Courtney Howard: Last News

Courtney Howard Boy meets girl. Girl falls for boy. Boy discovers he’s got a hazardous superpower and is called away to save the world from a burgeoning evil. This isn’t the usual formula for a romantic comedy, nor is it typical for Indian cinema, which roots itself in ancient mysticism and mythology. Yet that’s what makes writer-director Ayan Mukerji’s sprawling epic “Brahmāstra Part One: Shiva” special and innovative. He smashes up genre conventions as Western cinematic influences readily comingle with pure Bollywood razzle-dazzle. And though the story is occasionally overcomplicated and the spectacle excites and exhausts in equal measure (as even Marvel movies do), it’s a wildly entertaining jump start to a planned trilogy – touted as Bollywood’s first original cinematic universe, the “Astraverse.”

Courtney Howard In director Wanuri Kahiu’s “Look Both Ways,” a twentysomething woman is confronted with a pivotal situation that splits her life in two, eventually landing both versions of herself at a crossroads. The film mixes the conceits of “Sliding Doors” and “For Keeps” into one refurbished product, eschewing fantasy or melodrama in favor of grounded authenticity and levity.

Jurassic World Dominion has divided critics in early reactions.Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard are joined by the original Jurassic Park cast in the sequel, including Sam Neill, Laura Dern and Jeff Goldblum.Despite this dose of nostalgia, it seems the follow-up to 2018’s Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom hasn’t quite met the rapturous reception it wasn’t hoping for.Scott Menzel from We Live Entertainment, wrote: “It brings me no joy to report that Jurassic World Dominion is a MASSIVE disappointment. While the film does feature some incredible dinosaur sequences and it is great to see the original cast back on the big screen, the film fails to deliver on what the previous films promise.”A similar sentiment was shared by film critic Courtney Howard, who described it as the “worst of the franchise” and that it “ignores the premise it should’ve had from the start”.Some, however were positive towards the sequel.

Courtney Howard Director Julia Hart has quietly crafted a Disney+ franchise that continues to unfold in creative and charming ways. Her adaptation of “Stargirl” debuted on the streamer just as lockdown began; now with “Hollywood Stargirl,” the second film in the series, it’s clear the writer-director’s voice has taken shape in the same assured way as that of her young heroine. Hart and co-writer Jordan Horowitz’s follow-up goes blessedly off-book, diverging greatly from author Jerry Spinelli’s source novel “Love, Stargirl” to deliver its own unique view on how artistic passion evolves and inspires.

Courtney Howard In the frequently picked-over corpse of author Charles Perrault’s classic story “Cinderella,” centered on a servant girl who rises from obscurity after falling in love with a prince, lie such themes as perseverance, hope and the value of being a dreamer. These are the cornerstone principles of the Disney corporation, founded by a fellow dreamer who, similar to the plucky protagonist in the fairy tale, made a wish and saw it come true.

Courtney Howard In a film that sings the praises of heavy metal music and reveres those who create it, “Metal Lords” stumbles in its ability to truly rock. Director Peter Sollett’s coming-of-age feature centered on two teen outcasts who form a hardcore metal band explores some fairly unexpected, dark recesses given its lighthearted, comedically-inclined premise. Sex, drugs and rock ’n’ roll are on the set list, yet it plays too fast and loose, failing to achieve a good balance to make the chords reverberate louder.