Year: 2021

‘The Power of the Dog’ catches 8 Phoenix Critics Circle Nominations

Jeff Mitchell

Phoenix Critics Circle members selected their nominations for the best films and performances of 2021. Leading the way is “The Power of the Dog” with eight nominations.  Paul Thomas Anderson’s comedy “Licorice Pizza” and Steven Spielberg’s “West Side Story” both received six, while Ryusuke Hamaguchi’s “Drive My Car” picked up four, including Best Picture. Final voting is underway, and the winners will be announced on Dec. 17, 2021. Jeff Mitchell from – the Phoenix Film Festival and Art House Film Wire – is a proud Phoenix Critics Circle (PCC) member,…

‘National Champions’ needs a little less talk and at least some action

Jeff Mitchell

“National Champions” (2021) –  “Get your popcorn ready because this is about to be a good one.” Yes, in just 72 hours, the New Orleans Superdome will host the College Football Championship.  The Missouri Wolves, led by quarterback and Heisman Trophy winner LeMarcus James (Stephan James), will face the Cougars and running back Cecil Burgess (Therry Edouard) in a gridiron clash for the ages.  (Note: the movie doesn’t explicitly state where the Cougars are from.) With a dizzying array of clips and commentary from familiar sports reporters during the opening,…

‘Being the Ricardos’ captures a ‘scary’ week in this gripping, insightful Lucille and Desi biopic

Jeff Mitchell

“Being the Ricardos” (2021) – “That was a scary week.  It was a very scary week.” – staff writer Bob Carroll (Ronny Cox) Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz produced and starred in their megahit “I Love Lucy” (1951 – 1957) during the (first) Golden Age of Television.  It’s one of the all-time great sitcoms, as Lucy (Ball) usually knotted herself into harmless schemes over scores and scores of 23 to 26-minute episodes.  Lucy had to eventually and embarrassingly untangle her binds, and many times, in front of her husband Ricky…