gilbert Baker Film Festival Will Be Online June 2023 The Gilbert Baker Film Festival (GBFF) is a global film festival that showcases and provides a platform to watch LGBTQIA+ films from anywhere in the world. Founded by…
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Hamish Downie’s Playlist for June
Hamish Downie has a column that started back in December of 2021 as his Holiday playlist. It was so popular that he decided to make it a monthly recurring column with a movie playlist for each month. Thanks, Hamish, for creating a new concept for TG Geeks. If you have seen any of these films,…
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Andrea’s Angle | “About My Father” – Fantastically Funny
As soon as I saw the trailers, I wanted to see this film. With the hilarious scenes in the trailer and the bonus of Robert De Niro, I was very hopeful that the film would be as funny as the trailer. While the film isn’t groundbreaking, using the ideas of family and being an outsider…
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Andrea’s Angle | “Fast X” – Big Explosions, So-So Story
I’ve enjoyed most of the “Fast and Furious” films. Mostly I go for the action, but I also love the theme of found family and the fact that the women in the films get to be as big and bad as the men. So I was absolutely excited to see Fast X in the theater…
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Andrea’s Angle | “It Ain’t Over” – Superb Depiction of a Cultural Icon
For me, I’d heard the name Yogi Berra, and I certainly knew of his association with baseball, but I wanted to watch this film to learn more about the man. Yogi Berra (Lawrence Berra) was a cultural icon but not as well known for his skills as he should have been. After watching this superb…
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Andrea’s Angle | “Carmen” – Beautiful Performances, but Confusing
I was really looking forward to this film that reimagines the opera, Carmen. I love classical music and operatic dramas, so I was interested to see what a modern retelling would do with the story. While the dancing and music are beautifully executed, with most of the music original to the film and the actors’…
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Andrea’s Angle | “Book Club: The Next Chapter” – Fun and Endearing
One of the elements I liked the best when I was thinking about this film was that it focuses on a much-neglected group, older women. As a woman who is creeping higher in age myself, I appreciate a story that I can relate to and that shows there’s life in your seventies. So I went…
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Hamish Downie’s Playlist for May
Hamish Downie has a column that started back in December of 2021 as his Holiday playlist. It was so popular that he decided to make it a monthly recurring column with a movie playlist for each month. Thanks, Hamish, for creating a new concept for TG Geeks. If you have seen any of these films,…
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Andrea’s Angle | “Are You There, God? It’s Me, Margaret” – Beautifully Endearing
I grew up with Judy Blume in the seventies. I especially remember reading this book among others, and the scenes from it provided me with a connection at a time I needed it, during puberty. What I was most concerned with in watching this movie was whether it could capture the unique quality of Judy…
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Andrea’s Angle | “Polite Society” – Jane Austen Meets Bollywood Fun
From the second I saw the trailers for this movie, I wanted to see it. It looked like a combination of several types of films I like, incorporating martial arts and Bollywood style. It looked fun. After watching the movie, I can tell you that I found it wonderfully subversive of female roles, martial arts…
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Andrea’s Angle | “Guy Ritchie’s The Covenant” – Fulfills Promise
When I saw the trailers for this film, it looked promising. I also happen to like Guy Ritchie’s style of filmmaking, but he is known more for fast-paced, fun action films. This promised to be a more serious drama, so I wondered how his style would blend with the premise of the movie. With a…
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Andrea’s Angle | “Judy Blume Forever” – A Revelation
I don’t think there is anyone of my age that didn’t grow up with Judy Blume. Her books and writing were groundbreaking and instrumental to so many on their path to adulthood. My hope was that the documentary would reveal truths about Judy Blume and that the film would reveal who she is to a…
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Ben’s Breakdown | “Renfield” is Therapeutically Gory and Fun!
We all know of Dracula. He, and vampires in general, stand at the pinnacle of horror mythology. But what do we know of Renfield? He was made Dracula’s “unwilling assistant” over a century ago. It is now the present day, and what has this existence done to him? I couldn’t wait to see Renfield. Given…
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Andrea’s Angle | “On a Wing and a Prayer” – Feel Good Story, Heavy-Handed Message
One of the main reasons I wanted to watch this film is I’ve always been a fan of Dennis Quaid. He generally has a good track record in films, and most of the films he’s been in have been engaging. After watching this film, Dennis Quaid gives his usual strong performance with a story that…
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Andrea’s Angle | “The Super Mario Bros. Movie” — Super Fun for Nintendo Fans
One of the reasons I wanted to see this film was that I grew up with Super Mario Bros. I have played Mario Bros 1, 2, and 3, managing to reach the final level. I’ve played Super Mario World as well. So as a fan of the game, I wanted to see whether the movie…
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Andrea’s Angle | “AIR” — Performances Soar
With AIR, I really had little doubt that this was a stellar cast. With the likes of Matt Damon and Ben Affleck involved, I had high hopes for this film. Despite not being a giant basketball fan, everyone has heard of Michael Jordan and Nike. This film revolves around the deal that created the Air…
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Andrea’s Angle | A Thousand and One” – Explores Found Family
A Thousand and One sounded like an interesting family drama. I was interested to see what they explored in this film about a mother and her son. After viewing the movie, I found an unexpected twist on the concept of found family. It is emotional, with sympathetic characters and powerful emotions. It is authentic and…
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Hamish Downie’s Playlist for April
Hamish Downie has a new type of column that started backing December as his Holiday playlist. It was so popular that he decided to make it a monthly recurring column with a movie playlist for each month. Thanks, Hamish, for creating a new concept for TG Geeks. If you have seen any of these films,…
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Andrea’s Angle | “A Good Person” – Emotionally Gut-Wrenching
When I first heard about this film, I was excited. I have rarely watched a movie with Morgan Freeman in it that isn’t good. This film also sounded like it would be emotional and had a fantastic cast beyond Freeman, like Florence Pugh, Molly Shannon, and Zoe Lister-Jones. So I had high hopes for the…
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Andrea’s Angle | “Inside” – Artistic Performance
For this film, I admit to wanting to watch it merely to see Willem Dafoe, who is an excellent actor. I did wonder briefly if he could carry an entire film by himself, but after watching the movie, he had a masterful and artistic performance that was more than sufficient. I would say this is…
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Andrea’s Angle | “Champions” – Heartwarming Win
When I saw the trailer for Champions, I appreciated that the filmmakers were attempting to make a film spotlighting diversity in a population that rarely gets attention. I love stories that explore characters and show how much we have in common with each other. I also have seen Woody Harrelson in other films and have…
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Andrea’s Angle | “Operation Fortune: Ruse de guerre” – Funny and Quirky Characters
I have a soft spot for a Guy Ritchie movie. I usually know what to expect, fun characters, double-crosses, intrigue, crazy action, and snappy dialogue. So I was psyched to see Operation Fortune: Ruse de guerre. After watching the film, while it was predictable, it was everything I expected, with a side dose of satire…
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Andrea’s Angle | “Creed III” – Emotional Knockout
True story, I’ve never seen all of Rocky. I’m not usually into movies about boxing. However, I was excited when I saw the trailer for Creed III. Not only does Michael B. Jordan star in the movie, but he also directs. In addition, Jonathan Majors plays the antagonist. With such an impressive set of actors,…
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Andrea’s Angle | “Cocaine Bear” – Uproariously Funny
Even the title of this film grabbed me. It sounded absurd but also like it would be hilarious. And with a cast like Keri Russell, Ray Liotta, Margo Martindale, and Jesse Tyler Ferguson, I was fairly certain it would be fun. Ultimately, it lives up to the absurdity that I expected, it is uproariously funny,…
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Andrea’s Angle | “Return to Seoul” – Emotional Rollercoaster
I love dramas that deal with intense subjects. In this film, the main character Freddie was adopted by a French family and is now trying to figure out who she is and how she fits into her world. After watching the movie, I can tell you it is an emotional rollercoaster as it jumps through…
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Ben’s Breakdown | As The Sun Also Sets, Life Becomes A “Soapdish”
It’s not uncommon to see a movie or some other artistic work and recognize where art is imitating life. What can be a surprise is when the lives of those in the movie are imitating the art they are a part of, and sometimes the result can be outrageously funny. Celeste Talbert is a soap…
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Andrea’s Angle | “Of an Age” – Evokes Ageless Emotions
I adore stories that delve into love and emotion. I am a romantic at heart. From the first moment I saw the trailer, I knew I wanted to see this film. I wasn’t familiar with the actors, but there was something about the emotionality playing out, even in a brief clip, that made this film…
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Hamish Downie’s Playlist for February 2023
Hamish Downie has a new type of column that started backing December as his Holiday playlist. It was so popular hat he decided to make it a monthly recurring column with a movie playlist for each month. Thanks, Hamish for creating a new concept for TG Geeks. If you have seen any of these films,…
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Andrea’s Angle | “Knock at the Cabin” – Terrific Tension, Forced Narrative
I have a weak spot for M. Night Shyamalan films, ever since his first film …… I always look forward to a new film, even when others might not be as enthusiastic. I also was excited about the new film because of the caliber of actors involved. I was hoping for a fun film. After…
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Andrea’s Angle | “One Fine Morning” – Fine But Slow
I’ve always had a soft spot for independent foreign films. So when I hear about one, like One Fine Morning, I want to see it. One Fine Morning deals with some difficult topics, including an ailing father and a difficult relationship, so it has potential. The acting is beautiful, and the relationships are explored well,…