uzo aduba – ALLIANCE OF WOMEN FILM JOURNALISTS

ROOFMAN – Review by Valerie Kalfrin

October 5, 2025October 12, 2025 Valerie Kalfrin Ben Mendelsohn, Channing Tatum, Derek Cianfrance, juno temple, kirsten dunst, Lakeith Stanfield, Peter Dinklage, Roofman, uzo aduba

Roofman hypes its true-story roots but might have worked better as a documentary. The ads with star Channing Tatum, sporting an inner tube and toting a giant plush bear and a gun, highlight the quirks—“based on actual events and terrible decisions,” the poster says—but there’s little here to show why audiences should care for this guy. I’m not saying every protagonist needs to be likeable, but the film leans on Tatum’s considerable charm instead of fleshing out the motivations and flaws of its main character.

Reviews

THE RESIDENCE – Review by Susan Granger

March 24, 2025March 24, 2025 Susan Granger Al Franken, Giancarlo Esposito, Isiah Whitlock Jr, Jane Curtin, Julian McMahon, Kylie Minogue, Shonda Rhimes, Shondaland, The Residence, uzo aduba

Shondaland has invaded the White House! Prolific producer Shonda Rhimes teamed up with Paul William Davies to create a captivating comedic whodunit miniseries that’s set in The Residence of the President of the United States. The mystery begins when the dead body of stoic White House Chief Usher A.B. Wynter (Giancarlo Esposito) is discovered on the night of a gala State Dinner, honoring the Australian Prime Minister (Julian McMahon) – with pop star Kylie Minogue doing an impromptu live set.

Reviews

LIGHTYEAR – Review by Susan Granger

June 28, 2022July 2, 2022 Susan Granger Angus MacLane, Chris Evans, disney pixar, Jason Headley, Keke Palmer, Lightyear, Taika Waititi, Toy Story, uzo aduba

It’s rare that Disney/Pixar movies incite controversy but Lightyear, a Toy Story origin story, certainly has. The great kerfuffle revolves around a brief, same-gender kiss that was removed and then reinstated when Pixar employees said Disney was censoring “overtly gay affection” as Disney CEO Bob Chapek reacted to Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” legislation.

Reviews

LIGHTYEAR – Review by T.J. Callahan

June 14, 2022 T. J. Callahan Chris Evans, disney pixar, Keke Palmer, Lightyear, Taika Waititi, Toy Story, uzo aduba

Lightyear: Come with a Buzz and you’ll leave with a smile. Lightyear is a prequel, of sorts, to Toy Story. Think of it as the movie Andy watched that made Buzz Lightyear his hero and inspired hia favorite doll. This is NOT a Toy Story movie. Even though they are animated, the characters in the film aren’t toys, but Space Rangers trying to get back to their planet after a mission mishap that took them to infinity and beyond.

News

WEEK IN WOMEN: Dahvi Waller Premieres MRS. AMERICA on FX/Hulu – Brandy McDonnell reports

April 12, 2020April 13, 2020 Brandy McDonnell 0 Comments cate blanchett, dahvi waller, margo martindale, mrs america, neicy nash, phyllis schlafly, rose byrne, the week in women, tracy ullman, twiw, uzo aduba

Primetime Emmy-winning writer and producer Dahvi Waller, whose premier previous credits include Mad Men and Halt and Catch Fire was looking for an intriguing angle to delve into 1970s feminism, and she found it in Mrs. America.

Reviews

MISS VIRGINIA – Review by Carol Cling

October 19, 2019October 19, 2019 Carol Cling 0 Comments erin o'connor, matthew modine, miss virginia, motion picture institute, rj daniel hnn, uzo aduba

Just because a movie’s based on a true story doesn’t mean it’s entirely truthful. That’s certainly true of Miss Virginia, a fact-based drama about a single mother who turns community activist to save her son — and, by extension, other sons and daughters — from the mean streets of turn-of-the-millennium Washington, D.C.