Female Film Critics 24/375
On the Rocks feels a bit like what you’d get if Woody Allen and Wes Anderson made a movie together — only with a lot more feminine energy, empathy, and understanding. Sofia Coppola’s dramedy tackles modern marriage, motherhood, career uncertainty, and parent/adult child relationships with a light touch and strong performances from a talented cast.
Read moreIt might not be a world-changing work of cinema, but “On the Rocks” bubbles over with wit and verve. Coppola keeps the drama understated, which makes it feel real, and sprinkles in plenty of keen observations and cutting questions about gender politics, marriage, monogamy, family ties and forgiveness.
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As much as I’m a proponent of female filmmakers, I’ve never much been one for the movies of Sophia Coppola. With On the Rocks, that has changed. I loved the film, and believe it’s one of the best vehicles in Bill Murray’s career. Sometimes his shtick brings attention to itself to such a degree that we become removed from the story or whatever is happening onscreen. Not so in On the Rocks. On the contrary, he gets so far out of his own way, his portrayal brings us all the more into the story. He is an unqualified marvel.
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Once again, Sofia Coppola pairs Bill Murray with an younger actress, this time in the form of Rashida Jones, not as a love interest — as was the case with Scarlett Johansson — but as his daughter. The main similarity between them is the fact that both characters suspect their spouse might be cheating on them.
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One upside to this topsy-turvy season is the release of superb femme-centric, femme-helmed titles that are solid Oscars contenders that could easily make the Best Picture and Best Director cut. There are at least five actresses making their directing debuts, a pop star going behind the camera, old-school directors, new-school directors, blockbuster overseers and at least two former competitors in the category. Here is what might be the best of an encouragingly large batch.
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Writer-director Sofia Coppola will reunite with Bill Murray, whom she directed in her Oscar-winning 2003 film Lost in Translation, for the upcoming feature On the Rocks. Rashida Jones will co-star. Production begins in November.
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Focusing on films directed by women and those featuring strong female lead characters in female-centric stories, Team #MOTW has endorsed exceptional films during 2017, to date. Midway through this year’s release schedule, we’re pausing to review films we’ve considered for #MOTW and are asking Team #MOTW members to pick their favorites. To discover who likes what, and why, continue reading…
Read morePatty Jenkins’ Wonder Woman, the first full-fledged cinematic outing for the venerable superhero, achieved another milestone, becoming the highest-grossing film
Read moreStylish filmmaker Sofia Coppola (“Marie Antoinette,” “Lost in Translation”) has adapted Don Siegel’s lurid 1971 Clint Eastwood western, based on
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With her sixth feature, Sofia Coppola can no longer be denied the appellation of auteur… if she ever could. The lush visuals, sultry atmosphere, and almost serene sense of the sinister that infuses The Beguiled add intriguing new layers to the distinctive signature approach to cinematic storytelling Coppola has been developing since her debut with 1999’s The Virgin Suicides. Continue reading…