Another Look at The Fly (1986) – Cronenberg at his most…
As long as Cronenberg has the lens on Goldlum, The Fly is a winner.
Nope (****1/2) – Yep
Peele has the whole world in his hands, and it is up to him and his precisely articulate and interesting vision how we are allowed to view it.
Jurassic World Dominion (**1/2) Wilting under the shoulders of giants
The film is at its best when the original Jurassic Park crew are onscreen.
Everything Everywhere All at Once (***) – Goes a long way for family drama
The end result is somewhere between Wes Anderson and David Lynch, which can be good or bad depending on one’s point of view.
Morgan (**1/2) feels like a prelude
The film doesn’t hold up, but with perhaps a bit more story, it’s premise could be really something.
The Matrix: Resurrections (***1/2) Old Code, Something New?
It wouldn’t hurt to show a single blade of grass growing in some dirt. All in good time, I suppose. Maybe part 5?
Dune (****) Feels like part of an epic
The first part of Dune is a story well told and beautiful as anything we will see this year. It just feels like the story is just beginning when the credits start to roll.
Reminiscence (***) – Not the greatest show
A mix of film noir with the mind-bending enterprise of action we’ve come to expect from Joy, we have something that doesn’t excel at either, but fills our time well enough.
Voyagers (**1/2) Lord of the skies
If you ever wanted to see Lord of the Flies in space, then Voyagers is for you.
Oxygen (****) is high tension
If you can handle a story with real tension and digital countdowns, start here.
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.
Ebert Did It Better: Gasbag Reviews 