Earning Its Lumps, ‘FATMAN’ Is Neither Naughty Nor Nice Enough
‘Fatman’ swings and misses attempting to spark cynical holiday joy. Just never going quite far enough, Mel Gibson’ Santa might drink and curse and shoot guns but the movie itself…
REVIEW
REVIEW
The Cinematic Equivalent of the Phrase “Spooky Season”, ‘COME PLAY’ A Scare-Free Dud
A Halloween scare-fest this is not, but it’s also not totally rotten. 'Come Play' features a solid-enough turn from Gillian Jacobs as a mom struggling to connect with her son on…
REVIEW
Cohen Evolves as ’BORAT SUBSEQUENT MOVIEFILM’ Offers an Outrageous and Hopeful Coda for Election Year US and A
Sacha Baron Cohen brings Borat back from the grave to confront 2020 America in 'Borat Subsequent Moviefilm'. The result is decidedly less iconic (and relies too heavily on scripted rather…
REVIEW
Benson and Moorhead’s ‘SYNCHRONIC’ A Grizzly, Drug-Induced Time Travel Mission
Sci-fi indie filmmakers Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead have done it again with the trippy, drug-fueled time travel experiment 'Synchronic', which benefits from a strong leading man and an arresting…
REVIEW
‘THE TRIAL OF THE CHICAGO 7’ A Timely, Effective But Unremarkable Courtroom Trial
'The Trial of the Chicago 7' showcases both Aaron Sorkin's great skill and his great shortcomings. Telling the true story of a rambunctious American kangaroo court trial, Sorkin's script is…
REVIEW
NIGHTSTREAM 2020: Bad Dad Exploits Power Dynamics In Discomforting Coming of Age Thriller ’DARKNESS’
A powerful debut from Italian writer-director Emanuela Rossi, 'Darkness' uses a manufactured threat to speak to the potency of parental gaslighting as a headstrong daughter attempts to break from the…
REVIEW
Brilliantly Offbeat ‘KAJILLIONAIRE’ A Singular Work of Weirdo Wonder
Miranda July’s oddball opus ‘Kajillionaire’ uses quirk to speak to the distancing of humanity from itself, creating a weirdly tender and wholly otherworldly dramedy that’s lit up by great performances.
REVIEW
‘ANTEBELLUM’ Connects the Dots Between Black Past and Present
Much last this year’s ‘The Hunt’, ‘Antebellum’ is sure to spark controversy and shock viewers into taking a stance, one way or another. And though it may turn some away…
REVIEW
A Family Plagued by Ambition Suffers Silently In Brooding Drama ’THE NEST’
This well-acted follow-up feature from Sean Durkin is a ruminant deconstruction of ambition at the cost of a family’s emotional well-being. ‘The Nest’s measured pace and subtle themes may leave…
REVIEW
X-Men Franchise Dies A Final Death With Disposable Super-Teen Flick ‘THE NEW MUTANTS’
'The New Mutants' is a classic case of wasted potential, Josh Boone's vision of a darker horror-genre superhero movie not fulfilled so much as it is merely suggested. The cast…