Dakota Johnson

It is uncommon for directorial debuts, such as Maggie Gyllenhaal’s strikingly distinctive "The Lost Daughter," to be as sure handed as this film is.

For what initially looks like a slightly above average tearjerker of a slog through a castoff Lifetime movie of the week, the new dramedy, The High Note, from Focus Features proves to be a surprisingly delightful tale that showcases the talents of its two leads, Dakota Johnson and Tracee Ellis Ross, and makes for a refreshing change of pace from the action and/or adventure films that have traditio...[Read More]

Adult melodramas are usually hit or miss for a lot of audience members. When played right, they can become absorbing and endlessly engaging. A perfect example would be Sofia Coppola’s Lost in Translation (2003). That film was able to provide viewers with a compelling melodramatic premise that was elevated by terrific performances from the main leads, steady direction, and sharp writing. The tricky...[Read More]

Are you ready for a Girlfriends’ Night Out? Then grab your cute boots and a couple of tickets for How to be Single. I know, I know, another movie about single twenty-somethings trying to get by while living the dream in New York City. Possibly make some money. Probably don a chic new outfit in every scene. Definitely fall in love. Everyone gets something out of films like this, though: flirtation,...[Read More]

Black Mass is not necessarily a bad mob film, but it’s a mob film too concerned with emulating the cool of other, better mob films to develop any real voice of its own. Director Scott Cooper clearly had Martin Scorsese on the brain as he put this film together, but Cooper brings none of his own creative intent to the table. David O. Russell recently aped Scorsese with even wilder abandon in Americ...[Read More]