- Tom Simmons
- September 11, 2025
‘Apple Dumpling Gang’ (1975) is the apple of my eye
I grew up with “The Apple Dumpling Gang” (1975). I would have been 8 years old upon its release. It showed repeatedly at local theaters
‘Apple Dumpling Gang’ (1975) is the apple of my eye
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- John Hansen
- September 9, 2025
‘Nobody 2’ captures the emotional struggle for work-life balance
The “John Wick” saga famously launched because Keanu Reeves’ character seeks revenge for the murder of his puppy. Writer Derek Kolstad’s newer saga boasts an
- John Hansen
- September 7, 2025
MacDonald expands the definition of a mystery in ‘Green Ripper’ (1979)
John D. MacDonald challenges the definition of what a mystery can be in “The Green Ripper” (1979), his 18th Travis McGee novel. It starts as
- John Hansen
- September 5, 2025
‘Naked Gun’ 2025: By god, it is funny after all
The Zucker-Abrahams-Zucker gag-per-second style of comedy pioneered by “Airplane” (1980) and perfected with “The Naked Gun” (1988) couldn’t be trademarked, but few movies or TV
- John Hansen
- September 5, 2025
‘I Know What You Did Last Summer’ ’25 and the importance of exploring themes
“I Know What You Did Last Summer” 2025 is the worst kind of bad movie: one that could’ve easily been good, and possibly even great.
- John Hansen
- September 4, 2025
‘I Know What You Did Last Summer’ ’25 struggles to set its hook
I’m not one for ripping movies for not sticking the landing, provided the buildup has been enjoyable; after all, the buildup is most of the
- John Hansen
- September 4, 2025
Coughlan goes to head of the class in ‘Teaching Mrs. Tingle’ (1999)
Because of its premise of high school students going toe-to-toe with an evil teacher, the star-making turn by Marisa Coughlan (who goes toe-to-toe with veteran
- John Hansen
- September 3, 2025
‘Imaginary Strangers’ (2024) excitingly internalizes the mystery-thriller
Minka Kent brings us directly into the mind of a sociopath in “Imaginary Strangers” (2024). But this isn’t a stereotypically violent sociopath; rather, homemaker and
- John Hansen
- August 31, 2025
McGee takes on the Drug War in ‘Dreadful Lemon Sky’ (1974)
Travis McGee is a spiritual continuation of Philip Marlowe, but with a difference that’s nicely illustrated in “The Dreadful Lemon Sky” (1974), John D. MacDonald’s
- John Hansen
- August 29, 2025
‘Phantom of the Paradise’ (1974) is De Palma’s ambitious pop opera
Brian De Palma, the greatest remixer in cinema history, follows up his Hitchcock-inspired breakthrough “Sisters” (1973) with “Phantom of the Paradise” (1974). The musical combines