‘Vanya on 42nd Street’ (1994) is a clever, money-saving film
Mamet Monday (Movie review): This is a clever, money-saving film that only pretends to be a play.
‘Vanya on 42nd Street’ (1994) is a clever, money-saving film
‘Always Be My Maybe’ is exactly what you think it is – but not entirely to its detriment (Movie review)
You know what kind of movie “Always Be My Maybe” (Netflix) is, and the people who made it know what kind of movie it is, but that shared knowledge works in its favor. In this tale of two childhood besties who are soul mates but don’t realize it, Ali Wong and especially Randall Park give […]
‘Punisher’ gets reimagined as a gore flick in ‘War Zone’ (2008)
Superhero Saturday (Movie review): “Punisher” gets reimagined yet again – this time as a gore flick in the third big-screen outing.
A second opinion: ‘Us’ is a boring piece of beautiful arthouse horror (Movie review)
Writer-director Jordan Peele’s “Us” reminds me of Alex Garland’s “Annihilation” (2018). Both are followups to a breakthrough piece of chilling sci-fi/horror that I and everybody else loved – “Get Out” (2017) in Peele’s case and “Ex Machina” (2015) in Garland’s. And in both cases, in my opinion, these followup efforts fall flat. Why? Well, it’s […]
‘Ghostbusters’ (2016) leans into comedy, drops suspense
Throwback Thursday (Movie review): This women-driven remake successfully leans into the comedy, but it sacrifices suspense.
‘Buffy’ flashback: ‘Portal Through Time’ (2006) (Book review)
With all the possibilities for Buffy to meet past Slayers introduced in “Tales of the Slayer” and the TV series itself, the time-travel adventure “Portal Through Time” (October 2006) should be a lot better than it is. But Alice Henderson, in her only Buffyverse work in the main novel line (she also wrote “Night Terrors” […]
Bear action, human rivalry vie for attention in ‘The Edge’ (1997)
Mamet Monday (Movie review): “The Edge” is highlighted by intense bear action, but it’s driven by an almost out-of-place human rivalry.
Jane stars in lightweight version of ‘The Punisher’ (2004)
Superhero Saturday (Movie review): Thomas Jane stars in a competent but comparatively lightweight version of the comic vigilante.
‘Ghostbusters II’ (1989) a big step down, but still fun
Throwback Thursday (Movie review): “Ghostbusters II” is a big step down from the original, but it’s still fun to spend time with these guys.
First episode impressions: ‘Big Little Lies’ Season 2 (TV review)
If the first episode is any indication, “Big Little Lies’ ” second season (9 p.m. Eastern Sundays on HBO) lacks the zest of the first but has so much momentum in the wake of the death of Perry (Alexander Skarsgard) that there won’t be a shortage of reasons to tune in. David E. Kelley returns […]