Melanie Dishman's archive

In the Dark with Melanie Dishman: Put another dime in the jukebox

Taron Egerton in Rocketman

Rocketman

Starring: Taron Egerton, Jamie Bell

Directed by: Dexter Fletcher

Rated: R

 

Coincidences abound in this fantastical take on the meteoric rise of Elton John despite his many personal struggles. Director Dexter Fletcher recently stepped in to finish “Bohemian Rhapsody,” for which Rami Malek just won the Oscar for his portrayal of another flamboyant rocker, Freddie Mercury. 

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In the Dark: ‘The Favourite’ a powerhouse while ‘Second Act’ offers no surprises

Movies didn’t disappoint over the holidays. There was literally something for everyone with everything from rom-coms to super heroes to family fare. If you define family as anyone from 7 to 70 and beyond then “Mary Poppins Returns” was high on the list of must-sees. It was a true Disney production in the grand old fashion from the full orchestrations of the score to the elaborate set design and costumes. That much did harken back to the glory days of Disney.

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In the Dark: That’s a wrap

There’s a big qualifier for my best and worst picks for 2018 — I haven’t seen some contenders yet. So let’s say this is my best and worst so far. It’s been a strong year for women in film with actresses and directors. The Best Actress category is bound to be a crowded field with veterans like Glenn Close for “The Wife” and most likely Lady Gaga for her debut in “A Star is Born.” But I’m getting ahead of myself lets recap the year with some hits and misses that I’ve seen:

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In the Dark - Enjoying this film is no vice

Amy Adams and Christian Bale star in McKay’s ‘Vice’

Adam McKay likes taking those pesky parts of history we tend to forget and turn them into movies lest we forget why we are where we are today. Take “The Big Short” about the house lending meltdown of 2008. We don’t like to remember there were some who sounded the alarm bell about what was happening in plain sight and then it happened, sending the economy spiraling with it. 

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In the Dark:This submarine thriller attempts to stay above water

Hunter Killer

Starring: Gerard Butler

Directed by: Donovan Marsh

Rated: PG-13

 

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