The King Of Staten Island (2020)

Pete Davidson will likely become a much bigger star with the arrival of The King of Staten Island. Sadly, he deserves to shine in a better movie.

The Booksellers (2020)

New documentary The Booksellers takes a charming look at the past and present of the New York City book scene and the collectors who live for the pursuit of finding, possessing, and keeping books of all kinds.

Trolls World Tour (2020)

Rambunctious sequel Trolls World Tour may be bypassing its planned theatrical run and debuting on VOD today for families everywhere, but this is less a movie to watch and more a test of endurance.

Extra Ordinary (2020)

Wild and absurd supernatural comedy EXTRA ORDINARY features Will Forte as a former 80’s pop star (!) and comedienne Maeve Higgins as a clairvoyant with “The Talents” who must save a daughter from satanic influences. EXTRA ORDINARY has been recently re-released as one of many independent films participating in the new Virtual Theater initiative to save independent theaters.

Michael WardApril 8, 2020Maeve Higgins, Barry Ward, Will Forte, Claudia O’Doherty, Jamie Beamish, Terri Chandler, Risteard Cooper, Emma Coleman, Carrie Crowley, Mike Ahern, Siobhan McSweeney, Comedy, Extra Ordinary, 2020, Enda Loughman, Demian Fox

Never Rarely Sometimes Always (2020)

Sidney Flanigan’s remarkable acting debut, in Eliza HIttman’s exceptional Never Rarely Sometimes Always, makes this timely, necessary story of a teenage girl dealing with an unintended pregnancy one of 2020’s best films.

Michael WardApril 3, 20202020, Drama, Sidney Flanigan, Talia Ryder, Théodore Pellerin, Sharon Van Etten, Ryan Eggold, Kelly Chapman, Kim Rios Lin, Drew Seltzer, Never Rarely Sometimes Always, Eliza Hittman, Yes You Should!!!

Onward (2020)

Onward, the 22nd feature-length Pixar film, has a rich, emotional payoff to an amusing fantasy-laden adventure as two brothers attempt to reconcile with their late father.

The Call Of The Wild (2020)

The Call of the Wild means well but feels like a movie 20-30 years old, with a baffling decision to feature a CGI dog in a co-leading role.

Michael WardApril 1, 20202020, The Call of the Wild, Harrison Ford, Omar Sy, Cara Gee, Dan Stevens, Bradley Whitford, Jean Louisa Kelly, Karen GIllan, Michael Horse, Terry Notary, Chris Sanders, Michael Green, Family, Adventure, Drama

Bacurau (2020)

While not for everyone, Brazilian import BACURAU is a wild ride of violence, dark humor, and some very pointed political commentary focused on residents of a Brazilian settlement standing together to defend their existence.

Corpus Christi (2020)

A recent nominee for the Academy Award for Best International Feature, Poland’s terrific and powerful Corpus Christi is re-released as one of many independent films participating in the new Virtual Theater initiative to save independent theaters.

Michael WardMarch 31, 2020Bartosz Bielenia, Aleksandra Konieczna, Eliza Rycembel, Tomasz Zietek, Leszek Lichota, Lukasz Simlat, Zdzislaw Wardejn, Tomasz Wlosok, 2020, Drama, Poland, Corpus Christi, Jan Komasa, Mateusz Pacewicz

Go Back To China (2020)

Go Back to China is a cinematic pop song, a Sunday afternoon escape, detailing a trust fund girl who blows through her money and must return home to China to work in her family’s toymaking business.

Michael WardMarch 31, 2020Anna Akana, Richard Ng, Lynn Chen, Kelly Hu, Brittany Renee Finamore, Akemi Look, Christina Thomas, Kendy Cheung, Aviva Wang, Tiger Ting, Joe Fiorello, 2020, Go Back To China, Comedy, Drama, Emily Ting

Banana Split (2020)

Hannah Marks gives a tremendous breakout performance in the lively, spirited teen comedy Banana Split, playing a former girlfriend who becomes best friends with her former boyfriend’s new girlfriend, in the summer before leaving for college.

Michael WardMarch 31, 20202020, Comedy, Banana Split, Hannah Marks, Liana Liberato, Dylan Sprouse, Jessica Hecht, Luke Spencer Roberts, Meagan Kimberly Smith, Haley Ramm, Jacob Batalon, Addison Riecke, Benjamin Kasulke, Joey Power

Buffaloed (2020)

Zoey Deutch is a star, and watching Buffaloed, you get the sense that one day the rest of the world will catch up to her.

Michael WardMarch 31, 20202020, Comedy, Buffaloed, Zoey Deutch, Jai Courtney, Judy Greer, Jermaine Fowler, Noah Reid, Lusia Strus, Lorrie Odom, Raymond Ablack, Nicholas Carella, Tanya Wexler, Marc Sacca

Sonic The Hedgehog (2020)

After much delay, Sonic The Hedgehog finally arrives with a manic, unhinged Jim Carrey and an anthropomorphic talking blue hedgehog from another dimension. In other words, your kids are gonna love it.

Michael WardFebruary 14, 20202020, Comedy, Family, Adventure, Ben Schwartz, James Marsden, Tika Sumpter, Jim Carrey, Lee Majdoub, Adam Pally, Neal McDonough, Natasha Rothwell, Jeff Fowler, Yuji Naka, Naoto Ohshima, Hirokazu Yasuhara, Patrick Casey, Josh Miller

The Assistant (2020)

Inspired, in part, by the Harvey Weinstein scandal, The Assistant is a quiet but referential look at workplace behaviors and conduct, and the way people adapt and learn to survive within their surroundings.

Michael WardFebruary 14, 20202020, The Assistant, Julia Garner, Matthew Mcfayden, Makenzie Leigh, Kristine Forseth, Jon Orsini, Noah Robbins, Stéphanye Dussud, Juliana Canfield, Dagmara Dominczyk, Alexander Chaplin, Purva Bedi, Kitty Green, Drama

2020 Oscar Nominated Short Films - Animation

All masterfully made, this year’s Oscar nominated Animated Short Films address emotional topics and issues that bridge the gap between fantasy and reality.

Michael WardFebruary 2, 20202020, Oscars, Animated Short, Animation, Hair Love, Daughter, Sister, Memorable, Kitbull, Dasha Kashcheeva, Rosana Sullivan, Siqi Song, Bruno Collet, Matthew A. Cherry, Everett Downing, Jr., Bruce W. Smith

2020 Oscar Nominated Short Films - Live Action

This year’s Oscar nominees for Best Live Action Short Film represent stories told from around the world, but all unify around the power of human interaction, no matter your age or where you come from.

Michael WardFebruary 2, 20202020, Oscars, Live Action Short Film, Brotherhood, Nefta Football Club, The Neighbor's Window, Saria, A Sister

2020 Oscar Nominated Short Films - Documentary

Tissues at the ready, this year’s slate of Oscar nominated Documentary Short Subject films are important, topical works of impassioned conviction that are hard to shake and ride a rollercoaster of emotions.

Michael WardFebruary 2, 20202020, Documentary, Oscars, In the Absence, Learning to Skateboard in a Warzone, St. Louis Superman, Walk Run Cha-Cha, Life Overtakes Me

The Gentlemen (2020)

While largely hit and miss, Guy Ritchie’s The Gentlemen finds the director back to his rambunctious roots with a fantastic Hugh Grant stealing the show.

VHYes (2020)

VHYes lacks the common characteristic all comedies need to find success - the movie just is not funny.

Les Misérables (2020)

Nominated for Best International Feature Film at this year’s Oscars, Ladj Ly’s Les misérables steps far away from the classic musical, and showcases a gritty, of-the-moment representation of tensions in a modernized France.

Michael WardJanuary 17, 2020Damien Bonnard, Alexis Manenti, Djibril Zonga, Issa Perica, Al-Hassan Ly, Steve Tientcheu, Almamy Kanoute, Nizar Ben Fatma, Jeanne Balibar, 2020, France, Foreign, Drama, Suspense/Thriller, Ladj Ly, Giordano Gederlini, Les miserables

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