Category: Uncategorized

‘CODA’: Bring tissues. You may sail away on an ocean of tears.

Jeff Mitchell

“CODA” (2021) – Ruby Rossi (Emilia Jones) loves her family.  She also works on their fishing boat practically every day.  For anyone who labored with their mom, dad, brothers, or sisters in a family-owned business, you know that you’re locked into a 24/7 commitment.  Okay, Ruby doesn’t immerse herself in everything-fish for every waking or sleeping moment.  Still, she regularly sets her alarm for 3 a.m. to accompany her dad, Frank (Troy Kotsur), and her older brother, Leo (Daniel Durant), on their vessel, The Angela Rose.  The three sail the…

2021 Phoenix Film Festival: Seven Movies to See

Jeff Mitchell

The award-winning Phoenix Film Festival arrives in-person from Aug. 12 through 22 at the Harkins Scottsdale 101 for 11 days and nights of fabulous features, docs, and shorts.  The PFF is our critic’s hometown festival, so he’ll be watching – and talking about – movies every day.  If you live close by and feel safe going to theatres again, we recommend that you stop in to catch a flick or 2, or 20.  Here are 7 films that we’ve seen and definitely applaud, and if you need more information on…

‘The Last Letter from Your Lover’ looks gorgeous, but we’ve ‘read’ this story before

Jeff Mitchell

“The Last Letter from Your Lover” (2021) –  Director Augustine Frizzell’s film – based on Jojo Moyes’ 2008 novel with the same name – is an old-fashioned romance.  Well, half of it is.  “The Last Letter from Your Lover” is rooted in present-day London, but it flashes back 56 years to 1965 to the same city, when men sported suits and ties to step out of their houses to run random 10-minute errands, and women strived to look like Jackie Kennedy or Marlo Thomas.  Perhaps not Ms. Thomas, because “That…