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Sean Means Movie Reviews for February 13th, 2020

ARTSIES

Citizen K – 3 1/2 stars

Oscar (R) winning writer/director Alex Gibney’s revelatory CITIZEN K is an intimate yet sweeping look at post-Soviet Russia from the perspective of the enigmatic Mikhail Khodorkovsky, a former oligarch turned political dissident. Benefitting from the chaos that ensued after the dissolution of the U.S.S.R., Khodorkovsky was able to amass a fortune in financing and oil production and became the richest man in Russia. But when he accused the new Putin regime of corruption, Khodorkovsky was arrested, his assets were seized and following a series of show trials, he was sentenced to more than ten-years in prison. Today, as an exile living in London, he continues to speak out against Putin’s two-decade stranglehold on power.   Read More

Director: Alex Gibney

Starring: Mikhail Khodorkovsky, Vladimir Putin, Leonid Nevzlin

Incitement – 3 1/2 stars 

In September 1993, Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin announces the Oslo Accords, which aim to achieve a lasting peace between Israelis and Palestinians after decades of violence. Yigal Amir, a law student and a devoted Orthodox Jew, cannot believe that his country’s leader will cede territory that he and many others believe is rightfully — by the word of God — theirs. As the prospect of a peaceful compromise approaches, Amir turns from a hot-headed political activist to a dangerous extremist. Consumed by anger and delusions of grandeur, he recruits fighters and steals weapons to form an underground militia intent on killing Palestinians. After his longtime girlfriend leaves him, Amir becomes even more isolated, disillusioned, and bitter. He soon learns of an ancient Jewish law, the Law of the Pursuer, that he believes gives him the right to murder Yitzhak Rabin.   Read More

Director: Yaron Zilberman

Starring: Yehuda Nahari Halevi, Amitay Yaish Ben Ousilio, Anat Ravnitzki

FARTSIES 

Fantasy Island – not screened

In Blumhouse’s new spin on Fantasy Island, the enigmatic Mr. Roarke makes the secret dreams of his lucky guests come true at a luxurious but remote tropical resort. But when the fantasies turn into nightmares, the guests have to solve the island’s mystery in order to escape with their lives.   Read More

Director: Jeff Wadlow

Starring: Lucy Hale, Maggie Q, Portia Doubleday

The Photograph – not screened

When famed photographer Christina Eames unexpectedly dies, she leaves her estranged daughter Mae Morton (Issa Rae) hurt, angry and full of questions. When a photograph tucked away in a safe-deposit box is found, Mae finds herself on a journey delving into her mother’s early life and ignites a powerful, unexpected romance with a rising-star journalist, Michael Block (LaKeith Stanfield).   Read More

Director: Stella Meghie

Starring: LaKeith Stanfield, Issa Rae, Chelsea Peretti

Romance in the Outfield: Double Play – TBD

When TYLER comes home from a injury that could end his career, and has him in the dugout coaching in a high-stake game of softball, against KENZIE, a pretty face, and a feisty coach, where they have a history together. They don’t exactly hit it off in the game opener where she pitches him some love of her own, but in the game of love-competitiveness and love don’t mix. They must rekindle the love they once had and learn to forgive and forget leaving behind their complicated history. Love strikes in different ways when TIFFANY, the iconic Christian girl is running away from her vows, and randomly jumps into CHASE’s car, a free-spirited Maverick-who quickly sweeps her off her feet and leaves her questioning her faith and values. Tyler must choose what’s most important between a career and love, and Kenzie must let go and give him a second chance.   Read More

Directors: Randolph Sternberg & Rebecca Sternberg

Starring: Monica Moore Smith, Mary Hall, K. Danor Gerald

Sonic the Hedgehog – 2 1/2 stars

SONIC THE HEDGEHOG is a live-action adventure comedy based on the global blockbuster video game franchise from Sega that centers on the infamously brash bright blue hedgehog. The film follows the (mis)adventures of Sonic as he navigates the complexities of life on Earth with his newfound — human — best friend Tom Wachowski (James Marsden). Sonic and Tom join forces to try and stop the villainous Dr. Robotnik (Jim Carrey) from capturing Sonic and using his immense powers for world domination.   Read More

Director: Jeff Fowler

Starring: Jim Carrey, Ben Schwartz, James Marsden

Downhill – 3 stars

Barely escaping an avalanche during a family ski vacation in the Alps, a married couple is thrown into disarray as they are forced to reevaluate their lives and how they feel about each other. Inspired by the motion picture FORCE MAJEURE by Ruben Östlund.   Read More

Directors: Nat Faxon & Jim Rash

Starring: Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Will Ferrell, Miranda Otto

NEXT WEEK

The Assistant

Brahms: The Boy II

The Call of the Wild

The Lodge

Olympic Dreams

 

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