Criminal (**1/2) Good, but sometimes horrible
It’s not often one goes to a Gary Oldman film and ends up preferring anyone else’s performance.
Synchronic (***1/2) is great mid-trip
Viewers won’t find premises as creative as this often in movies. Even if not explored to the extent desired, it’s still entertaining and somewhat intriguing. One just wishes that the peripheral characters held any interest at all.
James vs. His Future Self (****1/2) Stern gets better with age
James vs His Future Self has a depth of feeling unlike most films, yet it is also scientifically interesting without relying on special effects. It resists being something we’ve seen before, and never stops entertaining.
Netflix’ The Midnight Sky (**) is almost hopeless
The 7th directorial effort by George Clooney is a beautiful, boring, and predictable story that skips the exciting parts, instead focusing on dread, misery and fading hope in the light of humanity. It is the type of film designed to be called brave, but is more an exercise of muscles that are best left unflexed.
Color Out of Space (****) They’re not my family
If you ever wanted to see what Stanley has in his mind in any given moment, give this a try.
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. “
