It’s astounding that, even thirty years since its release, “Beaches” is still an effective tearjerker. Tracing the thirty-year-plus friendship between Bette Midler and Barbara Hershey,
Tag: drama
Gifted (2017)
This is a great example of a middle-of-the-road mainstream drama that succeeds overall thanks to its terrific cast, in spite of a rather tedious plot
Midnight Cowboy (1969)
Watching John Schlesinger’s “Midnight Cowboy” is an interesting, intellectually potent experience. In terms of filmmaking, it’s an all-around success: Schlesinger’s direction is layered and precise,
Dangerous Game (1993)
Where to start with Abel Ferrara’s “Dangerous Game”? Is it an indictment of the movie industry, or is it an accidentally revealing glimpse of it?
When We Rise (Miniseries) (2017)
This eight-part miniseries about the history of gay rights in the United States is a perfect example of how good intentions don’t always translate effectively
J.T. Leroy (2018)
Based on the true story of author J.T. Leroy, this drama surely has its moments and strong performances, but there just seems to be something
The Act (Miniseries) (2019)
This miniseries dramatization of the murder case of DeeDee Blanchard starts off strong, but over the course of its eight episodes, it slowly starts to
Vice (2018)
If one approaches Adam McKay’s Dick Cheney biopic as a character study, it’s a bit of a letdown. There isn’t much information about Cheney that’s
The Rose (1979)
This fierce character study is one of the best movies of the 1970s, blessed with a ferocious lead performance by Bette Midler and an extraordinary
Can You Ever Forgive Me? (2018)
This adaptation of Lee Israel’s autobiographical account of her mini crime spree as a literary forger is the type of strong, engaging drama that gradually
Factotum (2005)
Watching “Factotum,” I was reminded of Steve Buscemi’s similarly-themed “Trees Lounge.” Like “Lounge,” “Factotum” is about the dead-end, bottom-wrung alcoholic life of its protagonist Hank,
First Man (2018)
Thanks to extraordinary direction by Damien Chazelle and a series of strong performances, this dramatized version of the events leading up to Apollo 11’s televised
