'Killers of the Flower Moon'(2023): A Beautiful Tragedy
This captivating film can only be truly appreciated by seeing it firsthand. There are not enough words to describe the terrible beauty one experiences while watching it.

When Dario Roitman returns from the U.S. to Argentina for a family wedding and Bat Mitzvah, he anticipates the usual family drama. But his carefully laid plans for a family reunion are suddenly upended when he learns, just hours before his flight, that his father has passed away. As the Roitmans gather for the funeral, old wounds resurface and longstanding tensions reach a boiling point. Despite the emotional turmoil, Dario remains determined to celebrate both the wedding and Bat Mitzvah, even if it means challenging tradition and risking further discord. Navigating grief, sibling rivalry, and delightfully eccentric grudges, the Roitmans reveal the messy yet enduring love of family.
This captivating film can only be truly appreciated by seeing it firsthand. There are not enough words to describe the terrible beauty one experiences while watching it.
How do zombie films shine new light in the post-Covid and post-Brexit era?
You can’t talk to my grandpa about The Sopranos. You can’t talk to him about The Godfather either. Merely by bringing up the subject, you’d be treated to a lecture on how movies and TV want you to believe that all Italians are criminals and mobsters. He won’t watch any of it, in protest.
In all actuality, “Just Mercy” should be labeled a “wall punching narrative.” Constantly, the flick throws high forms of adversity our way, amping up our most inner levels of discomfort. Filmmaker Destin Daniel Cretton wonderfully paces the film in such a way that replicates the slow-burn nature of justice.
At its heart, it’s a fond tribute to an influential artist and thus one that can speak to everyone’s inner artist, even if it lacks the sincere commentary you may wish to see.
As this critic continues to look back at some of this Summer's films I have taken in, I would be remiss if I didn't mention one of the most overall unsettling trends in Hollywood over the last several years.....sequels, reboots, and remakes. Look, I am all for seeing more than one film for certain originals that made a splash, ie: "Jurassic Park", "Pirates of the Caribbean", "Transformers", etc.