‘Pocket Full of Rye’ (1953) a pocket full of tropes
Sleuthing Sunday (Book review): Agatha Christie pulls out all the rules of the game in “A Pocket Full of Rye,” a comfortably familiar murder tale in a manor.
‘Pocket Full of Rye’ (1953) a pocket full of tropes
Scares diminish, but ‘Grudge 3’ (2009) is rather sweet
Frightening Friday (Movie review): Although not very scary, “G3” is quite watchable thanks to a cute little family unit led by Johanna Braddy.
‘The Air I Breathe’ (2007) is short on filmmaking oxygen
Throwback Thursday (Movie review): This SMG film is more interesting on paper than in execution as it explores strangers’ interactions in the vein of “Crash.”
Rowlands shines in character study ‘Another Woman’ (1988)
Woody Wednesday (Movie review): A personal yet relatable analysis of a professionally successful woman at 50, “Another Woman” is among Allen’s elite dramas.
‘Yellowjackets’ soapier than I’d like, but has some sting
First episode impressions (TV review): This miniseries has a great premise of teen girls thrown into an extreme situation, but it’s also a little soapy.
Slow-burn ‘Dune’ illustrates imperial machinations
Movie review: Villeneuve’s film is homework more than entertainment. But it’s interesting to see how “Star Wars” was influenced by “Dune.”
‘Next’ (2006) a weirdly engineered novel about genetics
Michael Crichton Monday (Book review): Crichton experiments with structure, making “Next” as much a scrapbook as a plotted story.
‘Funerals are Fatal’ (1953), especially in this family
Sleuthing Sunday (Book review): Christie doesn’t reinvent anything here, but this family-based mystery does offer a few wrinkles.
‘Brahms: The Boy II’ (2020) all dolled up for silly scares
Frightening Friday (Movie review): Katie Holmes takes over for Lauren Cohan in a sequel that’s more basic than the inventive original.
‘Harvard Man’ (2001) tries to gimmick up a crime yarn
Throwback Thursday (Movie review): Sarah Michelle Gellar again goes against type in an edgy role, but this one is less memorable than “Cruel Intentions.”