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Sinners

Coogler, Jordan team up again for too-safe ‘Sinners’

“Sinners” builds up its portrayal of 1931 life for black folk in Mississippi so well that when a bigger cinematic threat comes along, it’s a

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TMNT Season 7

‘TMNT’ ‘Wises’ up for surprisingly strong Season 7 (1993, CBS)

In what seems like a conscious effort after the “European Vacation” sideseason (a.k.a. Season 7, part one), story editor and lead writer David Wise brings

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The Long Goodbye

Marlowe actually makes friends in ‘The Long Goodbye’ (1953)

Raymond Chandler makes what seems like a conscious reaction to “The Little Sister” (1949) – where everyone is mean and/or manipulative – in “The Long

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Stendhal Syndrome

‘Stendhal Syndrome’ (1996) is stupid but rather engaging

Asia Argento gives Schrodinger’s Performance in “The Stendhal Syndrome” (1996): She’s simultaneously excellent and totally miscast. She plays Anna and carries us through the film

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French Connection II

‘French Connection II’ (1975) brings the hard-a** Drug War to France

“The French Connection” (1971) made its thematic point: All that work by Popeye Doyle (Gene Hackman) and other cops, and — while some drugs are

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Ninotchka

Wilder serves and learns from Lubitsch in ‘Ninotchka’ (1939)

Billy Wilder was influenced by Ernst Lubitsch more than any other director, so “Ninotchka” (1939) is among the most important films to watch wherein Wilder

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TMNT Season 7

‘TMNT’ takes welcome ‘Vacation in Europe’ to start Season 7 (1993)

“Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles’ ” “Vacation in Europe” (1993) episodes have a mythic “lost episodes” quality in my mind. I was gradually losing interest in

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House of Leaves

‘House of Leaves’ (2000) as fleeting as, well, a house of leaves

Mark Z. Danielewski’s “House of Leaves” (2000) is a weird novel, but it’s not so weird you can’t enjoy a smooth reading experience (you just

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The Little Sister

People aren’t what they seem in ‘The Little Sister’ (1949)

Raymond Chandler returns from a six-year break between Philip Marlowe novels with his best-so-far analysis of how people aren’t always what they seem to be.

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House on Sorority Row

‘House on Sorority Row’ (1982) doesn’t do enough with strong female cast

I don’t quibble with endings as much as some viewers do; if the buildup is excellent, I’m lenient. But wow does “The House on Sorority

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