Frozen II (2019)::rating::3::rating::3::rating::3

When it comes to ratings, sequels like Frozen II present a unique conundrum: This movie treads the same trodden path that showered its predecessor with box office billions, but it does that with meticulous skill and self-confidence. It also feels strangely disposable, like those plastic cameras they used to hand out at wedding receptions. So...do we dock…

ByTodd WoffordDecember 11, 20190Comments

The Podcast

Cinemavino — Episode 56: The Mandalorian, Chapter Five::rating::0

For this week’s episode of Cinemavino, Sean Jordan joins us as we drink some delicious red wine and discuss Chapter Five of The Mandalorian

ByTodd WoffordDecember 10, 20190Comments

The Archive

Brittany Runs a Marathon (2019)::rating::3.5

Brittany Runs a Marathon wasn't made by Judd Apatow, but it has a lot of the same look and feel: Its titular heroine lives somewhere between always being drunk and always being hungover. She scarfs down junk food and scoffs at any loser who dares to do any kind of actual adulting. Like her spiritual…

ByTodd WoffordDecember 9, 20190Comments

Latest

Dark Waters (2019)::rating::4.5

A relentless gloom hangs over Dark Waters: Dishwatery clouds fill the sky, ready to pelt the ground below with mud-stained rain. Characters shiver and pull their coats tight to their bodies. The frozen air seems unbreathable. This grayscape makes the perfect environment for Dark Waters, a distressing story pulled from real events. A slow-rolling lawsuit against a…

ByTodd WoffordDecember 7, 20190Comments

The Podcast

Cinemavino – Episode 55: The Mandalorian Chapter 4::rating::0

New Cinemavino is live! This week, The Mandalorian delivered what many are calling a "filler episode." As the midpoint episode, it really didn't do a whole lot to move the plot forward. Hopefully the series will regain a little momentum with next week's episode. As a whole, The Mandalorian is a great-looking series and still has a lot to offer.…

ByTodd WoffordDecember 5, 20190Comments

Ebooks

Cinemavino, Volume 1::rating::0

My latest ebook is live! For this first volume of Cinemavino, I'll review classic movies, and pair a great bottle of wine to go with it. Here you can find reviews of The Good, the Bad and the Ugly, Children of Men, Four Weddings and a Funeral, and many more. You can also check out my write-ups for a good Malbec, Merlot,…

ByTodd WoffordDecember 4, 20190Comments

Latest

The Irishman (2019)::rating::4.5

Unlike many of Martin Scorsese’s protagonists, Frank Sheeran lives long enough to look back on his life with an uneasy blend of wry nostalgia and armor-piercing regret.

ByTodd WoffordDecember 2, 20190Comments

Latest

Knives Out (2019)::rating::3.5

If you’re looking for solid, cinematic escapism, you could do a lot worse than this undemanding whodunit.

ByTodd WoffordNovember 29, 20190Comments

The Podcast

Cinemavino — Episode 54: The Mandalorian, II and III::rating::0

As a Space Western, The Mandalorian gets stronger as it goes along. The action scenes are killer, and it has attitude and atmosphere to spare. This feels like the breath of fresh air Star Wars has needed for a good long while. I've had some kind of seasonal crud for the past week. That means antibiotics, which also…

ByTodd WoffordNovember 26, 20190Comments

Latest

A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood (2019)::rating::4

Beneath his guileless goodness, a deceptively strong current of spiritual bravery ran through Fred Rogers. It couldn't have been easy to be the lighthouse, a reliably calming influence in a world made stormy with cynicism. Any man who could be that would naturally invite parody and derision, but Rogers had no apprehension of such negativity.…

ByTodd WoffordNovember 26, 20190Comments