Let’s all rally for malignant

We are excited to welcome guest contributor Andrew J. Eisenman to the team here at The Run-Down on Movies. In his first piece, Eisenman walks us through the process of the newly added Oscars Fan Favorite Award, and specifically makes a case for James Wan’s “Malignant” to take home the prize. Last week, the Academy […]

Interview with Oscar-nominees Martin Strange-hansen and kim magnusson – “on my mind” short film

I recently had the great honor of interviewing writer and director Martin Strange-Hansen and producer Kim Magnusson to discuss their work on the Oscar-nominated short film “On My Mind.” During our conversation, we discuss the significant role of short films in the world of cinema, the beautiful lead performance from Rasmus Hammerich, and the emotionally […]

Apollo 13 – 25 Years Later

The Apollo 13 mission is one of the most infamous ventures in the history of space travel. Launching on April 11, 1970, the astronaut trio of Jim Lovell, Jack Swigert, and Fred Haise set out on a lunar exploration assignment. However, a disastrous oxygen tank malfunction on April 13 forced the three men to forfeit […]

My Hollywood Experience – Featuring the Critics’ Choice Awards

I have always been that annoying kid to brag about his dad’s cool side gig and all the perks that go along with it. And I don’t plan on stopping anytime soon. Thanks to the fact that my father, Noel Manning, has been a member of the Critics’ Choice Association for more than two decades, […]

FACE/OFF Provides Plenty of Thrills and Feels

So John Travolta is playing a version of Nicholas Cage who is playing John Travolta. On the other hand, we have Nicholas Cage playing a version of John Travolta who is playing Nicholas Cage. Yes, it gets pretty trippy. But wow, is this fun to watch! John Woo is a master at directing over-the-top, insane, […]

UNCUT GEMS – Anxiety-Inducing and Oscar-Worthy

Chances are, if you have heard anything about UNCUT GEMS, from co-writers and directors Benny and Josh Safdie, it’s that you may very well have a panic attack while watching it. I am here to say that this motion picture absolutely lives up to the hype. I watched this film by myself, with nobody around […]

KNIVES OUT – Rian Johnson Has “Dunnit” Again

I love how Rian Johnson took the “keep your politics out of my movies” trolls from THE LAST JEDI and basically composed an entire narrative commentating on the negative impact of people of this nature, through the lens of one of the most entertaining films of 2019. Talk about a legendary power move. This cast […]

PARASITE – A Spellbinding Work of Art

So Bong Joon-Ho really made a film that combines family drama, dark comedy, intense social commentary, a Soderbergh-esque heist, Tarantino-style dialogue and scene structure, and Hitchcockian suspense, thrills, and narrative twists? And it all meshed beautifully? This man is a genius! The visual aesthetic of this film is absolutely spellbinding. The sublime manipulation of the […]

BAD TIMES AT THE EL ROYALE – Bad Times, but Good Filmmaking

BAD TIMES AT THE EL ROYALE – Written and Directed by Drew Goddard I’m honestly still disappointed that this wonderful piece of art was overlooked during awards season. Certainly one of the most original films of 2018 – and of the decade, for that matter. A Best Original Screenplay Oscar nomination would have been justifiable, […]

Disney’s “The Lion King” is Visually Riveting, but an Ultimately Bland Recycling of the Original

Critically-acclaimed director, writer, and producer Jon Favreau oversees this photo-realistic remake of Disney’s 1994 animated feature The Lion King. The original film was directed by Roger Allers and Rob Minkoff, and written by trio Irene Mecchi, Jonathan Roberts, Linda Woolverton. This time around, in addition to Favreau taking over the director’s chair, newcomers Jeff Nathanson […]