Articles by Paul Hall

Silence. We all are aware of the silence that surrounds us. For some the silence is golden. A minute or two away from the maddening rush of the world and our obligations. But others find the silence maddening and cannot function when things around them are not in motion. In the new film The Bay of Silence, it is clear that the quiet can sometimes hold secrets that cry out for attention. Will (Claes Bang) and Rosalind (Olga Kurylenko) are a couple in love. The two have found a quiet bay and the peacefulness of the still water equates to […]

Jack (Micheál Richardson) is in the middle of a divorce and the gallery he manages in London is about to be ripped out from under his guidance, mainly because it is owned by his soon-to-be ex-wife’s parents. All he knows and all he believes he is made of is wrapped up in his work there, so he will do everything to get the money to purchase the building for himself — which leads him back to his father in the new film Made in Italy. Robert Forester (Liam Neeson) was an accomplished artist but more notably, is Jack’s father. The […]

War is not a beautiful thing. It’s not glossy, it’s not shiny, and it is definitely not rainbows and puppy dogs. It is gritty, it is real, and it is hard to watch. The reality of war is played out a bit like an amazingly choreographed dance sequence. One side does one thing, the other responds, all while the reality of the consequences to the combatants and the bystanders is vicious and heartbreaking and leaves the whole experience with an emptiness. In the new film The Outpost, director Rod Lurie takes us on a gritty and real ride into Combat […]

Tragedy. Everyone has different responses to life-changing events that emotionally devastate them. In the new film The King of Staten Island, Scott (Pete Davidson) is still coping with the loss of his father some 17 years earlier. Scott spends his days endlessly wandering through life. He smokes excessive amounts of weed and hangs out with his friends with seemingly no purpose or motivation in his life. Kelsey (Bel Powley) is Scott’s secret hookup. She wants to go somewhere and just wants to be part of Scott’s life, but he is not ready for growth of any kind. As Scott’s sister […]

Gary Zimmer (Steve Carell) is a Democratic political strategist who loves the nuances of the political process. The rush of a successful campaign and seeing your candidate succeed is fulfilling after working through the power, corruption, backstabbing and lies on all sides and within all parties participating in the political process. But Gary is in a funk. He was a vital piece of the failed 2016 election and the loss makes him feel that his party needs to reshape itself. And then, like a ray of sun, Gary stumbles upon a viral video of a man who is perfect to […]

New to On Demand and DVD: Invisible Man Cecilia (Elisabeth Moss) is trying to get away from an abusive relationship. Her boyfriend Adrian (Oliver Jackson-Cohen) controls every aspect of her life and has even told her she will never get away from him. Cecilia’s sister Emily (Harriet Dyer) picks her up and hides her with a police officer friend, James (Aldis Hodge), and his daughter, Sydney (Storm Reid). When Emily gives Cecilia the news that Adrian has taken his own life, Cecilia starts to relax just a bit. But creepy coincidences are just around the corner. As strange things start […]

I feel the need, the need for speed. I really do. Sure, I know Tom Cruise and Anthony Edwards utter the phrase in Top Gun, but I feel it. So quote me as saying it now, too, long after that pair. Top Gun was require viewing for those of us who grew up in the 1980s. With a sequel on the flight deck now scheduled for December and a new 4K Blu-ray transfer headed to your homes May 19, I put on my aviator sunglasses and sat back in the home theater to take another peek at this classic gem. […]

When Jeremy Camp (KJ Apa) leaves his Midwestern town to begin his college career, it is just the start of a journey. He has no idea where this journey will lead him, but knows his love for music will join him on the ride. It doesn’t take long for Camp to use his charm to find a way to learn about the music business. He becomes friends with Jean-Luc (Nathan Dean Parsons), a member of a popular band who takes him under his wing. It is a friendship that helps launch Camp’s career and so much more. At one of […]

In the 1980s, my SEGA game system was a lifeline. I would disappear into the power of the game system as I was early to jump into the sports games that defined it. While the sports games were truly revolutionary compared to their competitors, there was one character who defined the system: Sonic the Hedgehog. Now, fresh from a strong run at the box office, Sonic the Hedgehog is available to watch at home On Demand. When I sat down with the film in the theater, I wondered aloud if it made sense to release a Sonic film in 2020. […]