Posts by Neely Swanson
“Dreaming Walls: Inside the Chelsea Hotel” – Asleep [MOVIE REVIEW]
Opening on an archival clip of a very young Patti Smith declaring that she wanted nothing more in life than to stay in the same hotel as Dylan Thomas, one had hopes that this documentary would explore that storied past. After all, the Chelsea had been, at one time or another, home to writers like…
Read More“Gloria” – G.L.O.R.I.A [TELEVISION REVIEW]
“Gloria” is a brand new French police/thriller series based on Matthew Hall’s 2017 British series called “Keeping Faith.” All six episodes of “Gloria” were directed by Julien Colonna, and written by Jeanne Le Guillou and Bruno Dega. Gloria, still at home caring for baby Leo, is eager to return to the family law practice. She…
Read More“Apples” – Not oranges [MOVIE REVIEW]
We first meet our unnamed hero as he is slowly, methodically, banging his head against a wall. Clearly this is painful, but for him, just not painful enough. Moments later, sitting catatonically on his sofa, he rouses as he hears an announcement on the radio from the Disturbed Memory Department of the Neurological Hospital. It…
Read More“Murder at Yellowstone City” – We’re the victims [MOVIE REVIEW]
Where to begin on what went wrong? It’s really not that complicated. Writer Eric Belgau started with a tried and true concept. In 1881, the old west town of Yellowstone City is no longer booming when suddenly things begin to look up. A down-on-his-luck prospector sells his last worthwhile possession, a gold watch, to buy…
Read More“Only Murders in the Building” Season Two is still a killer [TELEVISION REVIEW]
Season Two of Hulu’s original series, “Only Murders in the Building,” takes off where Season One ended with our hapless trio accused of a new murder. It wasn’t enough for Charles, the former actor, Oliver, the failed director, and Mabel, their much younger companion in crime to clear their names in the murder of Tim…
Read More“Granada Nights” – Endless [MOVIE REVIEW]
The plot of “Granada Nights,” written and directed by Abid Khan, is as old as the Alhambra in the aforementioned city. There is nothing wrong with a tried and true plot if it’s done well; “Granada Nights,” unfortunately, was not. Ben has traveled from the UK to surprise his girlfriend Helen who is studying in…
Read More“Beck” – Season 8 to consume [TELEVISION REVIEW]
“Beck” is back from the brink. When last we left Martin Beck (Peter Haber), he was on a gurney awaiting risky brain surgery that would either kill him or give him a few more years. Lucky for him, and especially for us, he lived to see another day, another murder, and another scolding from his…
Read More“The Lost Girls” – They’re not the only ones [MOVIE REVIEW]
“The Lost Girls” sounded very good on paper; some notable actors and an interesting premise. When Wendy Darling left Neverland, she promised Peter she would return. Wendy didn’t but Peter came for the ensuing generations of Darling women to mother him. All are brought under the spell of Peter Pan, and all suffer negative consequences. …
Read More“Official Competition” – Let the games begin [MOVIE REVIEW]
When Spanish Pharma billionaire Humberto Suárez announces to his aide that he would like to make something that would solidify his legacy, he mulls over two choices. Number one: a bridge by a famous architect that would bear his name and could be gifted to the country. Number two: a movie. But not just any…
Read More“Tahara” – A cleansing [MOVIE REVIEW]
“Tahara,” is the feature film debuts of Olivia Peace, director, and Jess Zeidman, writer, and what an auspicious start it is for both of them. Set in the local temple, the funeral service for teenage suicide victim Samantha is attended by friends, family, and classmates. A special talk-back session is planned for her peers to…
Read More“Bitterbrush” – A long road [MOVIE REVIEW]
“Bitterbrush” is a scenic trip in the Idaho hill country through the eyes of Hollyn and Colie, two young women who work the truly lonesome trail herding and driving cattle over the mountains as seasonal range riders. Range riders are hired to monitor the cattle that graze on federal land. It is an old practice…
Read More“Fanny: The Right to Rock” – End game [MOVIE REVIEW]
“Fanny: the Right to Rock” chronicles the rise and fall of one of the best bands you’ve never heard of. Looking for a way both to fit in and to stand out in high school, Jean and June Millington, Filipina Americans, decided that hard rock was their ticket to ride. Jean, on bass, and June…
Read More“Scarf Face” – It all comes out in the end [MOVIE REVIEW]
Watching the documentary “Scarf Face,” the term “get stuffed” immediately comes to mind. Joe Ruzer and Sean Slater tell the remarkable story of how the annual Fourth of July Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest at Coney Island became the platform for eating competitions throughout the country, almost all dominated by George Shay whose original International…
Read More“The Valet” – Excellent Service [MOVIE REVIEW]
Comedies don’t often translate from language to language, sometimes not even British English to American English. Rarer still are foreign language comedies because they seem to lose too much in translation and this is especially true of the comedies written by Francis Veber. There were many American remakes, many that he, himself, wrote in English…
Read More“Inbetween Girl”- On top [MOVIE REVIEW]
Writer/director Mei Makino has hit a homerun, or at least a standup triple with “Inbetween Girl,” chronicling teenaged Angie Chen’s search for self when the world as she knows it crumbles around her. Angie, with a Chinese father, Fan, and Anglo mother, Veronica, has never quite fit in. As she sardonically mentions to her ever…
Read More“Crush” – But don’t hurt [MOVIE REVIEW]
Paige, a cute, pert, self-aware high school junior, wants only two things in life: to get into the Cal Arts summer program for artists and for her “ever since grade school” girl crush Gabriela to like her. But, as her very straight friend Dylan points out, there are plenty of other girl choices. And straight…
Read More