Tenet (****1/2) Explores time in a bottle
There is a lot of sequel potential here, but only if Nolan continues himself. It’s the kind of plot device that could go straight to hell if not handled right.
Freaks (****) Not gonna run anymore
Written and Directed by Adam Stein, Zach LipovskyStarring Emile Hirsch, Bruce Dern, Grace Park, Amanda Crew, Lexy Kolker Chloe Lewis (Kolker) is seven years old. She has lived in an […]
Sorry To Bother You (**) Comedy + Woke = Not funny
Riley and company might create a compelling version of his story a few films from now. For now it just feels like something we’re supposed to learn, which is rarely funny.
Timeline (*) is out of sync
This is what happens when one takes B-Level material by a good writer with a director who is kind of through with the hassle of being a director.
Underwater (***) holds enough air
If you expect this to be a version of 10 Little Indians, you’d be right. It is handled about as well as one can imagine. It didn’t feel like a waste of time, and it made us curious enough to look up Cthulhu.
Another Look: Galaxy Quest (***1/2) still good, almost great
If only the scriptwriters could have done more to punch up the story to match the superior acting talent, this might be a classic.
Criterion: Metropolis(****) C-3PO and socialism
Even through it’s complicated history of interpretations, Metropolis is very much the definition of essential cinema.
Star Wars The Rise of Skywalker (****) pulls out most of the stops
Spoiler Free Review: “This is an entertaining ride, however inconsequential. “
Ad Astra (**1/2) Slip Sliding Away
How do you make space pirates boring? Never let us see their faces, that’s how.
Don’t Let Go (***) rides on pure talent
“Overall, it’s a decent enough movie for a one time through, made better with the most screen time I have seen anyone give to Williamson in years.”
The Wandering Earth (***) is not far from Armageddon
“The producers consulted the Chinese Academy of Sciences, though what questions they asked is not immediately clear. I’d like to think I know at least as much as the average college graduate about the physical sciences, but they lost me when the Earth stopped rotating. “
I Am Mother (*****) the future is then
Keeping the characters to a minimum in no way diminishes the effectiveness of the story. This is dystopian future story telling at its best. It makes us think about more than the story. It makes us think about who we are and what we could be.
Godzilla: King of the Monsters (***) – Too much breaking stuff
“This is not a great film. It’s barely a good one. The feeling that this is just a placeholder for the real battle coming overwhelms the last half of the film. Once we see images of Kong in passing, it’s hard to guess who is going to come out on top in a film with Godzilla’s name in the title.”
Brightburn (***) could be great, but isn’t
“The ride we’re given by the plot feels like the New York New York roller coaster ride in Las Vegas when it first came out. Harrowing, herky jerky and it feels like it is not completely safe. Did anyone test the ride ahead of time?”
Captive State (**) is a long shot
“Wyatt and co-writer spend so much time setting up the labyrinthian plot, we are allowed little time to invest in learning much about any particular character. The end result plays more sterile than it probably should. The surprise we’re expecting is more of an obligation than a relief. “
Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets (***1/2) Everything is Amazing but the Leads
It’s the rare film that can keep the attention of both me and my wife. Neither of us moved during the whole running time.
