Tag: Amy Adams

‘Dear Evan Hansen’: Beautiful ballads crash into an ugly narrative

Jeff Mitchell

“Dear Evan Hansen” – “On the outside, always looking in.  Will I ever be more than I’ve always been?  ‘Cause I’m tap, tap, tapping on the glass. I’m waving through a window.  I try to speak, but nobody can hear.”  – Evan Hansen (Ben Platt) Evan lives in dire straits.  He’s a senior at Westview High School, and like many other students, he carries anxiety about his current place in (and state of) the world.  Comedienne Carol Burnett said, “Adolescence is one big pimple,” and she’s right.  Evan frequently feels…

Our 10 favorite Oscar nominations: 7. ‘Vice’ – Best Picture

Jeff Mitchell

7. “Vice” – Best Picture – The Academy only nominated two of AHFW’s Top 10 films, as “Roma” and “Vice” are AHFW’s #3 and #6 films of 2018, respectively.   Of course, “Roma” seemed like an easy nomination, but Adam McKay’s “Vice” split audiences, so we are especially happy that the Academy included this wild biopic as a Best Picture contender. Christian Bale transforms physically and seemingly spiritually into former U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney in a film that entertains, informs and horrifies.  McKay employs his similar snappy, wise-cracking style of…

‘Justice League’ team chemistry tops some muddled special effects, lackluster villain

Jeff Mitchell

“Justice League” – There is no “I” in team. When confronted by a selfish player, a coach may use that sports proverb to help illustrate that looking out for No. 1 may prove fatal to the team’s success.  Now, if the team has one, some or a collection of self-centered basketball, baseball, football, volleyball, soccer, or insert-your-sport-here players, the end result could be a lost game or perhaps, a lost season. In the movies, an individual superhero might not be self-regarding, but he or she may just not be capable…