In spite of Top Gun: Maverick and Elvis’ zeitgeisty domination, the summer of 2022 has been mostly disappointing in terms of its blockbuster fare. We’ve seen dinosaurs haphazardly clomp around, Norse gods crack jokes to distract us from a lack...
I’m starting to suspect that James Gray really hates his parents. Three years after his intriguing Ad Astra explored his complicated relationship with his father, Gray has returned with Armageddon Time, a semi-autobiographical look at his...
The line between “good” and “great” is thin to the point of invisibility, especially in cinema. A film can have all the pieces of a great film – an important story, a stellar cast, strong direction – but without that extra “something,” it never...
The most egregious crime a piece of art can commit is undermining its own message. If the entire thesis is so flimsy that a film’s very existence disproves it, then why bother watching it? This is the feeling that envelops a watcher of The Menu...
In Tim Burton’s awful 2005 take on Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Willy Wonka declares “The best prize is a surprise.” Why am I quoting this horrible children’s film to you? Well, it felt apropos given the nature of this review. I knew...
It takes a lot for me to hate a musical. It takes a lot for me to hate a Will Ferrell movie, or a Ryan Reynolds movie – much less combined. Hell, it takes a lot for me to hate A Christmas Carol. To say I hated Spirited, Apple’s big splashy...
To say that Black Panther: Wakanda Forever had a cursed journey during its production is an understatement. It is expected to follow a billion-dollar success, the first superhero film to earn an Oscar nomination, without buckling to the pressure...
Is there anything more Irish or as lapsed-Catholic than Martin McDonagh’s love of the parable? As he attempted (with mild success, I’ll admit) with Three Billboards outside Ebbing, Missouri and his various plays about Irish history, vengeance...
There are all sorts of reasons a critic could and would give a film a rave review. It could be because of a stellar script, crackling with wit and intelligence. It could be an all-star cast, all operating at the top of their game. It could even...
There’s something irresistible about watching a master of a craft doing what they do best. Whether or not it’s their best work, or the film leaves you wanting more, the sheer spectacle of the filmmaking enshrouds and overwhelms you, oftentimes...
Few films are brave enough, honest enough, or smart enough to hold a mirror to the realities of today anymore. Whereas the 30s confronted the Great Depression head on, and the 70s were ripe with films ready to depict a society teetering on the...
Every time it feels as though Netflix has scraped the bottom of the barrel when it comes to its documentaries, one comes along that knocks you flat on your ass. Perhaps it’s because director Margaret Bowen’s Descendant was made outside of the...
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