‘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
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…
REVIEW
Blockbusting Bore ‘TENET’ Revels In Nolan’s Worst Instincts
‘Tenet’ sees director Christopher Nolan completely bend the knee to technical showmanship and entirely ignore the bread and butter of what makes films engaging: character. Though the mostly-practical VFX achievements…
REVIEW
Suburban Sci-Fi ‘VIVARIUM’’s Solitary Metaphor Is Stretched Way Too Thin
Imogen Poots is solid in the role and Eisenberg holds his weight but ultimately 'Vivarium' is a thin sci-fi mystery stretched far beyond the breaking point and one that's more…
REVIEW
Inflammatory and Ultraviolent ‘THE HUNT’ Triggers Both Sides of the Aisle
As purely a piece of filmmaking, Zobel’s latest lacks the strong tonal command of a piece like Compliance or, to a lesser degree, Z for Zachariah but his set-piece staging…
REVIEW
Surprise! Intimate Abortion Procedural ‘NEVER RARELY SOMETIMES ALWAYS’ a Very Somber Ride
‘Never Rarely Sometimes Always’ focuses on the logistics of an abortion road trip as writer-director Eliza Hittman delivers an empathic and occasionally potent humanist drama that begs viewers to feel…
REVIEW
Sad Affleck: The Movie, ‘THE WAY BACK’, a Dour Character Study Dressed Up as a Sports Drama
Ben Affleck steps up to the line to deliver a notable performance as a troubled alcoholic basketball coach but ‘The Way Back’’s quiet, deliberate approach is not going to hype…
REVIEW
Trauma (and Push-Pins) Are Buried Deep in Cringy ‘SWALLOW’
‘Swallow’ is a subdued thriller/character study lead by a breakout performance from Haley Bennett that thoughtfully explores the concept of lingering trauma and self-destructive habits. The lead character eats lots…
REVIEW
Victorian Love Lives Matter in Pampered, Prissy, Punctuated ’EMMA.’
As Jane Austen adaptations go, ‘Emma’ is an adequately coiffed and bouncy retelling, though tends to overstay its welcome at times, where the production design elements like the costumery, landscapes,…