Little Women

LITTLE WOMEN
**** (out of ****)
In her adaptation of Little Women, writer/director Greta Gerwig reveals enough of an understanding of Louisa May Alcott’s novel to tell its story out of chronological order. This is important to note because the original text was, at least for its time, surprisingly contemporary. To mirror that for today’s audiences, Gerwig and editor Nick Houy structure the tale to shift back and forth between the two major timelines in the narrative without much in the way of an announcement when each shift occurs. One of the few things that announce we are in one of these periods in the story of the March sisters, living in Massachusetts just after the Civil War, is a slight deviation in cinematographer Yorick Le Saux’ compositions.

The segments set in the relative present have a bluish tint to them, in order to complement the sadder features of this side of the story, and there is also something different and more mature in the hairstyles and general demeanor of the sororal quartet at the center of this tale. It makes perfect sense as a choice, too, given the events of the latter chronological half of the story, which is generally more somber and less celebratory than what comes before. Meanwhile, Le Saux floods everything with oranges and brightness in the first chronological half, which places seven years in the past. Right from the start, then, Gerwig is using the elements of filmmaking to communicate the emotion of the stages of Alcott’s story, and that sets this adaptation apart from, and perhaps slightly above, the many previous ones.

Those familiar with the novel will know the sisters’ names by heart. For posterity, though, and by descending order of age: Meg (Emma Watson) once had aspirations to be a stage actor but came to realize her duty to the tradition of women in this era to marry well and to gain a bit of status. Jo (Saoirse Ronan), the central character of the sisters, is disillusioned by love and wants to be a novelist, positioning her latest book (which is basically Alcott’s novel itself but with a different name to throw people off) to be published but to belong to her. Amy (Florence Pugh) wants to be a great artist and travel Europe, and Beth (Eliza Scanlen) is a pianist of great talent, cursed by chronic illnesses.

Their mother Marmie (Laura Dern, a treasure as always) raises them singlehandedly as their father (played by Bob Odenkirk) is off on various fronts near the end of the war. Each girl has a task ahead of them, and Jo’s is primarily to care for their aunt (played by Meryl Streep, doing her thing pretty well). When Jo meets Theodore “Laurie” Laurence (Timothée Chalamet), an attraction develops, but through extended accidents of timing, a relationship never develops. Readers of the novel will remember that this portion of the story was far more about attitude and character development than plot, mostly serving to set up the movements of something of a plot in the later segments.

When that plot moves to the relative present, we find the characters have mostly achieved their goals, though at a cost: Meg has married John (James Norton), a penniless tutor, and had children she is unable to support alone. Jo is a writer, still struggling to publish a book (A very funny Tracy Letts cameos as a publisher who wants her novel to end with either the marriage or death of its female protagonist) while teaching at school, where a handsome professor (played by Louis Garrel) catches her eye. Amy is touring Europe, having achieved minor success as a portraitist and realized her love for Jo’s old beau Laurie. Through tragedy, these three find themselves back home, where their reunion is for somber reasons: Beth’s bad luck with health has, of course, caught up with her.

Gerwig handles all of this with a contemporary ear for the formal and floral language of a much older generation and a sense not to drown the proceedings in the melodrama one might anticipate from an adaptation of a novel from this period. The starry cast – but especially Pugh (with her exceptional read of Amy as one who pouts with purpose) and Chalamet (whose classical training was preparing the actor for this performance, it seems) – are a major factor in making this mixture of old-fashioned drama and contemporary comedy of manners work as well as it does. Little Women is a triumph of tone management and achieving a hard-to-attain aesthetic immediacy.
(Review by Joel Copling)

Ip Man 4: The Finale

The first of the Ip Man series came out in 2008 telling the story of Bruce Lee's Wing Chun master in Foshan, the hub of Southern Chinese martial arts. The independently wealthy Ip Man spent his days practicing and living a quiet life, while occasionally having competitions with other masters of different fighting styles. It was the 1930's and the Japanese invaded China forcing Ip Man to fight for justice before fleeing to Hong Kong. The 2nd movie, Ip Man opens a Wing Chun school but has to deal with other martial art masters and meets Bruce Lee who asks to be his student. The 3rd film has Ip Man fighting with Mike Tyson. Now the last of Ip Man's journey brings him to San Francisco invited by Bruce Lee (Danny Chan) who has drawn the ire of the Chinatown masters at the Chinese Benevolent Association (CBA) who think martial arts should only be taught to Chinese.

Donnie Yen is back as Ip Man now older who has discovered he has neck and head cancer. His wife had already passed from cancer and their son has been expelled from school for fighting. Ip Man has refused to teach his son martial arts which has made the young teen very rebellious. Bruce had sent an invitation to a Martial Arts demonstration in San Francisco where he just opened his 2nd school outside of Seattle. Ip Man decides to maybe check out the schools for his son. But the CBA Chairman Tai Chi Master Wan (Wu Yue) refuses to write the necessary letter of recommendation unless he gets a quid pro quo from Ip Man to stop his protégé.

Screenwriters Edmond Wong, Dana Fukazawa, Chan Tai Lee, Jil Leung Lai Yin loaded the story with several subplots that offer some political, racial and economic issues of early 1960's America. Bruce Lee's student Marine Staff Sergeant Hartman (Vanness Wu) wants to introduce Chinese Martial Arts to their hand to hand combat skills. But as usual, the Karate instructors Colin (Chris Collins) and Gunnery Sergeant Geddes (Scott Adkins) has Hartman defeated by Colin using Karate against his Kung Fu. Chairman Wan's daughter Yonah (Vanda Margraf) who attends an exclusive private school is bullied by a fellow cheerleader and her cohorts who are then confronted by Ip Man. Becky complains to her father who is and INS officer who decides to bring in all the CBA masters under some trumped up charges.

Director Wilson Yip and superstar fight choreographer Yuen Woo-ping bring together some exciting and kick butt battles which as always features the Chinese fighting styles against Japanese Karate. Tai Chi Master Wan manages to give as good as he gets against instructor Colin, but Ip Man's Wing Chun style that rises to the top. Scott Adkins Gunny Sergeant spews some colorful bigoted white supremacist nonsense surrounded by American and USMC flags while denigrating the Marine recruits, but even he can't overcome the cool as a cucumber Ip Man. There is nothing more satisfying than Ip Man using his machine gun punching style on the stereotypical bad guys in all these films. Eventually the Marine Corp started using Chinese Martial Arts in it's training.

Ip Man passed away in 1972 leaving behind a legacy that Bruce Lee has helped make possible. It was a nice touch to see some scenes from the previous films. It's a given that a Ip Man marathon is probably a good idea before heading out to the theaters to see this fitting ending to a life well lived.
(Review by reesa)

Uncut Gems

UNCUT GEMS
**** (out of ****)

The protagonist of Uncut Gems is a compulsive gambler and a professional liar. To be clear, Howard Ratner is not a good man, but as played by Adam Sandler in one of the actor’s all-too-rare dramatic performances, he is also something of a pathetic loser. It means that, to the degree that his troubles are both self-imposed (because he is self-obsessed and arrogant) and beyond his control (because he rubs the wrong people the wrong way at the wrong time in this story), it isn’t hard to feel for the guy just a little bit. He is the personification of the concept of toxic masculinity, but through the simple expedient of Sandler’s performance, which is multifaceted in many fascinating ways, he also isn’t entirely unworthy of our sympathy.

Howard is a jeweler living and hustling in or near the diamond district of New York City. Something about the atmosphere and milieu developed by sibling co-writers/directors Benny and Josh Safdie suggests that Sandler, as Howard, is mostly surrounded by the real jewelers of this district, which, of course, resides between Fifth Avenue and Sixth Avenue in Midtown Manhattan. We recognize that some of these faces are those of professional or, at least, semi-professional actors inhabiting this space with Sandler, but some of these dealers and other figures seem to be the genuine article, and it is a testament to the skill of the actors dropped into this scene that everything seems instantly (but relatively speaking) naturalistic.

Howard owes people money, and he also loves to gamble that money away before it reaches its intended target. The plot here, set in 2012, primarily surrounds a bet he has made on professional basketball player Kevin Garnett (playing a version of himself in what must automatically be the best onscreen performance ever given by a basketball player) to guide the Boston Celtics to a win in an upcoming game. A problem arises when this bet rubs up against an agreement Howard has already made with Arno (Eric Bogosian), whose relationship to Howard is kept as something of a secret further into the story. Arno’s own bookie Phil (Keith William Richards) is quickly losing patience with Howard.

Facilitating the agreement with Garnett is a trade-off: Garnett will wear a black opal, a rare mineral found in Ethiopia which has been Howard’s obsession for the last year of his life (and is the subject of a short prologue that depicts its discovery – at the cost of a miner who receives a gruesome leg injury in the process), and offer his own championship ring as collateral. Howard, of course, immediately delivers this ring to a pawn shop, with the intention of picking it up later in the week, in return for money he can bet on Garnett. The details, of course, are borderline-inconsequential to those not intimately familiar with the closed world of jewelry and betting, but the Safdies and co-screenwriter Ronald Bronstein are successful in at least affording it some emotional logic.

Howard’s obsession has led him down a path of self-destruction. It has isolated him from his wife Dinah (Idina Menzel) and two children (whom we barely see), as he has sparked up an affair, of which Dinah is fully aware, with his assistant Julia (Julia Fox). It has gotten him in hot water with Arno, as well as Garnett’s own assistant Demany (Lakeith Stanfield), an associate of Howard, who allows him to stash some expensive watches in the jewelry store’s safe. Howard, of course, loans out those watches because, again, this is a desperate man, prone to his own compulsions and mistakes. Howard’s tour through New York nightlife brings him into the vicinity of some interesting characters – some real (In addition to Garnett’s appearance as himself, rap musician The Weeknd shows up and makes the mistake of advances toward Julia) and some imagined by Bronstein and the Safdies (Howard’s father-in-law Gooey, played by Judd Hirsch, acts as his proxy of sorts in a crucial auction that has unintentional consequences).

The proceedings here are, not to mince words about it, terrifying, mainly because editors Bronstein and Benny Safdie are entirely unwilling to allow the audience any time to breathe during the events of this story. Uncut Gems keeps ratcheting up the insanity, and since there are a few moments here and there that adopt a kind of stabilizing calm (usually when a character goes quiet or when Howard, put in the unlikely position of doing so, owns up to his own faults), the filmmakers, in collaboration with cinematographer Darius Khondji’s harsh compositions and composer Daniel Lopatin’s unearthly score, reveal themselves to be in complete control of every element.
(Review by Joel Copling)

1917

1917
**** (out of ****)
1917 is an exhilarating experience, and that is only in part due to the technique employed by co-writer/director Sam Mendes, cinematographer Roger Deakins, and film editor Lee Smith. That technique, by the way, is to present its central narrative as one take, interrupted only at a certain point at which one of our two young soldier protagonists is knocked out cold by a downstairs fall. This is technically built, then, to be two long takes, following a pair of soldiers who have been tasked with the mission of upending a frontal assault that has been designed as a trap to massacre 1,600 men. That is the extent of the plot, as written by Mendes and Krysty Wilson-Cairns, and one could argue that it has a lot in common with the first-person-shooter, war-themed video games of recent and not-so-recent years.

One might anticipate that the film will come out strong with a huge bang of action, but instead, Mendes is patient at first. Lance Corporals Schofield (George McKay) and Blake (Dean-Charles Chapman) are simply lounging and dozing in the sun, taking a break from the stress of combat, until they are called into barracks to receive a new assignment from their superior officer, General Erinmore (Colin Firth, who is one of a number of familiar faces making single-scene cameos of tremendous importance). It seems that at the front of the line, where Blake’s brother (played by Richard Madden in, once again, a single heartbreaking scene) is currently stationed, an assault is being prepared against insurgent German forces.

The Germans, however, have cottoned onto that plan, and the assault has been carefully maneuvered to bring victory to the other side. For the two soldiers in general, the mission must be a success by way of saving as many men as humanly possible, and for Blake specifically, it means the potential loss of his brother. The opening sequence – if one can call it that and not mean the entire first half – does a whole lot, then, beyond simply introducing the premise and mission statement: It announces this film’s chosen technique as the first of many bold decisions. By presenting war as an unceasing series of events, moving from one to the next without (until that interruption, of course) giving us a break from the action, Mendes and Wilson-Cairns have repurposed the fog of war as looking more like a roller coaster.

That, though, is still being easily reductive about the film’s considerable technical accomplishment, which somehow both intensifies the explosive nature of combat and also narrows our focus on the two heroes, whose journey takes them into the grime and muck of the war’s immediate aftermath. They find themselves in a giant pit, where bodies decompose in a giant puddle of refuse and filth, and on an abandoned battlefield, where countless shells lie next to the guns that fired the ammunition inside them. Perhaps the best scene in the first half takes place at a barn, where a plane crash reveals just how seamless the film’s mixture of digital and practical effects (as well as the splicing of shots able to make this seem like a single take) truly is.

Then the story turns considerably, shifting its focus onto one of this pair, as he makes his final movements toward the front of the line, where a commander (played by Benedict Cumberbatch, in perhaps the film’s best cameo performance) must face the futility of his efforts and the transience of such orders from the upper echelon. It is a note of exhaustion, and perhaps the only time since those opening moments of restful bliss in which our stress level is allowed to drop a bit. It is reductive, then, to say that 1917 feels like a video game strategy session. Instead, this is war as a ticking clock, and one doesn’t want the clock to reach zero.
(Review by Joel Copling)

Little Women

(Review by Chase Lee)

Spies in Disguise

Director: Nick Bruno and Troy Quane Studio: 20th Century Fox

“Spies in Disguise is an action-packed film suitable for kids.”

If you’re looking for a review for an awesome action-packed, overrated film, you came into the wrong website, Spies in Disguise is an animated comedy children’s movie with awesome action-packed adventures that have grown closely resemble or serves as parody to Mission Impossible, James Bond, and Indiana Jones. The film serves as a directorial debuts for the duo; Nick Bruno and Troy Quane and is loosely based on Lucas Martell's 2009 animated short Pigeon: Impossible. Will Smith and Tom Holland came to the animated film world, teaming up together as Lance Sterling and Walter Beckett.

Spies in Disguise focuses on the Lance Sterling, known as the greatest spy in the world, whose main goal is to save the world from any threats all over the world. He is later reluctant to work with the teenage scientist named Walter Beckett who designs colorful, yet playful gadgets that could change his life. However, when Beckett experiments his newest creation to Sterling that involves disappearance and concealment, Sterling accidentally consumes Beckett's experimental creation, which turns him into a pigeon. With that, Sterling must figure out how to save the world from any enemies while being a pigeon during the mission.

The chemistry between Smith and Holland’s characters brings a fascinating display of collaboration on adventurous and perilous events compared to such ironic duos like Pinky and the Brain, Indiana Jones and his father from The Last Crusade, Marty and Doc from Back to the Future, Batman and Robin, and others. Their relationship each other really builds up character development exquisitely as well as understanding the principle meaning of friendship and not working alone is (definitely) part of the basics for the film’s dynamics and the story as a whole.

Also appearing in this film are Rashida Jones, Karen Gillan, and DJ Khaled in their supportive roles while Ben Mendelsohn portrays the main villain of the film as a powerful technology-based terrorist mastermind whose plans on world domination and killing several agents along the way.

For the film’s direction, Nick Bruno and Troy Quane knows how to keep plot twists and the storylines flowing without a blink of an eye. They both have put much effort on crafting this spy comedy film with loads of laughter, strong character developments on Sterling and Beckett, putting more animated action-sequences to it with exquisite CGI, and building up resemblances from any other spy films that will serve as higher advantages for a spy film genres. Even the Scooby-Doo jokes seem to be hilariously ludicrous.

Out of all the colors present in the film, Spies in Disguise is okay. Though, I do have high respects on Will Smith and Tom Holland and their performances from the film. It’s not a bad movie, but I believed this is a choice one for kids, but for adults, not so much. Spies in Disguise is an engaging course that fully delivers everything the world needs.

Just to let readers know that Spies in Disguise is the first official release by Blue Sky Studios under the subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company after the acquisition of 21st Century Fox earlier this year.



GRADE: C+
(Review by Henry Pham)

Little Women

Based on Louisa May Alcott’s classic 1868 semi-autobiographical novel, Little Women is a coming-of-age drama, in its eighth film adaption, that tells the story of the four March sisters in America during the aftermath of the Civil War. Greta Gerwig both wrote and directed this film in her second solo directorial feature.

Saoirse Ronan, who also stars in Gerwig’s debut solo directorial feature, gives an incredible performance as the lead character, Josephine “Jo” March, earning her a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actress in a Motion Picture-Drama, an award she previously won in 2017 for Greta Gerwig’s previously mentioned, Lady Bird. Ronan has been noted for her roles in period dramas over the past several years, making her an ideal choice by Gerwig. Ronan’s character is an aspiring writer that rejects the idea of marriage and romance in both her life, and her writings.

This is in contrast to her youngest sister, Amy March, played by Florence Pugh, who once again demonstrates her ability to play a wide range of characters throughout her five-year-long film career. Amy March is both the baby of the family, and the least mature, who dreams of becoming an artist one day. Emma Watson of the Harry Potter fame, plays the eldest sister, Margaret “Meg” March. Meg who is often considered the most beautiful, also does not share in on her sister Jo’s views on marriage and instead aspires to become a wife and mother, hoping to fulfill her domestic duties someday. Eliza Scanlen plays the final sister, Elizabeth “Beth” March. Beth is a shy, kind girl, and is considered to be the musical sister, as she loves the piano. She is the only sister who does not have a desire to leave home. Scanlen does not necessarily deliver a poor performance, but it is definitely outshined by the actresses playing the other March sisters, primarily Ronan and Pugh. This may be in part to Scanlen being a relative newcomer to the silver screen, as this is her first year working in film.

Robert March, played by Breaking Bad’s Bob Odenkirk, is the father of the March family and the only male in the household. Generally considered a comedian thanks to his work as a writer on Saturday Night Live and his primarily comedic roles, Odenkirk has recently been taking on more serious roles, including his role here. Unfortunately, we do not get to see much of Odenkirk’s ability as a dramatic actor due to his character not getting much screen time since father March is away for much of the film. This leaves the mother of the March family, known as Marmee, to lead the household. As expected by her numerous accolades, Laura Dern gives a wonderful performance as mother March.

Of course, you cannot forget to mention Meryl Streep who plays Aunt March, a rich widow who believes a woman should always marry, and most importantly marry rich. She is rather judgmental at times and is very much stuck in her beliefs about the superficial aspects of society’s ways that were common during that time. Streep nails the role combining the perfect amount of stubbornness, harshness and general dislike for others who differ from and/or are less fortunate than her, mixed with a hint of compassion and topped off with some dry humor. Rounding out the cast is Timotheé Chalamet who plays Theodore “Laurie” Laurence, the rich neighbor who lives with his grandfather and fancies Jo. Chalamet also worked with Gerwig and Ronan in Lady Bird, again delivering a stellar performance. Chalamet has made a name for himself as a young actor on the rise, with this role further enforcing that idea.

Little Women is not only being recognized for its all-star cast, but its musical score as well. The original score has been nominated for numerous accolades, including a Golden Globe. Having just been adapted for film a year previously, there has been some doubt as to whether or not there was a need for another film adaption, especially after the mediocrity of the 2018 adaption. To the skeptic’s relief, Gerwig’s adaption is the movie the last adaption should have been. Although the non-linear timeline can be confusing at times to those not familiar with the story, this is made up by Gerwig’s amazing storytelling and ability to keep the viewer entertained for the entire 135 minute running time. Little Women premiered at New York City’s Museum of Modern Art on December 7 and will be theatrically released for general audiences on Christmas Day.

Although this film can be appreciated by both genders, Little Women is definitely targeted more towards a female audience, making it an ideal alternative for the females while the boys are watching a film in a galaxy far, far away. Rated PG for thematic elements and brief smoking.
(Review by Alyssa Lurvey)

Waves

WAVES
***½ (out of ****)
About halfway through Waves, there is a fundamental, paradigmatic shift in the film’s priorities and focus that is, in retrospect, kind of jarring. The story, written by director Trey Edward Shults in his continued exploration of the depth and breadth of what means to be a family, appears to be about one thing at first. Through a series of entirely avoidable and almost overwhelmingly melodramatic events, that shift in perspective favors a character who, until that point, had existed partly in the background. Shults’s command of introspection, almost in spite of a great deal of energy in how he tells and shows us this story, ensures that he doesn’t lose us in the process of making that shift.

At first, then, this is the story of Tyler (Kelvin Harrison Jr.), who lives in sun-dappled South Florida with his parents Ronald (Sterling K. Brown) and Catharine (Renee Elise Goldsberry) and younger sister Emily (Taylor Russell), as he navigates life as a young, black man in a world, as his father has taught him, that expects more out of him than it would a young, white man of a similar age in a similar landscape. Tyler seems to have nearly everything together, but then he receives two pieces of news that alter his comfortable vision of the world around him. These pieces of news are especially unwelcome because of the tense, borderline-toxic relationship between the young man and his stern dad.

First, it seems the arm that he favors in wrestling matches is going to be unusable within a few months if he doesn’t receive immediate medical attention, preferably (to the doctor, anyway, and not him) through reparative surgery. Tyler doesn’t tell his parents or sister this news, though, which says a lot about the dynamic between all of them. Emily may not be able to keep the information from her father, to whom she is closer than Catharine (who, we learn over the course of this story, is the kids’ stepmother, having taken over raising them from a mother who died of a drug overdose). Ronald would fly off the handle, as he expects nothing less than perfection from his son.

Second, his girlfriend Alexis (Alexa Demie) announces she is pregnant, and despite an apparently shared desire to end that pregnancy, she changes her mind. For Tyler, who seems to take on his father’s controlling behavior, fatherhood is simply not part of his plan right now. The weight of these two events is far too much for Tyler, who develops an addiction to his father’s painkillers and becomes a bit too obsessive about Alexis’ whereabouts when their relationship takes a sudden and decisive nosedive. So far, everything here might seem overtly melodramatic, and it most definitely is, especially because of the method of Shults’s treatment.

This is most apparent in the sonic and aesthetic qualities of the production, which uses music as a tool, not only for the backdrop of the story (originally conceived by Shults as an actual musical, by the way, until another route was decided on), but as a tool to push the plot forward. Tracks like Radiohead’s “True Love Waits,” Amy Winehouse’s “Love Is a Losing Game,” Kanye West’s “I Am a God” (in a particularly tense scene that smartly pairs the track’s staccato stylings with the tension-building of Shults and Isaac Hagy’s restless editorial energy), and many, many others are used in a way that phenomenally complements the melodrama developing onscreen.

Then, the shift occurs, as the fates of two characters are sealed in very different but equally permanent ways, leaving everyone else reeling and grasping at some form of hope for the future. Wisely, that main thread is pushed to the background, as Shults shifts focus toward perhaps the most sympathetic character here: Emily, whose story this sneakily ends up being at the end of it all, meets Luke (Lucas Hedges), falls head over heels, and winds up being able to accompany the young man on the most important road trip of his life – to reconcile with his dying father – and hers, in that it connects Emily to the very idea of family after her own has been shattered.

The performances here – from Harrison as a young man with as much promise as he does anger, from Brown as a stern father who believes love is accomplished through leading by dominance, from Goldsberry as the stepmother trying to make her own mark on her children, from Hedges as a likable but heartsore young man faced with a difficult challenge – are exquisite, but none rises to the level of Russell, who isn’t a newcomer to acting so much as she is receiving her breakthrough with this role and gives a performance of startling gentleness. The narrative is equally divided between Tyler, in the wild first half, and Emily, in the affecting second, and while that divide is jarringly exact, Waves is still an expert example of channeling melodramatic storytelling into a thrilling and often visceral package.
(Review by Joel Copling)

Uncut Gems

(Review by Chase Lee)

Little Women

Writer/director Greta Gerwig’s adaptation of Louisa May Alcott’s “Little Women,” while ambitious, falls into misguided territory. In bringing the classic novel, once again, to the screen, Gerwig has taken it upon herself to change the structure of Alcott’s book, putting her own spin on the story. The film begins with the four March sisters in early adulthood. Jo (Saoirse Ronan) is in New York City hoping to become a writer, Meg (Emma Watson) is married with two young children, Amy (Florence Pugh) is in Europe with their aunt (Meryl Streep) studying art, while Beth (Eliza Scanlen) still lives at home with their mother, Marmee (Laura Dern). The main characters and their personalities are quickly, and effectively, introduced in this opening segment.



After briefly setting the stage, Gerwig flashes back seven years. This is where the movie’s problems start to arise. Instead of using different actresses to portray the characters in their younger years, Gerwig uses the same actresses – Gerwig also uses Timothée Chalamet to play their neighbor Laurie, who’s hopelessly infatuated with Jo, at both ages. Honestly, using older actresses to play younger characters isn’t the issue, it’s the way the movie is structured. Instead of presenting the material in a chronological fashion, it is presented in the style of films like “Memento” or “Pulp Fiction,” zig-zagging between past and present, unnecessarily complicating the material. It’s like Gerwig has thrown the book into a blender then pieced the story back together.



The characters are clearly defined, in both time periods, but it can be hard to tell what time period we’re currently viewing. There are visual cues – for instance, the length of Jo’s hair – that aid the viewer but they aren’t always enough. At times it takes a while to pick up on a time shift, which feels unnecessary since it doesn’t add anything to the story’s delivery. Gerwig combines the past and the present so that emotional climaxes from each time period happen simultaneously. You see how events play out when they were children followed by, or intercut, with similar events in the present. As a result, neither the past nor the present totally resonates. In telling the story out of sequence, Gerwig robs it of its character-building capacity and emotional punches.



I don’t think the problem with this movie is that twenty-something year-olds are playing teenagers. The problem is that by jumping around in time, Gerwig makes it hard to know what age the characters currently are and what time period we’re dealing with. The actresses do a good job of portraying teenagers, most specifically Pugh who steals the show and seems to be having a gleefully good time playing the mischievous Amy. While we can buy into seeing these women as children, it becomes challenging when they are simultaneously presented as a child and an adult.



It’s not all bad news for this version of “Little Women.” Gerwig does a fine job of structuring her visuals. Scenes are thoughtfully laid out in a visually pleasing manner. There’s often a stagy, theatrical look to the film. One clear example is a scene of Marmee reading a letter to her daughters. Ronan, Watson, Pugh, and Scanlen are stylistically placed around Dern as she sits in a chair, all looking at her with the adoring eyes of young children. On the note of visuals, the costumes and set design also look fantastic.



“Little Women” has been made multiple times so it’s understandable that Gerwig would want to do something to differentiate her version. It’s unfortunate that it doesn’t work well because there is quite a bit to like here as well. This is worth watching for its technical aspects and Pugh’s fantastic performance, just don’t expect to be totally absorbed into the story.
(Review by Bret Oswald)

This Week at Alamo Drafthouse DFW (12/23 - 12/29)

Calling all movie lovers… Here’s what’s happening this week at Alamo Drafthouse DFW!
This week is all about Little Women and spreading holiday cheer. Wear your jammies and grab your tea to cuddle up with the March sisters with the Little Women Cozy Screenings and Afternoon Tea. Gather your loved ones close and head to an Alamo Drafthouse bar event at Lake Highlands. For a full calendar listing, please visit drafthouse.com/dfw/calendar.

See y’all soon at the Alamo Drafthouse!



This Week's Highlights…

Little Women Cozy Screening
Celebrate the timeless magic of Little Women at our very special Cozy Screening. Drafthouse DFW be treating the theater like one big cuddly couch so guests are encouraged to wear their comfiest jammies bring their warmest blanket and watch Greta Gerwig's newest masterpiece with their favorite people. Alamo Drafthouse DFW locations will also going full March-sisters-on-Christmas-morning and accepting gently worn coats for some people in the community that could use a little extra warmth.

Little Women Afternoon Tea
Bring your sisters or your best friend enjoy some tea and treats (one of which includes Amy's favorite thing: limes!) and get lost in the ups and downs the trials and tribulations the laughter and the heartbreak of the March sisters in this brilliant new telling of LITTLE WOMEN with Afternoon Tea at North Richland Hills

Alamo Drafthouse Bar Events
Bring out your kiddos as Pinot's Palette comes to Vetted Well - Lake Highlands to take us to a galaxy far far away with painting classes in the bar or join Geeks Who Drink for their Saturday brunch at Lake Highlands.

THURSDAY | DECEMBER 26
North Richland Hills
Screening: Little Women (2019) Cozy Screening at 9:15am

Lake Highlands
Bar Event: Pinot’s Palette for Kids in Vetted Well at 2:00PM

FRIDAY | DECEMBER 27
Richardson
Screening: Geeks Who Drink - Vetted Well at 8:00PM



SATURDAY | DECEMBER 28
Denton
Screening: Little Women (2019) Cozy Screening at 9:15am

Lake Highlands
Screening: Little Women (2019) Cozy Screening at 9:25am
Bar Event: Geeks Who Drink Brunch at 2:00PM

Las Colinas
Screening: Little Women (2019) Cozy Screening at 11:30am



SUNDAY | DECEMBER 29
Cedars
Screening: Little Women (2019) Cozy Screening at 9:15am

Denton
Bar Event: Geeks Who Drink - Vetted Well at 7:00PM

North Richland Hills
Screening: Little Women (2019) Afternoon Tea at 2:00PM

Richardson
Screening: Little Women (2019) Cozy Screening at 9:15am



First Run Movies Now Playing...
Bombshell
Cats
Frozen II
Jumanji: The Next Level
Knives Out
Last Christmas
Queen & Slim
Richard Jewell
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker

Opening This Week…
Little Women
Spies in Disguise
Uncut Gems

Stay Connected...
Facebook: facebook.com/AlamoDrafthouseDFW
Twitter: twitter.com/AlamoDFW
Instagram: instagram.com/alamodfw
Website: drafthouse.com/dfw
Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | www.drafthouse.com

Bombshell

(Review by Chase Lee)

North Texas Film Critics Association Name “THE IRISHMAN” BEST PICTURE OF 2019

North Texas Film Critics Association
Name
“THE IRISHMAN”
BEST PICTURE OF 2019

The North Texas Film Critics Association voted the biographical drama THE IRISHMAN as Best Film of 2019, according to the results of its annual critics’ poll. Completing the list of the top 11 films of the year were: 1917 (2), PARASITE (3), THE FAREWELL (4), MARRIAGE STORY (5), JOJO RABBIT (6), THE PEANUT BUTTER FALCON (7),
A BEAUTIFUL DAY IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD (8), ONCE UPON A TIME…IN HOLLYWOOD (9), FORD V FERRARI (10) and JOKER (11).

For Best Actor, the association named Joaquin Phoenix for JOKER. Runners-up included Robert De Niro for THE IRISHMAN (2), Adam Driver for MARRIAGE STORY (3), Adam Sandler for UNCUT GEMS (4) and Leonardo DiCaprio for ONCE UPON A TIME…IN HOLLYWOOD (5).

Charlize Theron was voted Best Actress for BOMBSHELL. Next in the voting were Scarlett Johansson for MARRIAGE STORY (2), Renée Zellweger for JUDY (3), Awkwafina for THE FAREWELL (4) and Lupita Nyong’o for US (5).

In the Best Supporting Actor category, the winner was Tom Hanks for A BEAUTIFUL DAY IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD. He was followed by Joe Pesci for THE IRISHMAN (2), Brad Pitt for ONCE UPON A TIME…IN HOLLYWOOD (3), Al Pacino for THE IRISHMAN (4) and Song Kang-Ho for PARASITE (5).

For Best Supporting Actress, the association named Zhao Shuzhen for THE FAREWELL. Runners-up included Laura Dern for MARRIAGE STORY (2), Scarlett Johansson for JOJO RABBIT (3), Kathy Bates for RICHARD JEWELL (4) and Annette Bening for THE REPORT (5).

Sam Mendes was voted Best Director for 1917. Next in the voting were Martin Scorsese for THE IRISHMAN (2), Quentin Tarantino for ONCE UPON A TIME…IN HOLLYWOOD (3), Noah Baumbach for MARRIAGE STORY (4) and Lulu Wang for THE FAREWELL (5).

The association voted PARASITE (South Korea) as the Best Foreign Language Film of the year. Runners-up were PAIN AND GLORY (Spain) (2) and LES MISÉRABLES (France).
APOLLO 11 won for Best Documentary over AMERICAN FACTORY (2), ONE CHILD NATION (3), DAVID CROSBY: REMEMBER MY NAME (4) and ROLLING THUNDER REVUE: A BOB DYLAN STORY (5).

TOY STORY 4 was named the Best Animated Film of 2019, over ABOMINABLE (2), and HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON: THE HIDDEN WORLD (3).

The award for Best Cinematography went to Roger Deakins for 1917, followed by Jarin Blaschke for THE LIGHTHOUSE (2), Rodrigo Prieto for THE IRISHMAN (3), Hoyte Van Hoytema for AD ASTRA (4), Robert Richardson for ONCE UPON A TIME…IN HOLLYWOOD (5) and Phedon Papamichael for FORD V FERRARI (6).

Roman Griffin Davis was awarded BEST NEWCOMER for JOJO RABBIT.

The association also voted KNIVES OUT as the winner of the 3rd annual Gary Murray Award, named for the late NTFCA president. The honor is bestowed annually to the BEST ENSEMBLE.

The North Texas Film Critics Association consists of 14 broadcast, print and online journalists from throughout the North Texas area. Visit us at www.northtexasfilmcritics.com or follow us on Facebook.

SUMMARY OF AWARD WINNERS
2019 North Texas Film Critics Association
(Choices listed in order of votes received)
BEST PICTURE
Winner: THE IRISHMAN
Runners-up: 1917; PARASITE; THE FAREWELL; MARRIAGE STORY; JOJO RABBIT; THE PEANUT BUTTER FALCON; A BEAUTIFUL DAY IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD; ONCE UPON A TIME…IN HOLLYWOOD; FORD V FERRARI; JOKER

BEST ACTOR
Winner: Joaquin Phoenix, JOKER
Runners-up: Robert De Niro, THE IRISHMAN; Adam Driver, MARRIAGE STORY; Adam Sandler, UNCUT GEMS and Leonardo DiCaprio, ONCE UPON A TIME…IN HOLLYWOOD

BEST ACTRESS
Winner: Charlize Theron, BOMBSHELL
Runners-up: Scarlett Johansson, MARRIAGE STORY; Renée Zellweger, JUDY; Awkwafina, THE FAREWELL and Lupita Nyong’o, US

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Winner: Tom Hanks, A BEAUTIFUL DAY IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD
Runners-up: Joe Pesci, THE IRISHMAN; Brad Pitt, ONCE UPON A TIME…IN HOLLYWOOD; Al Pacino, THE IRISHMAN and Song Kang-Ho, PARASITE

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Winner: Zhao Shuzhen, THE FAREWELL
Runners-up: Laura Dern, MARRIAGE STORY; Scarlett Johansson, JOJO RABBIT; Kathy Bates, RICHARD JEWELL and Annette Bening, THE REPORT

BEST DIRECTOR
Winner: Sam Mendes, 1917
Runners-up: Martin Scorsese, THE IRISHMAN; Quentin Tarantino, ONCE UPON A TIME…IN HOLLYWOOD; Noah Baumbach, MARRIAGE STORY and Lulu Wang, THE FAREWELL

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM
Winner: PARASITE (South Korea)
Runners-up: PAIN AND GLORY (Spain) and LES MISÉRABLES (France)

BEST DOCUMENTARY
Winner: APOLLO 11
Runners-up: AMERICAN FACTORY; ONE CHILD NATION; DAVID CROSBY: REMEMBER MY NAME and ROLLING THUNDER REVUE: A BOB DYLAN STORY

BEST ANIMATED FILM
Winner: TOY STORY 4
Runners-up: ABOMINABLE and HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON: THE HIDDEN WORLD

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
Winner: Roger Deakins, 1917,
Runner-ups: Jarin Blaschke, THE LIGHTHOUSE; Rodrigo Prieto, THE IRISHMAN; Hoyte Van Hoytema, AD ASTRA; Robert Richardson, ONCE UPON A TIME…IN HOLLYWOOD and Phedon Papamichael, FORD V FERRARI

BEST NEWCOMER
Winner: Roman Griffin Davis was awarded Best Newcomer for JOJO RABBIT

GARY MURRAY AWARD (Best Ensemble)
Winner: KNIVES OUT

Movies Scheduled for the Week of Dec 15 - Dec 21

How's your holiday spirit coming along? Last movies til the next year it seems. Should give y'all some time to catch up on all you missed. Lots of films that are award contenders seem to be on Netfix and Amazon Prime. So those chilly days ahead..well chilly for Texas...can be spent indulging in home movie nights. If it's anything like my house, it seems when I sit to watch a film everyone thinks that's the time to request my attention.

So have a safe happy holiday if I don't see y'all.

Dec 15 - Dec 21

Mon - Dec 16

Bombshell - 7:30 pm - AMC Northpark
Bombshell - 7:30 pm - Cinemark Grapevine

Tue - Dec 17

Cats - 7:30 pm - Angelika

Wed - Dec 18 -

1917 - 7:00 pm - Angelika
Little Women - 7:30 pm - Alamo Lake Highlands

Jumanji The Next Level

“Jumanji: The Next Level,” directed by Jake Kasdan, tries to differentiate itself from the previous movie while attempting to recapture its predecessor’s success. It succeeds at neither. While “Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle” was a fun update to the original film, the majority of this movie is, to put it bluntly, fairly dull, dryly trying to come across as fresh but falling flat on its face.



After successfully navigating their way through Jumanji, Spencer (Alex Wolff), Martha (Morgan Turner), Bethany (Madison Iseman), and Fridge (Ser'Darius Blain) have moved on to another challenge – college. With the holidays approaching, they each return home from their respective schools, planning a get together at a local café. Spencer, unlike the others, doesn’t seem to have the knack for school, losing the self-esteem he gained through their excursion in Jumanji.



Looking to bolster his confidence, Spencer re-enters the game, forcing the rest of the gang to follow him but the game – broken into pieces in the previous movie, now hastily put back together by Spencer – is malfunctioning. In addition to the teens, it sucks in Spencer’s grandfather, Eddie (Danny DeVito), and his grandfather’s friend, Milo (Danny Glover). The group, now hindered by the addition of Eddie and Milo (and their bad comic relief), must once again fight their way through a perilous adventure.



This sequel also sees the return of the avatars from the previous movie – Dwayne Johnson as Dr. Smolder Bravestone, Jack Black as Dr. Shelly Oberon, Kevin Hart as Mouse Finbar, and Karen Gillan as Ruby Roundhouse. Instead of returning the same players to their previous avatars, the writers (Kasdan alongside Jeff Pinkner and Scott Rosenberg) have changed things around, inserting players into different avatars. While Martha is still Ruby Roundhouse, Eddie is now Smolder Bravestone, Milo is now Mouse Finbar, Fridge is now Shelly Oberon, and Bethany is a horse. They later find Spencer as a new avatar, the pickpocket/thief Ming (Awkwafina).



The change up in characters allows the cast to show their acting range. For Hart and Johnson this means trying to act like old men. Neither actor manages to completely sell the transformation, coming across as annoying caricatures more than anything. The jokes written for them wear thin and quickly grow stale. Black shows his impressive acting skills, successfully managing to portray his new player’s personality. Fridge, an athlete, is not at all happy about being the out-of-shape map-reader. Awkwafina is also impressive in her role. She successfully captures the jitteriness of Wolff’s Spencer.



As expected, the characters are forced to face multiple obstacles as they play the game including ostriches, mandrills, and a ruffian named Jurgen the Brutal (Rory McCann). Their perils don’t do much to bring the audience to the edge of their seats. As with the previous movie, this is once again, in part, because we know they are in a video game; the characters don’t feel like they are in any “real” danger. The audience only knows from hearsay that if they die in the game, they die in real life. There’s no way for the characters to know for sure unless one of them actually does die in the game, which won’t happen in a family geared adventure movie. The sense of urgency from the original movie, in which the board game escaped to the real world, is absent. On that same note, the effects vary from decent to mediocre, bringing to life the various animal attacks and environments to varying degrees of success.



The movie does finally find a groove in the final thirty minutes, displaying some energetic fun that’s absent through the first 90 or so minutes. But by then, the damage has been done. The filmmakers try their best to make the movie look and feel like a video game. In that, they do succeed, but “Jumanji: The Next Level” is about as much fun as watching someone else play a video game. In short, it’s not much fun at all. And to top it all off, they leave the movie open for yet another sequel. Yay…
(Review by Bret Oswald)

Jumanji The Next Level

(Review by Chase Lee)

Movies Scheduled for the Week of Dec 8 - Dec 14

Well, first of all Yahoo Groups has been not been letting me post screening notices. Yahoo Groups will be instigating some major changes by the end of the week. So I will have to find another outlet to be able to inform y'all of upcoming screenings. For the time being, we will have to use out Facebook page to share info. It won't even let me post this to the group, so if anyone asks what happened, please share my quandary. If anyone has any suggestions on where we can move the group, please contact me at reesas@gmail.com

At least we have to some movies this week. Let us know how the whole AMC theater line policy is working. Post your remarks to FB.

Dec 8 - Dec 14

Mon - Dec 9

Jumanji Next Level - 7:30 pm - Alamo Lake Highlands

Tue - Dec 10

Richard Jewell - 7:00 pm - Angelika

Wed - Dec 11

Jumanji Next Level - 7:30 pm - AMC Northpark
Richard Jewell - 7:30 pm - Studio Movie Grill NWY

Sat - Dec 14

Spies in Disguise - 10:00 am - Angelika
Spies in Disquise - 11:00 am - Studio Movie Grill NWY

The Aeronauts

(Review by Chase Lee)

Knives Out

“Knives Out” (2019) -- I am not a proponent for murder, but when it’s done with the right sardonic tone and manner, I am all in. One that tried to do it was “Very Bad Things,” (1998) the tale of a bachelor party that goes awry I the absolute worst way for everyone involved. It was actor-turned director Peter Berg’s first attempt at a sardonic tale with a mean bite that missed the mark. It was just plain mean. I gave it a C- when I originally saw it.

Now, with “Knives Out,” director Rain Johnson has crafted a witty comedy that proves just how despicable people can be when it comes down to inheritance and the almighty dollar.

Another one that falls into that same vein is a tale about rich over privileged spoiled kids attempting to off their parents in 2011’s “You’re Next.” Like “Very Bad Things,” it was just too mean spirited. That chalks up a C on my A-F scale of grading movies.

Oscar winner Christopher Plummer “The Sound of Music,” “The Beginners” and “All the Money in the World” is the patriarch of a wealthy publishing family.

His name is Harlan Thronbey and he has a strange relationship with confidant Marta Cabrera (Ana de Armas (“Blade Runner 2049”). The pair are in a close plutonic relationship.

Harlan trusts her more than the vicious family members circling around like a group of thirsty vultures waiting for Thornbey to keel over at any moment.

The trouble is everyone is in it for their own selfish interests. This includes Don Johnson’s first son, Richard Thornbey.

Also involved is Daniel Craig’s detective Benoit Blanc who wants to find the culprit involved in Harlan’s death.

Like the masterpiece that was Bryan Singer’s Oscar-winning “The Usual Suspects” (1995), a well-crafted pretzel-twisting suspense thriller with one of the best endings of this past decade.

Craig is aces as Blanc, who is altogether skeptical of everyone in Harlan’s extended family. He knows something is amiss, but he does not want to stir the pot too much to bring up the refuse into the surface.

He strikes up a kinship with Matta, who wants to help with Harlan’s death.

As a director Johnson knows how to get into the plot twists without a big wink wink to the audience. Like his first effort, “Brick” (2005) Johnson knows how to steer the audience off the beaten path.

“Knives Out” is an entertaining as well engaging yarn that fully delivers everything in its entangled web.

Grade: B+
(Review by Ricky Miller)

The Aeronauts

A meteorologist, James Glaisher (Eddie Redmayne), and a balloonist, Amelia Wren (Felicity Jones), take to the skies for the advancement of science in director Tom Harper’s “The Aeronauts.” Inspired by Glaisher’s real-life 1862 flight, which he undertook with balloonist Henry Coxwell (who’s not even mentioned in the film), “The Aeronauts” is not exactly true to history. Still, as it balances between the duo’s 90-odd minute flight and their backstories, it’s a compelling movie.



James is an outcast in the scientific community. His ideas and theories are frowned on by his contemporaries who believe that being able to predict the weather is ridiculous tomfoolery. The scenes depicting James’ belittling by his colleagues are handled in clichés but don’t do much to damage the flow of the movie which, despite its recognizable cast, can’t help but feel like a direct-to-video work. On the other hand, Amelia, an amalgamation of real-life figures, is a daredevil. She’s got panache and grit, two characteristics in which James is sorely lacking.



As the film begins, the pair are preparing for their take-off – an organized event staged for thrill-seeking spectators. James is getting his instruments ready while waiting for Amelia. One of the funders is growing anxious as menacing clouds roll in and Amelia is missing. She is en route to the launch site with her sister, running late due to having a sudden anxiety attack spurred by memories of her last air flight which ended in tragedy. She finally overcomes her nerves and manages to put on a show for the viewers. James isn’t happy about this, but Amelia understands it is necessary.



A series of troubles befalls them once they are in the air, beginning with an encounter with a storm. Glaisher is intently focused on his research while Amelia is concentrating on navigation and their safety. As their voyage continues, Harper cuts back to events preceding the balloon’s launch, including James’ attempts to secure funding and convince Amelia to join him, while Amelia battles her reluctance to return to flying.



The flashback scenes are nothing remarkable but they do manage to be more interesting than most of the events depicted in the balloon. I guess I find it hard to be wowed by scenes that were more than likely shot in front of a green-screen and enhanced by computer effects. The costumes look good and the film is nicely photographed, but again nothing really stands out about it.



“The Aeronauts” builds to a climax that’s meant to be edge-of-your-seat entertainment as the pair try to control their rapidly ascending balloon. It doesn’t quite work, again due to the obvious green screen work, but it still manages to convincingly portray their troubles. Ultimately, this was an engaging movie, but it didn’t quite manage to win me over. I thought it was well-acted and well-paced but somehow still felt like a subpar production.
(Review by Bret Oswald)

This Week at Alamo Drafthouse DFW (12/2 - 12/8)

Calling all movie lovers… Here’s what’s happening this week at Alamo Drafthouse DFW!

This week is all about getting into the holiday spirit. Head over to your local Alamo Drafthouse to catch holiday-themed movie parties for films like GREMLINS, KISS KISS BANG BANG, NATIONAL LAMPOON’S CHRISTMAS VACATION, THE GRINCH, SCROOGED, A CHRISTMAS STORY, and LOVE ACTUALLY. For a full calendar listing, please visit drafthouse.com/dfw/calendar.

See y’all soon at the Alamo Drafthouse!



This Week's Highlights…

Holiday Movie Parties
Come out to Alamo Drafthouse this season as we celebrate some of the best holiday films ever made! Enjoy movie parties for classic holiday films like GREMLINS, KISS KISS BANG BANG, NATIONAL LAMPOON’S CHRISTMAS VACATION, THE GRINCH, SCROOGED, A CHRISTMAS STORY, and LOVE ACTUALLY at Cedars, Denton, Lake Highlands, Las Colinas, North Richland Hills, and Richardson.



MONDAY | DECEMBER 2
Cedars
Screening: Elf Movie Party at 7:00PM

Denton
Screening: Elf Movie Party at 6:30PM

Lake Highlands
Screening: Elf Movie Party at 6:30PM
Screening: Scrooged Movie Party at 7:45PM

Las Colinas
Screening: Elf Movie Party at 6:30PM

North Richland Hills
Screening: Elf Movie Party at 6:30PM

Richardson
Screening: Gremlins Movie Party at 7:30PM



TUESDAY | DECEMBER 3
Cedars
Screening: Elf Movie Party at 7:00PM
Screening: Terror Tuesday: Silent Night, Deadly Night at 9:00PM

Denton
Screening: Elf Movie Party at 6:30PM

Lake Highlands
Screening: Elf Movie Party at 6:30PM
Screening: Video Vortex: The Bloody Curse at 9:00PM

Las Colinas
Screening: Terror Tuesday: Silent Night, Deadly Night at 9:00PM

North Richland Hills
Screening: Elf Movie Party at 6:30PM
Bar Event: Geeks Who Drink - Vetted Well at 8:00PM
Screening: Terror Tuesday: Silent Night, Deadly Night at 9:05PM

Richardson
Bar Event: Tiki Bingo - Glass Half Full at 7:00PM
Screening: Ernie Kovacs Centennial Retrospective at 7:30PM



WEDNESDAY | DECEMBER 4
Cedars
Screening: Elf Movie Party at 7:00PM
Bar Event: Geeks Who Drink - Vetted Well at 8:00PM

Denton
Screening: Elf Movie Party at 6:30PM

Lake Highlands
Screening: Champagne Cinema: Love Actually Movie Party at 6:30PM

Las Colinas
Screening: Kiss Kiss Bang Bang Movie Party at 7:00PM
Bar Event: Geeks Who Drink - Vetted Well at 8:00PM

North Richland Hills
Screening: Elf Movie Party at 6:30PM

Richardson
Screening: Elf Movie Party at 6:30PM
Bar Event: Geeks Who Drink - Glass Half Full at 8:00PM



THURSDAY | DECEMBER 5
Cedars
Screening: Krampus Christmas Party - Presented by Fangoria at 7:00PM

Denton
Screening: Elf Movie Party at 6:30PM

North Richland Hills
Screening: Elf Movie Party at 6:30PM

Richardson
Screening: Elf Movie Party at 6:30PM



FRIDAY | DECEMBER 6
Lake Highlands
Screening: It’s A Wonderful Life with Karolyn Grimes Live at 7:00PM

Richardson
Screening: Geeks Who Drink - Vetted Well at 8:00PM



SATURDAY | DECEMBER 7
Cedars
Screening: Elf Movie Party at 7:00PM

Denton
Screening: Elf Movie Party at 4:15PM
Screening: National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation Movie Party at 7:00PM

Lake Highlands
Screening: PBS Kids at the Alamo: Nature Cat: A Nature Carol at 10:00AM
Screening: Elf Movie Party at 6:30PM

Las Colinas
Screening: A Christmas Story Movie Party at 4:00PM
Screening: Elf Movie Party at 7:00PM

North Richland Hills
Screening: Elf Movie Party at 6:30PM
Screening: It’s A Wonderful Life with Karolyn Grimes Live at 7:00PM

Richardson
Screening: Elf Movie Party at 7:00PM
Screening: The Polar Express Movie Party at 2:00PM



SUNDAY | DECEMBER 8
Cedars
Screening: Elf Movie Party at 7:00PM
Screening: National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation Movie Party at 7:00PM

Denton
Screening: The Grinch (2018) Movie Party at 4:15PM
Screening: Elf Movie Party at 7:00PM
Bar Event: Geeks Who Drink - Vetted Well at 7:00PM

Lake Highlands
Screening: The Holiday (2006) Brunch Screening at 11:00AM

Las Colinas
Screening: Elf Movie Party at 4:15PM
Screening:

North Richland Hills
Screening: The Grinch (2018) Movie Party at 3:55PM
Screening: National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation Movie Party at 6:30PM

Richardson
Screening: Elf Movie Party at 4:15PM
Screening: A Christmas Story Movie Party at 7:00PM



First Run Movies Now Playing...
21 Bridges
A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood
Charlie’s Angels (2019)
Ford V Ferrari
Frozen II
Harriet
Jojo Rabbit
Joker
Knives Out
Last Christmas
Queen & Slim
Terminator: Dark Fate
The Lighthouse


Stay Connected...
Facebook: facebook.com/AlamoDrafthouseDFW
Twitter: twitter.com/AlamoDFW
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Website: drafthouse.com/dfw
Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | www.drafthouse.com

Movies Scheduled for the Week of Dec 1 - Dec 7

Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving. Did y'all take advantage of the Black Friday shopping madness? It always happens at the end of the month when I'm too broke to take part. Now we have 24 more days til Christmas.

Thought there would be more movies this time of year. But we only have one out there for the week. Use your time wisely in the meantime. Keep safe and out of trouble.

Dec 1 - Dec 7

Wed - Dec 4

The Aeronauts - 7:30 pm - Angelika