Humorless hype: Joker falls flat amid great expectations
If Todd Phillips’ Joker had been better, or worse, then the pre-release controversy might have been worth something. If it defied the odds as a prestige work, or if it […]
Quest for harmony: Abominable defines itself with smarts and charm
When two similar movies are made in close proximity, they are often described as “twin films.” Think Armageddon and Deep Impact, The Prestige and The Illusionist, and now Smallfoot and […]
Inner space: Ad Astra’s journey is fueled by self-reflection
Meditative, introspective, and gorgeously executed, Ad Astra is an art film in a blockbuster’s clothing. Behind the hard science fiction, the predictions of how the next generation of space travel […]
Power players: Hustlers puts women in charge on Wall Street
One of the most refreshing things a film can do is focus on characters who need no introduction but have never been in the spotlight themselves. Strip clubs and strippers […]
Clown downer: IT Chapter Two is not very scary or funny
The problem that has always plagued adaptations of Stephen King’s IT is that the two halves—kids and grown-ups—are not equally interesting. Nostalgic coming-of-age tales of scary monsters and friendship are […]
Pulling threads: Survival and storycraft shape the tension in Luce
Luce is many things: a coming of age story, a family drama, a biting social commentary. And though it uses many techniques and tropes from the thriller genre that may […]
Mating ritual: Ready or Not plays well in the horror-comedy game
The class rage-fueled horror comedy Ready or Not is for anyone who’s been robbed of the life they deserve, in order to further someone else’s wealth, status, or tradition. It’s […]
Tween gaff: Good Boys pairs middle school kids with grown up themes
The child performers in Good Boys are quite good, and the jokes can be very funny, but what do you do with a movie that forces you to compare it […]
Mob blunder: Despite strong casting, The Kitchen is a mess
When you hear the line “I did what I had to do,” odds are the writer knows you were thinking “Why in the world did they do that?” Whenever someone […]
With humor: The Farewell finds laughter in the face of death
It takes a phenomenal storyteller to turn such a deeply personal story into a film like The Farewell. Based on the real experiences of writer-director Lulu Wang, The Farewell is […]