Movies

Daniels shines in sweet ‘Purple Rose of Cairo’ (1985)

“The Purple Rose of Cairo” (1985) is a sweetly whimsical Woody Allen picture that demonstrates a love for cinema along with a healthy understanding of

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‘Sphere’ (1998) takes its place among sci-fi mind-benders

It’s been more than 20 years now, so I guess “Sphere” (1998) won’t become a cult classic. But darn it, it should have. This Michael

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Summer movie preview 2021: Calendar of releases, plus 10 films in spotlight

Well, let’s try this again. Last summer didn’t have much of a movie season, but signs point to 2021 being a notch closer to normalcy.

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Barker’s ‘Hellraiser’ (1987) is artistic gore-horror

When I got into horror movies starting with “Scream,” I subscribed to Fangoria, the cover of which often featured gore-horror that didn’t appeal to me.

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Murray at his most curmudgeonly in lovable ‘St. Vincent’ (2014)

Bill Murray gives one of his most actor-ly performances in “St. Vincent” (2014), but it’s still his innate ability to play a curmudgeon with a

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Nostalgic ‘Broadway Danny Rose’ (1984) doesn’t tug at heartstrings

“Broadway Danny Rose” (1984) is Woody Allen’s love letter to his standup comedy days. He plays the titular manager of has-been and never-was stage acts

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‘Slither’ (2006) a fun small-town infestation romp

Writer-director James Gunn has a knack for presenting crisp, energetic storytelling while making fun of the genre he’s working in – but without disrespecting the

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Murray, Dreyfuss trade great turns in ‘What About Bob?’ (1991)

Bill Murray, in a not-too-showy turn as the titular neurotic, and Richard Dreyfuss, in a sometimes delightfully over-the-top turn as his annoyed psychiatrist, trade off

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‘Stardust Memories’ (1980) shows absurdities of fame

“Just deal with it” is my knee-jerk response to celebrities who complain about the price of fame. But in “Stardust Memories” (1980), Sandy Bates –

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‘Leatherface’ (2017) recaptures ‘Chain Saw’s’ grotesquery

After seeing so many follow-ups that are influenced by momentary trends rather than by what made the original “Texas Chain Saw Massacre” (1974) stand out,

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