Female Film Critics 24/375
Judging by its outlandish subject matter, I expected writer/director Alex Scharfman’s Death of a Unicorn to – at the very least – be an intriguing fantasy/satire. Instead it’s astoundingly awful! The overly complicated central conflict descends into predictably tedious mayhem with R-rated graphic gore revolving around monstrous CGI creatures whose shaggy heads resemble donkeys more than horses.
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A pack of good-looking people explore their sexual orientation in On Swift Horses, a ‘50s-set drama about hidden desire and awakening from director Daniel Minahan. While their stories are about self-discovery and trying to lead an authentic life — and, obviously, representation is crucial — On Swift Horses is kind of fluffy and romantic and Hollywood-like. It verges on melodrama and is eventually tedious; this is R-rated fare that might mostly appeal to adolescents. It doesn’t seem intended for grown-ups. Above all, it is frustrating to see 1950s “olde timey” responses to anything regarded, at the time, as illicit love — as if somehow homophobia has vanished and things have changed dramatically in the generations that followed. Which they have not.
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If you’ve been an avid follower of the Marvel Cinematic Universe and writer/director James Gunn’s fun-loving band of intergalactic outcasts, you may be intrigued by Rocket Raccoon’s origin story. In previous installments of the Guardians sci-fi action-comedy concept, there’s been good-natured, space-pirate humor but, here, they’re just babbling nonsense for a bloated two hours, 30 minutes. The best sequences are poignant flashbacks showing how young Rocket gains sentience and bonds with other genetically-altered species, like an otter, rabbit and walrus. The worst sequences involve gross ‘n’ gruesome, heavy-handed destruction. And it’s curious that James Gunn seems to be connecting with the currently controversial ‘trans’ experience.
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I know I have been saying that since Endgame and Spiderman: No Way Home, Marvel has cranked out some underwhelming sequels. So, that put a lot of pressure on the third installment of the beloved Guardians of the Galaxy franchise. Well, I am so happy to say that Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 3 is a hit and a solid ending to a fantastic trilogy.
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Nine years after entering the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the lovably flawed Guardians of the Galaxy say goodbye with Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, an eclectic and affectionate mixtape that’s funny, thrilling, shattering, and bittersweet. The satisfying ending is a sendoff that lands just right, emphasizing how the unlikely heroes have been saving each other all along.
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Cast as a crusading DEA Agent in Dopestick, Rosario Dawson comments on the opioid crisis: I think this show, and why we’re in DC pushing it, is about the fact that we are not just trying to entertain people. We want this to be something that profoundly changes the game. You could feel it from every single person in the crew, because I have family and friends who have succumbed to the opioid crisis. 2020 had a record high of overdoses, and 75% of those overdoses were opioids. So we need to do something about it, and hopefully the show motivates people to do just that.
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