The Cynical Cinephiles

Director: Barry Jenkins Cast: Kiki Layne, Stephen James, Regina King, Colman Domingo, Brian Tyree Henry, Teyonah Parris, Michael Beach After 2016's heartbreakingly artistic Best Picture winner Moonlight , Barry Jenkins returns to cinema with  If Beale Street Could Talk, adapting James Baldwin's novel of the same name into a lusciously captured and entirely unmissable love story. Having been friends since childhood, Tish (Layne) and Fonny (James) become a loving and devoted couple that dream of planning their future together. However, Fonny is arrested for a crime he didn't commit and Tish, with her family's support, fights to clear his name and have him acquitted before the birth of their child. If Beale Street Could Talk is a richly layered piece of work, brimming with atmosphere thanks to the stunning cinematography, with Jenkins flexing his emotional and visual artistry to new heights. The audience are voyeurs and intimate witnesses to Tish and Fonny's lov...

Director: Peter Farrelly Cast: Viggo Mortensen, Mahershala Ali, Linda Cardellini Having made his fame and fortune with writing and directing broad and crude comedies such as There's Something About Mary and Dumb and Dumber , Peter Farrelly has turned his hand to drama with the awards contender Green Book , a film based on a true story with themes of acceptance and triumph in the face of intolerance. African-American acclaimed pianist Dr. Don Shirley (Ali) is about to embark upon a musical tour in the Deep South in 1962. Needing a driver and someone to protect him, Shirley employs Frank "Tony Lip" Vallelonga (Mortensen), a quick-tempered Italian-American from the Bronx. Over the course of their time together, they develop a surprising bond and mutual admiration for one another as they confront the dangers of racial segregation that they encounter on their journeys. At the forefront of the film is the burgeoning friendship that develops between Tony and Dr. Shirley, ...

Director: Marielle Heller Cast: Melissa McCarthy, Richard E. Grant Nobody can resist a story based on true events, especially Hollywood. However, not all have to be grand and large-scale real-life accounts, proven by Can You Ever Forgive Me? Adapted from writer Lee Israel's memoir/confessional, the film is an intimate character study of a complicated woman experiencing the most unbelievable and exhilarating time in her life. In early 1990s New York, Lee Israel's (McCarthy) writing career is flailing and her biographies on famous women, such as Estee Lauder, end up in the discount section. She sells a prized letter written by comedienne Fanny Bryce as a quick cash-fix but is told that she could much more money for letters with more interesting content. This inspired Lee to become a forger of literary letters and the results are beyond anything that she could have imagined. Melissa McCarthy is well-known for her work in broad comedies such as Bridesmaids and Spy , and whi...