Jazz music and psychology create a furious cinematic swell in Damien Chazelle’s “Whiplash,” a striking breakthrough effort that will have toes tapping and pulses racing. Centered on a 19-year-old aspiring Jazz drummer pushed to his limits for better and for worse (usually worse) by a merciless instructor, “Whiplash” tells a simple story of how far […]

When major theater chains decided not to show “The Interview” because of terrorism threats from North Korean hackers, Hollywood saw an unparalleled degree of hype surrounding a film that otherwise would’ve received a moderate spotlight at best. But while news buzz for this comedy about a TV host and his producer being recruited to assassinate […]

Everyone wants to talk about the snubs: “Selma,” the Roger Ebert documentary “Life Itself,” “The LEGO Movie” (okay, I’m really pissed about “The LEGO Movie” too you guys). But I like to find the facts you might not have considered or that I think are worth noting.

Woot! Sorry, had to get that out there. That’s what it feels like when you finally motivate yourself to write a post for your blog that isn’t just a review of the last movie you saw, which, if you’ve been checking out Movie Muse at all in the last year, is all you’ve gotten outside […]

How is John Carney the only filmmaker who knows how to make a contemporary musical? The “Once” filmmaker recaptures some of that film’s magic in “Begin Again,” a more mainstream approach for a wider American audience. With a team of terrific songwriters and a top-notch cast, “Begin Again” is a welcome reminder of why and […]

The truth is that January and a majority of February are really about catching up on 2014 awards contenders. Hollywood knows it too, which is why January, especially, is considered a dumping ground for bad movies. Heck, that’s why last year I did my “Top 10 Movies of 2013” list in January because I needed […]