Brilliant and Unforgettable, ‘Joker’ Borders on Genius
Regardless of my mixed feelings, I think it's the best film about the psychological effect of violence as pop art since Stanley Kubrick's 'A Clockwork Orange.'
View ArticlePolice Procedural ‘Crown Vic’ Will Keep You Glued to Your Watch More Than the...
This trek through Hollywood after dark begins promisingly enough, then loses credibility to melodrama in one contrived situation after another.
View ArticleNoah Baumbach’s Divorce Drama ‘Marriage Story’ Is Intelligent but Self-Indulgent
I liked the movie (or select scenes in it) but even the scenes that work better than others are, like all of Baumbach's screenplays, too slow, draggy and desperately in need of tighter editing.
View Article‘Alan Pakula: Going For Truth’ Is an Affectionate Tribute to a Beloved Director
'Alan Pakula: Going For Truth' exemplifies what every great documentary aspires to be: a truthful, revealing dossier that educates while it entertains.
View ArticleMild and Silly, ‘The Shed’ Is Full of Laughably Contrived Scenarios
Forget about 'The Shed.' I've had bigger scares from my broom closet.
View Article‘Waves’ Is a Demanding and Absorbing Family Drama
The film is too long, but I was impressed and riveted throughout.
View ArticleIn ‘The Good Liar,’ Helen Mirren and Ian McKellen Redefine Rapture
The only consistent thrill in 'The Good Liar' is waiting to see what the inestimably talented stars will do next.
View ArticleIn ‘The Courier,’ Gary Oldman Gives the Worst Performance of His Career
In this moronic thriller, nothing works on any level, but most of all where it matters most—a script that makes sense.
View ArticleDaniel Craig’s Murder Mystery ‘Knives Out’ Is More of a Comedy Than a Thriller
Maybe I'm just jaded, but to me, there isn't a genuine thrill in sight. Still, I found it an enjoyable enough way to pass the time between clichés.
View ArticleMark Ruffalo’s ‘Dark Waters’ Is a Perfect Movie
This is acting of the highest order, in a film that must not be missed.
View ArticleHelen Hunt’s ‘I See You’ Is a Labored, Amateurish Charade
Helen Hunt is a good actress with an Oscar on her mantle and practically no ability to choose a decent movie script based on quality or entertainment value.
View ArticleNaomi Watts Is Unrecognizable in Lurid Psychological Thriller ‘The Wolf Hour’
She produced it to show off the range of her obvious talent, and deserves an A for effort in a vehicle that rates a D for dreary, desolate and depressing.
View Article‘The Aeronauts’ Is an Entertaining Adventure About Daredevil Hot-Air Balloon...
But mostly the film offers computer generated contrivances while the genuine thrills never lift off and fly.
View ArticlePoignant Performances Hoist ‘Harry Townsend’s Last Stand’ Above the Level of...
'Harry Townsend's Last Stand' takes a serious subject and dusts it with humor.
View ArticleDespite Riveting Performances, ‘Bombshell’ Goes Out of Its Way Not to Anger...
"For a story so rife with pungent possibilities, the script by Charles Randolph is dry as a bone and Jay Roach's direction goes out of its way not to make anyone at what remains of Fox News mad."
View Article‘Seberg’ Is a Must-See on the Toxic Consequences of Celebrity Activism
No responsible person interested in the toxic consequences of fame and the political fallout from following your heart in activist causes can afford to miss this one. Considering the horrors that...
View Article‘Black Christmas’ Is a Crummy Excuse for a Horror Film
There's nothing remotely innovative or even goofily satirical about it.
View ArticleWith ‘Richard Jewell,’ Clint Eastwood Shows Us How Great Movies are Made
Yes, this is a great one, and a magnificent centerpiece performance by an unknown actor named Paul Walter Hauser in the title role is a major reason it is so unforgettable.
View Article‘1917’ Is the Best War Movie Since ‘Saving Private Ryan’
The encounters are treacherous and the gunfire is so loud that you're never in danger of dozing off.
View ArticleGreta Gerwig’s ‘Little Women’ Settles for Sentimentality
This version is not a regrettable experience, but if it's a flawless 'Little Women' you crave, I advise you to look elsewhere.
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