Cinematically, Yours
This Week’s Movie Reviews
Jump

     Along with my hope that the Rose and Starlight will reopen sometime in 2021, it's gratifying to welcome the new year with THE REASON I JUMP, a remarkable documentary that touches the soul of cinema: immersion into worlds unknown to us. Winner of the Audience Award at the Sundance Film Festival, THE REASON I JUMP is based on the best-selling book by Naoki Higashida, and details his revelatory insights into autism, written when he was 13. With intimate portraits of five young people, the film opens a window for audiences, a sensually rich tapestry that leads us to Higashida's core message: not being able to speak does not mean there is nothing to say. "It's as emotionally piercing as it is beautiful to behold." -Variety. "This small film is a masterclass in communication for anyone ready to listen." -Screen International

     Films To Look Forward To In 2021. Not all of these will appear in theatres, but I look forward to them just the same. 

     Our Wong Kar-wai film series concludes January 11th, but the master filmmaker is working on BLOSSOMS SHANGHAI, a series about a go-getter making millions during the economic boom of the early 1990s. Barry Jenkins (MOONLIGHT) has directed THE UNDERGROUND RAILROAD, a new Amazon series based on Colson Whitehead's 2016 novel, winner of the Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Award. 

     Originally set to open last year, Wes Anderson's THE FRENCH DISPATCH will hopefully open in 2021, with an all-star cast including Timothée Chalamet, Saoirse Ronan, Bill Murray, Tilda Swinton, Frances McDormond, Willem Dafoe and Owen Wilson. Joel Coen's THE TRAGEDY OF MACBETH with Denzel Washington and Frances McDormand; BERGMAN ISLAND from director Mia Hansen-Løve, starring Mia Wasikowska and Tim Roth.

     George Miller has directed THREE THOUSAND YEARS OF LONGING starring Tilda Swinton as a bitter woman who comes across an ancient bottle in Istanbul and releases a Djinn, who grants her three wishes. Paul Thomas Anderson (PHANTOM THREAD) will be releasing SOGGY BOTTOM, starring Cooper Hoffman, son of Philip Seymour Hoffman, and Bradley Cooper. And the film I am perhaps most looking forward to, THE BEATLES: GET BACK from director Peter Jackson. A friend opined how poetic it would be reopen the Rose with a film entitled GET BACK. He's right. (Many thanks to David Hudson of Criterion for his exhaustive round-up of the most anticipated films of 2021)

Cinematically yours,
Rocky