America’s Film Legacy
America’s Film Legacy 2009-2010
Category Archives: Streaming
Monsoon review: Finding and changing identities
With its focus on character and attention to detail, Monsoon feels like a short story. Set in Vietnam, it follows thirty-something Kit (played by Henry Golding) as he arrives from Europe to settle his parents’ estate. Along the way he … Continue reading
Posted in Asian, Film Festivals, New Releases, Streaming
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NYFF Post Mortem: Streaming a Festival
Yes, the pandemic has changed everything about the movie industry, from production to exhibition. Unable to hold in-person screenings, theater owners have turned to the only viable alternative, streaming, in the process accelerating the decline of their livelihood. Even without … Continue reading
Posted in Documentary, Film Festivals, Streaming
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Aswang review: The victims of Duterte’s drug war
In Filipino folklore, an “aswang” is a shapeshifting demon, the monster parents use to frighten their kids. For director Alyx Ayn Arumpac, the aswang is a metaphor for the current state of the Philippines. How else to explain the 30,000+ … Continue reading
Posted in Asian, Documentary, Film Festivals, Streaming
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Steve McQueen on Lovers Rock
With covid-19 still uncontrolled, the 58th edition of the New York Film Festival gets underway September 25, running until October 11. A collaboration of sorts with the Toronto International Film Festival and the Venice Film Festival, this year’s schedule is … Continue reading
Posted in Film Festivals, New Releases, Streaming
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Fighting for kids in the doc My Name Is Pedro
Opening virtually after touring festivals in 2017, My Name Is Pedro is a bare-bones, unprepossessing documentary about Bronx-born educator Pedro Santana. Making her feature documentary debut, director Lillian LaSalle takes a narrowly focused story and connects it to larger themes … Continue reading
Posted in Documentary, Streaming, Uncategorized
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The Secret: Dare to Dream—Elevating the Hallmark formula
Good intentions ooze throughout The Secret: Dare to Dream, a high-toned drama about a widow searching for happiness in the suburbs of New Orleans. Given that the widow’s Katie Holmes, a veteran of melancholy soap operas, The Secret offers plush … Continue reading
Posted in New Releases, Streaming
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Greyhound review: Action in the North Atlantic
A World War II thriller set in the North Atlantic, Greyhound sits right in the middle of the war genre, complete with diverse crew, demonized villains, and escalating battles. It’s been slammed by some “top critics” as “old-fashioned,” “perfunctory,” and … Continue reading
Posted in Action, Streaming
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The Outpost: Restaging the Battle of Kamdesh
An intense account of a harrowing Taliban attack in 2003, The Outpost treats its characters with reverence. Adapting Jake Tapper’s nonfiction book The Outpost: An Untold Story of American Valor, director Rod Lurie aims for authenticity as well, adding some … Continue reading
Posted in Action, New Releases, Streaming
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My Spy review: Dave Bautista is better than his new action-comedy
Ten years ago Dave Bautista transitioned from wrestling to acting, appearing as assorted thugs and heavies (“Brass Body,” Drug Dealer #1,” etc.) before nailing his role as Drax in four Marvel blockbusters. Since then he’s followed a route taken by … Continue reading
Posted in Action, Comedy, New Releases, Streaming
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Irresistible review: Misjudging the moment
Jon Stewart loves to make fun of things, and over the years he’s done a pretty good job at it. People, places, politics, they’re all fair game, and to prove he’s in on the joke, he will often make himself … Continue reading
Posted in New Releases, Politics, Streaming
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