Evan D. They say write what you know, and the only thing any of us have known for the last year plus is a coronavirus lockdown. The next pandemic is on its way: a plague of COVID inspired films. And we wont have to wait long either. Michael Bay was first out of the gate with his critically maligned pandemic thriller Songbird. Doug Liman’s very COVID specific heist film Locked Down is already earning wide pans on HBO Max. Documentaries of the early days of lockdown have been informative and more are sure to come. Like the pandemic itself, this scourge of on the nose movies will be with us for a while.
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Evan D. **A Quick review of Homeroom from the Sundance Film Festival. More thoughts to come when the film gets an official release**
Senior year is always a tumultuous time for students. Young people across the country faced with an uncertain world ahead. Not yet old enough to buy a beer or rent a car, they’re forced to make decisions that will profoundly affect the rest of their lives. Certainly this anxiety, mixed with the uniquely youthful optimism and energy must have been on Peter Nicks’ mind as he set out to document Oakland’s graduating class of 2020. What he never could have predicted is what unfolded over the year. Evan D. **A Quick review of CODA from the Sundance Film Festival. More thoughts to come when the film gets an official release**
My family just can’t understand. It’s a bit of shared experience that has been fertile ground for coming of age films as far back as Rebel Without a Cause. What makes James Dean’s portrayal of Jim so impressive is the deepens of his convictions when, in reality, he was the one who didn’t understand his parents. CODA presents a coming of age story where its teen protagonist really is misunderstood. Evan D. Boxing is imbued in every fiber of One Night in Miami... Not exactly surprising for a film about the most famous boxer in history in the aftermath of one of his most famous fights, but the connection runs so much deeper. The entire film is structured like a classic Muhammad Ali fight, floating through it’s early introductions to draw you in all while sharpening into powerhouse confrontations that land with a sting.
Evan D. What once was a simple task has become a Herculean undertaking in the time of COVID. While that statement can apply to just about anything, in this context I’m talking about projecting which movies will come out in 2021. Had I done this article a year ago, it would likely have included a large number of films that will populate this list. So many films got pushed, and many more still could this year, that a most anticipated list is purely guess work. Regardless, we soldier on. Here are some of the most exciting titles slated for release in 2021:
Evan D. As the calendar turned to a new year, celebrations ensued, resolutions were made and for the first time in months there seemed to be a collective joy. Some folks had massive accomplishments to extol, from weddings to new jobs, but for most the relief was far simpler. We had all been through so much in 2020 that just making it through to New Years Day felt like an achievement all on its own.
In the closing days of last year and the early ones of this, no recent film has permeated my thinking more so than Soul. As I map out goals for the coming months and contemplate what I’d like my life to look like when the world re-opens, I find my mind replaying moments of Pixar’s latest film. Perhaps it was a blessing in disguise that this movie got pushed to a December release. Cody R. In the world of cinema, just like everything else these days, we have all had to embrace change. What used to be an experience going to the theaters has been put on hold for what feels like an eternity. Viewing film via streaming service has become the new normal and our living rooms, the new theaters, our kitchens, the concession stands. Although location changes the viewing experience, it does not mean that we still don’t get to indulge in something special.
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