By John Larkin One of my favorite aspects of great filmmaking has always been the choice of music that closes out a film. The right song becomes the final statement of the story. It is the emotional conclusion and the last feeling an audience carries with them after the screen fades to black. When used well, a song that bridges the final scene into the end credits can leave a powerful and lasting impression. It shapes how the ending is remembered and gives the film a sense of

by Victoria Alexander MERCY stars Chris Pratt as a detective (Chris Raven) who has been accused of killing his wife. It’s 2029, and Chris wakes up locked in a chair after a brutal alcoholic blackout. He had destroyed a bar and fought with patrons and the police, who arrested him. Chris finds himself in the Mercy Chair. The judge (Rebecca Ferguson) is an AI-created entity. Once arrested and brought to the Mercy Chair, the accused — who is presumed guilty — has 90 minutes to pr

Purchase at MovieZyng.com by clicking the image above Newly Restored Reviewed by Roy Frumkes This was an uncommonly large restoration effort by a great many skilled hands, and while the human drama of the film has diminished over time, the several expansive desert sequences have remained unsurpassed, even by 1962’s LAWRENCE OF ARABIA. (Interestingly, Robert A. Harris is a major player in both films. Has he been harboring something quirky about desert locales?) The cast is al

Review by John Larkin MARTY SUPREME is a reminder that the work of a great director is not merely technical. They do not simply assemble strong production design, confident cinematography, or skilled performances. At their highest level, they transmit something less tangible, an energy, a frequency, directly through the screen. When it works, the audience does not simply observe the film; they absorb it. Josh Safdie understands this instinctively. With UNCUT GEMS, the Safdie