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One of the most affecting films of 2023; “THE HOLDOVERS” | MOVIE REVIEW

Alexander Payne Payne has crafted a poignant tale of human connection that breathes with realism
Starring Paul Giamatti, Dominic Sessa and Da'Vine Joy Randolph
Directed by Alexander Payne

The seventies were a glorious time for filmmakers. From one film to the next, directors such as Hal Ashby, Jerry Schatzberg, Bob Rafelson (and more) made intoxicating works full of honesty and truth, achieving powerful emotion through rich characters and relatable situations. Through a career of mostly fantastic films, writer/director Alexander Payne has proven he paid close attention to the great ... more >

Paul-Giamatti-John-Dies-at-the-End

John dies at the end

It's going to be one of those years
Rob Mayes and Chase Williamson
Directed by Don Coscarelli

“John Dies at the End” has the spirit, if not always the laughs, of Sam Raimi’s “Evil Dead” trilogy. Don Coscarelli, who has a nearly thirty plus-year career working on B-grade horror films like “The Beastmaster” and Bubba Ho-Tep," has adapted David Wong’s 2004 comic-graphic novel into one messy, freaky, and mind-boggling ride of a movie. Chase Williamson and Rob Mayes are Dave and John, two ... more >

Paul Giamatti in Barney’s version (2010 Mostra)

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Win-Win

So it's not the film of the decade--so what?
Paul Giamatti, Amy Ryan, Jeffrey Tambor and Bobby Cannavale
Directed by Tom McCarthy

After the affably quirky "Station Agent" and the quietly heartbreaking "The Visitor," writer-director (and, outside his own movies, actor) Thomas McCarthy takes a mildly disappointing step backward with "Win Win," a conventional family dramedy that can best be described as cuddly. Paul Giamatti, doing his quite familiar lovable curmudgeon shtick, plays a struggling small-town lawyer and ... more >

Cold Souls | REVIEW

Cold storage for the human psyche
Paul Giamatti and David Strathairn
Directed by Sophie Barthes

  After watching Sophie Barthes' Cold Souls tonight I felt like escaping into the epicurian pleasures of brie, crackers and fig chutney--high-blood pressure be damned. I needed get my mind off things, warm the soul, so to speak, because Sophie Barthes's "Cold Souls" is a downer of a movie, and one without any particular rewards. Movies need to take us aback a little. One, it stars Paul ... more >