Rank “Lightyear” as a top midrange Pixar film, nowhere near “Wall-E,” somewhere around “Luca.” Entertaining at times, visually brilliant, but it tries to shirk expectations a bit too much,...
Film can be a remarkable tool to evoke empathy. Films like “Pretty Woman” and “Magic Mike” marketed their access into an unknown experience, a life most folks know little about. But they often...
Few words deserve an immediate cringe like “Happy Madison Productions.” Adam Sandler seems delightful, but his resume slants a bit more shameless, often painful. Still, a rare gem arrives (“50...
Here comes another reboot-sequel, or requel, to those who use the word “listicle” without cringing. But like “Blade Runner 2049,” “Creed” and plenty of horror offerings, the outcome is shocking,...
The only thing that matters right now is “Stranger Things.” Nearly three years since the third season, the 1980s horror series returns with chutzpah. Mind you, the first season was near perfect,...
Nostalgia sells. Or at the very least, it’s an easy sell to producers. Warner Bros. attempted a couple such endeavors to mixed results. First, “Ready Player One” arrived with the directing power...
In the 19th century, hysteria was a diagnosis “used by the male-dominated medical profession to reinforce the notion that females are emotionally unstable,” Psychology Today’s Robert Bartholomew...
Look, they can’t all compete with “WandaVision,” but Marvel Studios’ latest series “Moon Knight” takes enough cues from its small-screen kin to avoid the superhero genre’s over-the-top...
Who hasn’t endured the occasional (or permanent) fear of sharks, piranhas, snakes, spiders or wolves? The film pantheon runs red with quick examples, from the thrilling “Jaws” to the ridiculous...
When the pandemic began, I got creative with reviews in lieu of theater access, delving into streaming services for brief respites from isolation. One such TV series enjoyed two lovely seasons...
Since his live action debut, Batman has undergone various transformations from camp to gritty realism. But the key to a good Bat film is Nirvana. A voiceover narration invokes a rich film noir history...
Video game adaptations deserve better, and the story of “Halo,” set in a dystopian future in which one enchanted Spartan soldier must confront an alien force known as the Covenant Empire, exemplifies...
Nostalgia is dangerous. Aimed at the wrong target, it ignites masses to believe in a fabrication, something rightfully long gone or that never existed. Richard Linklater is no such maniacal rhetor...
Dearest gentle readers,
As awards season comes to a shocking end, our fine community must endeavor to move forward. But what, pray tell, can compete with the dramatic conclusion to awards season?...
If you wanna know which film featured the best film score, now you don’t have to wait until halfway through the Oscars ceremony on Sunday. That one, along with several others, will be announced off camera...
Come the 94th Oscars, Academy members will celebrate the best films of 2021 from a slew of choices most moviegoers know little about. Sure, good film criticism supports the cause, helps highlight...
The 2022 nominees for best picture ranked from worst to best
10. ‘Don’t Look Up’
This one doesn’t belong. Well intentioned, sure, but “Don’t Look Up” cares more about preaching than...
Netflix rules small-screen awards shows, but for every “Stranger Things,” three abysmal series release weekly. As for filmmaking, most folks might not realize just how dominant it is, leading the pack...