All posts by Tarek Fayoumi…The Paterson of his Craft!

I am someone who strives to become a professional critic. I watch and review many movies. I view the eyes of movies as something as an art form. I have followed many critics over the years, but once I was thirteen I knew writing film reviews was going to be my passion. I learned from watching multiple episodes of Ebert And Roeper in my teen years, and then in middle school I began writing film reviews for a newspaper club. I am also an avid fan of the arts of Chicago including Theatre, Comedy, and music. Films, however, are my primary focus.
Film reviews

The Best Christmas Pageant Ever Review

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This is one of those Christmas flicks true to faith. It is also one where tradition and meaning come with class and attitude. Dallas Jenkins’s version of The Best Christmas Pageant Ever presents meaning in the context of joy. To an extent, though, I found the film to drag in instances. There are emotional and joyful characterizations. Its form seems to feel like a Hallmark Channel movie.

The film centers on a mother and a father, Bob (played by Pete Holmes) and Grace (played by Judy Greer). They are just two parents trying to navigate the Christmas holidays for the sake of their children. The monumental event in their town is a Christmas Pageant. There is a family known to bring problems to the table. They are the Herdman family. They consist of a group of six kids. They are known to cause conflicts among others. They like to feel they own the town set in the film. Grace is the one taking on the direction role of the pageant. The film is narrated by an older version of Beth (one of the child characters). The narration is done by Lauren Graham. It is a dynamic with a Christmas tradition that brings in importance while also having frustrating plateaus.

I do feel that it fuels its positive side. That is because there are moments where the performances of Holmes and Greer try to remind young ones of acceptance and good spirits. “Good spirits” go in limbo repeatedly in The Best Christmas Pageant Ever. The connective side of the film is its pattern of trying to adapt to the acceptance of others. This is around the difficulty of the Herdman family. The film’s direction focuses on their negative energy, and it keeps looping back to the pattern of tolerating them. “Tolerating them” as in others trying to help them find the goodness in them.

When it comes to being present with community and holiday joy, The Best Christmas Pageant Ever does an excellent job at keeping the emotions of that alive. It continuously keeps that positive faith thriving high. The characterizations and the setup are a little much for the theatrical scene experience, but it is one for families to get wrapped up in. The narrations of moving parts and the plateaus of communities (among a pageant) remind its audience how Christmas tends to have unexpected obstacles. “Unexpected obstacles” on the fact that individuals cannot change others.

As mentioned, The Best Christmas Pageant Ever feels like a Hallmark Channel movie. To clarify, it has more cinematic qualities for that type of experience. This means that it is one of those that may be worth the time spent at the cinema. Some may not feel like that with its aspects. However, with its context, family patterns, and holiday spirit, it is a holiday flick to get cozy (together) and families to enjoy together. The sensation of the love that keeps spiraling through the film is what makes me appreciate The Best Christmas Pageant Ever. Not an exhilarating, but a loving level. Three out of four stars for The Best Christmas Pageant Ever.

Film reviews

Don’t Move Review

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Don’t Move is a cat-and-mouse premise with a spiraling limit. Directed by Brian Netto and Adam Schindler, the testing of the waters gets vivid (rapidly) in Don’t Move. The writing is a killer with a motive. However, the “motive” does not go as planned. There is a setting with a forest and a mountain. And one hiking trip in peril with a tantalizing twist.

The film’s main character is Iris (played by Kelsey Asbille). The film begins with going on a hike to grieve the loss of her child. As she stands over the ledge on her hike, another hiker gets her attention, and he is Richard (played by Finn Wittrock). They start some small talk, but within minutes, she finds herself as Richard’s hostage. She tries many means to escape, but then she realizes that Richard has injected a relaxant into her bloodstream. Therefore, running and being in shock causes a shutdown of her motor skills. The film makes the clock tick. Can Iris escape the dangers of Richard (who is a killer)? Can Iris keep her body from shutting down? Don’t Move is like an odyssey of its audience worrying about running out of gas. However, it is in terms of human functions to survive.

Don’t Move is a film of adrenaline. It is also thought-provoking. As Iris finds herself fighting to keep her system from shutting down, Richard finds himself to be causing more disasters among himself. This is because when witnesses get in the way, he mustkeep destroying the evidence (as he is dealing with Iris). Therefore, the film creates more for its audience to think about while the chaos is already mayhem.

There is a saying in the film, “Wrong place, right time!” it is the “wrong place” for both characters because both are in harm’s way. Iris is doing everything (in her power) to run before giving Richard the chance to hurt her (even more). Richard tries to keep his act together and keep Iris in sight. Otherwise, his raging behavior sends off red signals. The suspense is all intuitive. However, it does not offer many surprises. It contains more shock value of its graphic violence.

The frequent thoughts of Iris and her body shutting down had my attention on Don’t Move. The focus of that halting effect made my head spin repeatedly. The natural setting adds to that pressure (for the audience). Limited cell service, a small town, and a race to survive.

Even though it is in tune to be shockingly disturbing, its cleverness is that its killer is not getting his way. The two-sided stressors of the hostage (Iris) and the Killer (Richard) bring in lots of damage to be considered (for its audience). The damage creates a two-to-tango dynamic intensively in Don’t Move. Overall, it is a typical continuity setup that grasps terror with misdirection. “Misdirection” with one at risk for motor skills shutting down (along with the risk of being murdered) and one running out of time to hide his uncharted territory. Two-and-a-half out of four stars for Don’t Move.

Film reviews

Anora Review

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Champion of the Palm d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival, Anorais an absolute wonder of a film that surpasses expectations. Written and directed by Sean Baker, Anora is his best film yet and is unconventional in the way it combines comedy, drama, and romantic genres. The writing is vivid, and the story leaves audiences breathless. This is the romantic comedy masterpiece the world needs. It displays how young love includes many moments to cherish while also navigating obstacles when things do not go as planned. The setting in both New York and Las Vegas provides a grandeur of adventure that spirals in an exhilarating light. These two cities never sleep and neither does Anora.

Baker’s Anora brings audiences into a strip club setting where they are introduced to Ani (played by Mikey Madison), a young escort in Brooklyn working many shifts and doing extra deeds to make ends meet. She has a kind-hearted attitude and presents a playful face that draws the attention of men. Out of the blue, a young stud named Ivan comes into her club (played by Mark Eidelstein). Ivan falls in love with Ani at first sight. He has many sessions with her and pays her well. He brings her into his castle-like home. They have so much fun together are inseparable. Ani and Ivan have incredible chemistry which is what makes Anora so riveting). Their love story goes from Ivan having many sessions with Ani, to them falling in love, and then Ivan proposing to Ani. Once they get married, the film shifts to a conflict over an issue that tests where Ani and Ivan stand with each other.

The moving parts in Anora have deep layers that are mind-boggling and engrossing. Emotions are heightened as the plot is exposed. The surprise is that Ivan is the son of a Russian Oligarch and comes from a family of wealth and power. His rich boy life is all because of his family, and they are distraught by the fact that Ivan has married a prostitute. When the news breaks, the fight for love truly begins. Soon, Ani is caught up with the authorities in Ivan’s family who wish for their marriage to be annulled. This is where the performances of Madison and Eidelstein get emotional, suspenseful, and even funny. With their marriage happening in Las Vegas, this creates a turmoil around whether their marriage is meant to be. The writing involving these circumstances and stressors makes the film more appealing despite the amount of added anxiety.

Love makes for a dazzling portrait, and it is painted with many layers in Anora. The life of two star-crossed lovers finding each other unconventionally creates an unforgettable landscape where happiness thrives audaciously in early parts of the film. When the dynamics of the family come into play, the emotions make audience repeatedly jump out of their seats.

Young love is true and surreal in Anora. Madison’s performance is a force of determination that fuels the hopes for lasting love. When their love story seems to be falling apart, her sensational acting will cause viewers to shed tears. Anora is a wild and breathtaking flick that is full of romantic vibes that lead to self-reflection about life and love. Mesmerizing and surreal, Anora is a knockout. Four out of four stars.