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Film reviews

Spencer Review

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For fans of director Pablo Larraín and actress Kristen Stewart, Spencer is a film that is not to be missed. Expect Spencer to get a lot of attention around awards season for Larraín and Stewart. Both have Oscar potential.


Spencer is the fictionalized story of the holiday season during which the former Diana Spencer, by then firmly ensconced as Princess Diana, decided to leave Prince Charles. Stewart plays Princess Diana, and she goes above and beyond in Spencer. She has taken on a variety of dark roles in her career, but this one knocks it out of the park. And Larraín’s directing sets the tension for the anger Stewart displays throughout the film. Jack Farthing as Prince Charles and Timothy Spall as Major Alistar Gregory are also solid in the film.


I truly loved Spencer. Although it involved one of the most famous people on the planet, it is very much about the real-life emotions of someone who is stuck in a very difficult situation. And again, I think both Larraín and Stewart are Oscar-worthy. Four stars for Spencer.

Film reviews

The Beta Test

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Some may view The Beta Test as cocky or silly. It may be both those things, but it is also a fun satire and a beyond bizarre thriller that is very intriguing.

Jim Cummings and PJ McCabe are co-directors and the main characters, although Cummings gets the most on-screen attention. His attitude, his ego, and his direction are very enticing.


In the film Cummings plays Jordan, a Hollywood agent. Jordan is a fast talker, and can be quite rude. McCabe is PJ, his colleague and good friend. Jordan has it all—a successful career, wonderful fiancé, and much more. But he has a tendency to go bananas in stressful situations, and he often drags PJ into the mess. And then he accepts an invitation to an anonymous sexual encounter that puts him on a confusing path as he tries to unfold his infidelity and the consequences from it.

The dialogue in The Beta Test is sharp, fast, and gritty, and the plot can be hysterical and occasionally shocking. I found myself laughing at times during the film, often due to Jordan’s meltdowns. Overall, I would call The Beta Test “quirky”, but in the right context. And Cummings and McCabe do a good job as both directors and lead actors in the film. Three stars for The Beta Test.

Film reviews

The French Dispatch Review

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Whenever I watch a film by Wes Anderson I ask myself several questions. Who is the antagonist? Who is the one with the ego? Who benefits from the inevitable conflict? Somehow, in Anderson’s films the answers to these questions always seem to come together in the most eccentric and artistic fashion. His newest film, The French Dispatch, is no exception.


The French Dispatch is set in twentieth century France and it follows several stories revolving around a newspaper of that name. It tracks the health issues of Arthur Howlitzer Jr., the editor of the newspaper, played by Bill Murray. There is a story about a cycler named Herbsaint Sazerac, played by Owen Wilson. Another story focuses on Moses Rosenthaler, played by Benicio Del Toro, who is an artist in prison. Rosenthaler is trying to work out a deal for one of his paintings with art dealer Julien Cadazio, played by Adrien Brody. Rosenthaler also has a secret relationship with prison guard Simone, played by Lea Seydoux. And there is a story about a student protest involving a woman named Lucinda Krementz, played by Frances McDormand, and student Zeffirelli, played by Timothee Chalamet.

These stories at first don’t seem related, but they somehow coalesce. The placement of the various characters creates strange illusions, but Anderson always helps his audience put together the pieces of where his eccentric world is going. He also gives us hints before his films are even released, via the trailers and advertisements. The worlds Anderson creates are ones of glamour, the wealthy, and criminals.

Anderson’s character development is unparalleled. He is brilliant, an auteur director of the highest order, and he digs deeper and brings more emotion than usual in The French Dispatch. It is a true masterpiece. I give The French Dispatch four stars.