Nightmare Alley (***1/2) Life is a Carnival
There are no surprises. Just misery in waiting.
Christmas Terror Two: Fatman (***) and Krampus (***)
Two films for those who need horrid stories for Christmas.
Belfast (****) Move myself and my family aside…
This is a brief tale that lacks any amount of pretension that might be present in a longer film.
Ghostbusters Series Ranking – There’s still life left…
From the classic original to the classic 2021 sequel, there’s some good stuff and bad in between.
Ghostbusters Afterlife (*****) never leaves
Great is still great, no matter the age.
Free Fire (**) hits and misses
Director Ben WheatleyScreenplay Amy Jump, Ben WheatleyStarring Brie Larson, Cillian Murphy, Armie Hammer, Sharlto Copely, Jack Reynor, Babou Ceesay, Enzo Cilenti, Sam Riley, Michael Smiley, Noah Taylor So much shooting. […]
Benny Loves You (**1/2) and bad jokes
This is likely to be a late night film with friends and Taco Bell and whatever else one decides to ingest. It’s not the time one makes the best decisions anyway.
Love and Monsters (***) a pleasant walk with a dog named Boy
In all this is a nice film that should leave a smile on all but the most cynical of faces.
Free Guy (****1/2) is solid
This is truly a film that is worth waiting through a pandemic to see on the big screen. It will also be something worth watching at home for years to come.
The Suicide Squad (***1/2) doesn’t dive deep
Written and Directed by James GunnStarring Margot Robbie, Idris Elba, John Cena, Joel Kinnaman, Sylvester Stallone (voice), Viola Davis, Jai Courtney, Peter Capaldi, Daniela Melchior, David Dastmalchian Idiris Elba is […]
Netflix’ Army of the Dead (***1/2) is Snyder’s road back
Notaro especially is worth the price of admission, with her wry comedic observations wafting through the heavy air like a wisdom to which the rest of us are not privy.
Another Look: Is Rain Man a forgotten gem by now?
I have never come across someone who has a bad thing to say about Rain Man, but if it were released today, I am sure someone could complain. Thank God it came out in 1988.
Another Look: The Odd Couple (****) gives our first date with Lemmon and Matthau
Ultimately, what works best is the chemistry of the two leads, as everyone else appears to be along for the same ride as the viewers.
Forgotten Gem: Murder By Death (****) is about the punchline
If you like Knives Out, this film is at least a spiritual predecessor to that comic mystery masterpiece. Absurdity is a journey in an of itself. The mystery is a bonus.
Promising Young Woman (***1/2): Girl, Interrupted
There is a tacit understanding within the bounds of Promising Young Woman that men of college age and above are perverted cowards at best, rapists at worst.
Criterion: The In-Laws (****1/2) life in serpentine
There are plenty of comedies of any era that don’t age well. Try one that work at such a human level, one would be hard pressed to avoid relating to it during any era.
Ebert Did It Better: Gasbag Reviews 