The Obsessive Viewer

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Ben’s Column: The King (2019) Movie Review

Posted on November 7, 2019 by bensearsonfilm | Leave a comment

The King (2019 )

Premise: Hal, wayward prince and heir to the English throne, is crowned King Henry V after his tyrannical father dies. Now the young king must navigate palace politics, the war his father left behind, and the emotional strings of his past life.

The King may not be the longest, the most plot-heavy, or even the most complicated movie of 2019, but it may be the most tedious to get through. Here’s a fun parlor game you can play with your friends: gather everyone together and turn on The King. The first person to either nod off or check his or her phone loses. Best of luck to you, because I would have failed this challenge within the first 30 minutes. Continue reading →

Movie Review: The Irishman (2019)

Posted on November 6, 2019 by Matt Hurt | Leave a comment

The Irishman (2019)

Premise: A mob hitman recalls his possible involvement with the slaying of Jimmy Hoffa.

The Irishman is Martin Scorsese’s examination of time, regret, and aging through the lens of the gangster epic. It’s a perfectly fine film whose biggest strength is in the powerful performances of Robert De Niro, Al Pacino, and Joe Pesci. Unfortunately, aside from those performances, the movie didn’t really hook me and ended up feeling like too dry and aimless a rumination on its themes. Continue reading →

OV299 – The Lighthouse – For All Mankind, Dickinson, See, The Morning Show, A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood, In Fabric, Marriage Story, Just Mercy, and Netflix’s The King (Guest: Ben Sears)

Posted in Matt Hurt's Columns, Movie Reviews

Tagged 2019, columns, Matt Hurt, Movie Review

The Obsessive Viewer Podcast – Ep 299 – The Lighthouse – For All Mankind, Dickinson, See, The Morning Show, A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood, In Fabric, Marriage Story, Just Mercy, and Netflix’s The King (Guest: Ben Sears)

Posted on November 6, 2019 by Matt Hurt | Leave a comment

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This week, I welcome back our contributor Ben Sears to the podcast to review Robert Eggers’ incredible film, The Lighthouse. We also discuss some news regarding David Benioff and DB Weiss, the Game of Thrones prequel announcement, and more. For Potpourri, Ben shares his thoughts on AppleTV+ original series See, Dickinson, For All Mankind, The Morning Show, and the service itself. Then I share my thoughts on the Special Presentation screenings I attended at HIFF2019.

Runtime: 2:01:22 Continue reading →

Posted in Ben Sears, Guest Episode, Movie Episode, The Obsessive Viewer Podcast

Tagged Ben Sears, Guest Episode, Movie Episode, Podcast, The Obsessive Viewer

Ben’s Column: The Lighthouse (2019) Movie Review

Posted on October 31, 2019 by bensearsonfilm | Leave a comment

The Lighthouse (2019)

Premise: The hypnotic and hallucinatory tale of two lighthouse keepers on a remote and mysterious New England island in the 1890s.

“Why did ye chase me up and down this rock with that axe?” Willem Dafoe’s Thomas Wake asks of Robert Pattinson’s Ephraim Winslow (or is it Thomas Howard?) late in The Lighthouse, the newest from director Robert Eggers, after his breakout success of The Witch. The question, on its face, isn’t all that significant. What makes it stand out – and emblematic of the entire film – is that, just minutes earlier, we see the exact opposite happening with Dafoe madly chasing Pattinson. Is Dafoe messing with Pattinson? Was it a drunken hallucination? Is Dafoe the crazy one, or is Pattinson (or both)? Throughout The Lighthouse, Eggers has the audience constantly question what he just showed us, as his characters descend deeper and deeper into madness. Continue reading →

Ben’s Column: Dolemite Is My Name (2019) Movie Review

Posted on October 25, 2019 by bensearsonfilm | Leave a comment

Dolemite Is My Name (2019)

Premise: Eddie Murphy portrays real-life legend Rudy Ray Moore, a comedy and rap pioneer who proved naysayers wrong when his hilarious, obscene, kung-fu fighting alter ego, Dolemite, became a 1970s Blaxploitation phenomenon. Continue reading →

In a New York Minute (2019)

HIFF2019: Movie Review – In a New York Minute (2019)

Posted on October 23, 2019 by Matt Hurt | Leave a comment

Narrative Feature/Official Selection
102 Minutes/USA/2019
Drama/Romance
Director: Ximan Li

Premise: “In A New York Minute” follows three strangers connected by a single pregnancy test. Amy is haunted by a past breakup that has manifested into an eating disorder. Angel is caught between a loveless marriage to an American businessman and a passionate affair with a Chinese writer. Nina moonlights as an escort in order to support herself.

House of Hummingbird (2019)

Posted in Film Festival Coverage, Heartland Film Festival, HIFF2019, Matt Hurt's Columns, Movie Reviews

Tagged 2019, columns, Heartland Film Festival, HIFF2019, Matt Hurt, Movie Review

HIFF2019: Movie Review – House of Hummingbird (2018)

Posted on October 22, 2019 by Matt Hurt | Leave a comment

Narrative Feature/Grand Prize Winner
138 Minutes/South Korea/2019
Drama/International
Director: Bora Kim

Premise: A lonely 14-year-old, Eun-hee moves through life like a hummingbird searching for a taste of sweetness. Deprived of attention from her family, she spends her time finding meaning in the love and friendships of her peers. When Young-ji, a new teacher, arrives, she becomes the first adult Eun-hee feels really understands her.

The Laundromat (2019)

Posted in Film Festival Coverage, Heartland Film Festival, HIFF2019, Matt Hurt's Columns, Movie Reviews

Tagged 2019, columns, Heartland Film Festival, HIFF2019, Matt Hurt, Movie Review

Ben’s Column: The Laundromat (2019) Movie Review

Posted on October 22, 2019 by bensearsonfilm | Leave a comment

Premise: In this dramedy based on the Mossack Fonseca scandal, a cast of characters investigate an insurance fraud, chasing leads to a pair of a flamboyant Panama City law partners exploiting the world’s financial system. Continue reading →

OV298 – HIFF2019: Part II – Award Winners – Press Junket Interviews: House of Champions, Man Camp, Syndrome K, Moonlight Sonata, Ernie & Joe, We Shall Not Die Now, Standing Up Falling Down, Samir, and Going Attractions

The Obsessive Viewer Podcast – Ep 298 – HIFF2019: Part II – Award Winners – Press Junket Interviews: House of Champions, Man Camp, Syndrome K, Moonlight Sonata, Ernie & Joe, We Shall Not Die Now, Standing Up Falling Down, Samir, and Going Attractions

Posted on October 19, 2019 by Matt Hurt | Leave a comment

RIGHT CLICK IMAGE, SAVE LINK AS TO DOWNLOAD THE EPISODE…

In part 2 of our coverage of the 28th Heartland Film Festival, I share the award winners from this year’s festival and I interview several filmmakers at the HIFF press junket!

This week’s stinger comes from my Patreon-exclusive Vlogs: HIFF2019 Vlog 3 – Always in Season (2019), Jump Shot, Whelm, Screening Mishaps – October 12, 2019

Runtime: 2:52:58 Continue reading →

OV297 – HIFF2019: Part I – Whelm – Filmmaker and Special Guest Interviews: Brendan Fraser, A New Christmas, Philophobia, Barefoot: The Mark Baumer Story, My Beautiful Stutter, Foster Boy, and More

Posted in Film Festival Coverage, Heartland Film Festival, HIFF Podcast Episodes, HIFF2019, The Obsessive Viewer Podcast

Tagged Heartland Film Festival, HIFF2019, Podcast, The Obsessive Viewer

The Obsessive Viewer Podcast – Ep 297 – HIFF2019: Part I – Whelm – Filmmaker and Special Guest Interviews: Brendan Fraser, A New Christmas, Philophobia, Barefoot: The Mark Baumer Story, My Beautiful Stutter, Foster Boy, and More

Posted on October 17, 2019 by Matt Hurt | Leave a comment

RIGHT CLICK IMAGE, SAVE LINK AS TO DOWNLOAD THE EPISODE…

In part 1 of our coverage of the 28th Heartland Film Festival, I review the 100% Indiana epic thriller, Whelm, and I interview several filmmakers and guests on the HIFF red carpets, including a quick chat with Brendan Fraser!

This week’s stinger comes from my Patreon-exclusive Vlogs: HIFF2019 Vlog 1 – A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood (2019), Red Carpet & More – October 10, 2019

Runtime: 2:08:13 Continue reading →

Go Back to China (2019)

Posted in Film Festival Coverage, Heartland Film Festival, HIFF Podcast Episodes, HIFF2019, The Obsessive Viewer Podcast

Tagged Heartland Film Festival, HIFF2019, Podcast, The Obsessive Viewer

HIFF2019: Ben’s Column – Go Back to China (2019)

Posted on October 16, 2019 by bensearsonfilm | 2 comments

Narrative Feature/Official Selection
96 Minutes/2019/USA
Comedy/Drama
Director: Emily Ting

Premise: When spoiled rich girl Sasha Li blows through most of her trust fund, she is cut off by her father and forced to go back to China and work for the family toy business. Continue reading →

Posted in Ben Sears' Columns, Film Festival Coverage, Heartland Film Festival, HIFF2019, Movie Reviews

Tagged 2019, Ben Sears, columns, go back to china, Heartland Film Festival, HIFF2019, Movie Review

HIFF2019: Ben’s Column – International Falls (2019)

Posted on October 15, 2019 by bensearsonfilm | 2 comments

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International Falls

Narrative Feature/Official Selection
96 Minutes/2019/USA
Comedy/Drama
Director: Amber McGinnis

Premise: A woman stuck in a small, snowbound border town has dreams of doing comedy when she meets a washed up, burned out comedian with dreams of doing anything else.

Last Year at the Crossing (2018)

Posted in Ben Sears' Columns, Film Festival Coverage, Heartland Film Festival, HIFF2019, Movie Reviews

Tagged 2019, Ben Sears, columns, Heartland Film Festival, HIFF2019, International Falls, Movie Review

HIFF2019: Movie Review – Last Year at the Crossing (2018)

Posted on October 15, 2019 by Matt Hurt | 2 comments

Documentary Feature/Indiana Spotlight
75 Minutes/USA/2018
Education
Director: Kathy Bruner

Premise: An alternative high school in small-town Indiana is the last, best chance for four struggling teens to earn a diploma. Their dedicated school administrator holds out hope that this is the year they can overcome their obstacles. A heartbreaking and hopeful portrait of teens trying to rise above their circumstances.

Posted in Film Festival Coverage, Heartland Film Festival, HIFF2019, Matt Hurt's Columns, Movie Reviews

Tagged 2019, columns, Heartland Film Festival, HIFF2019, Last Year at the Crossing, Matt Hurt, Movie Review

HIFF2019: Movie Review – Man Camp (2019)

Posted on October 14, 2019 by Matt Hurt | 2 comments

Man Camp (2019)

Narrative Feature/Official Selection
94 Minutes/USA/2019
Comedy/Drama
Director: Nate James Bakke

Premise: It’s Man Camp weekend, the few days every year when brothers Adam, Tim, and Kevin head to the family cabin to memorialize their dad. When they arrive to discover their mom with some new guy she apparently plans on marrying, the trip becomes a wild test to determine his worthiness.