History

‘Winning Time’ a winner, even if not entirely accurate 

“Deep fake” video technology now makes it possible for actors to look like other people. But “Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty” Season

READ MORE

Klosterman smartly, engagingly dissects ‘The Nineties’ 

In his new hardcover book “The Nineties,” Chuck Klosterman illustrates the nature of traditional network TV with a “Seinfeld” reference from 1992. Why would people

READ MORE

Sorkin stays in comfort zone in ‘Being the Ricardos’ (2021)

Writer-director Aaron Sorkin’s “Being the Ricardos” (2021) is like an episode of “Sports Night,” “Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip” or “The Newsroom.” That’s a

READ MORE

‘Great Train Robbery’ (1978) a sharp but stiff procedural

Writer-director Michael Crichton turns around his 1975 novel “The Great Train Robbery” for a 1978 film that reaffirms his technical competence but lacks flair. It’s

READ MORE

Allen tackles TV with ‘Crisis in Six Scenes’ (2016)

For “Crisis in Six Scenes” (2016, Amazon Prime), Woody Allen takes a rolling pin to a movie idea, flattening it out to take up six

READ MORE

A twist: ‘Death Comes as the End’ (1944) set in ancient Egypt

Settling in for a comfortingly familiar Agatha Christie novel, I was surprised to find that “Death Comes as the End” (1944) is something quite different.

READ MORE

‘Cloud Atlas’ (2012) has epic rebellious streak

On a kick of Wachowski movies, I notice their running theme of systems or rulers oppressing common or poor folk. That’s again the case in

READ MORE

‘Timeline’ (1999) exists much more in past than future

Surprising for a science fiction author, Michael Crichton wrote about the past (“The Great Train Robbery,” “Eaters of the Dead,” “Pirate Latitudes,” “Dragon Teeth”) a

READ MORE

Donner’s ‘Timeline’ (2003) clashes with Crichton’s

Two late-20th century icons’ paths cross in “Timeline” (2003), director Richard Donner’s film based on Michael Crichton’s 1999 novel. The screenplay is faithful enough to

READ MORE

‘Café Society’ (2016) beats ‘La La Land’ to punch

“Café Society” (2016), Woody Allen’s beautiful-looking ode to Old Hollywood, was overshadowed by “La La Land” a few months later. This is understandable, as “La

READ MORE