Not all movies deal in subtlety. Some instead choose to beat the audience over the head with any message they have to offer. That is a decision that filmmakers can make, but it needs to fit in with the rest of… Read More ›
movie review
Movie Review: “Mike Wallace is Here”
There is no doubt that director Avi Belkin’s new documentary, “Mike Wallace is Here,” wishes to squarely place itself within the present day journalistic conversation, the conversation which includes the President of the United States and his White House abusing… Read More ›
Movie Review: “The art of Self-Defense”
Taking a look at our world today, there can be no doubt that “toxic masculinity” is a problem. This idea of clinging to bygone notions of what it means to “be a man” and defining oneself around those things causes problems. … Read More ›
Movie Review: “Be Natural: The Untold Story of Alice Guy-Blaché”
Documentaries prompt questions, it is simply in their nature. For instance, there is often the easy and obvious question: why is the filmmaker telling me this; what is their goal? But, the questions don’t stop there at the easy and the… Read More ›
Movie Review: “Stuber”
The buddy comedy is a tried-and-true genre, one which offers up ample opportunity to not just deliver big laughs but explore differences between personalities as well. Some of the greatest films ever made fall into the category—especially when you expand… Read More ›
Movie Review: “Cold Blood”
It can be dangerous for a movie to refuse to explain itself, for the movie to allow the viewer the time and latitude to work it all out for themselves. First and foremost, that which is shown immediately has to… Read More ›
Movie Review: “Spider-Man: Far From Home”
While “Avengers: Endgame” may have ended a storyline in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, there is still a whole lot of fallout to be dealt with from just how that close came about. Tales of what happens due to the events of… Read More ›
Movie Review: “Yesterday” (2019)
Some movies never get much beyond the great idea that spawns them. These sorts of films are often more disappointing than mediocre films which began without a great idea at their core. Something that is merely passable throughout somehow feels… Read More ›
Movie Review: “Child’s Play” (2019)
The new version of “Child’s Play” hitting theaters this weekend is a story of capitalism and consumerism gone awry; it is our connected life gone villainous; it is our desire for ease turning into our undoing. Plus, it’s the story… Read More ›
Movie Review: “Shaft” (2019)
This is not your father’s Shaft. Well, no, that’s not quite right. This totally is your father’s Shaft. It’s also your Shaft and a younger Shaft thrown in for good measure (your relationship to them varies based upon your age). … Read More ›
Movie Review: “Men in Black: International”
A movie can succeed in any number of ways. There are movies that succeed with their plot. There are movies that succeed with their visuals. There are movies that succeed with their characters. There are movies that succeed with the… Read More ›
Movie Review: “Dark Phoenix”
At one point in “Dark Phoenix,” the new X-Men movie, our heroes are being held captive on a train. The armed baddies holding them have patches on their shoulders that read “MCU.” Is this, like so much of the rest of… Read More ›
Movie Review: “Framing John DeLorean”
What exactly is “Framing John DeLorean?” It is a movie, certainly, but is it a documentary? Is it a biopic? Is it simply reenactments? Is it a “making of” movie? Is it a proof of concept for a larger film? … Read More ›
Movie Review: “Godzilla: King of the Monsters”
Although Godzilla has been around for decades, the current iteration of films here in the United States began in 2014 with the utterly mediocre “Godzilla.” The film is shot with a fetish for not showing the title creature himself and… Read More ›
Movie Review: “Ma” (2019)
There are people who will suggest that “Ma,” the Octavia Spencer-starring, Tate Taylor-directed pseudo-thriller film falls into the category of “so bad it’s good.” This critic vehemently disagrees. It is, instead, just plain bad. The tale focuses on Sue Ann, an adult… Read More ›
Movie Review: “Domino” (2019)
Brian De Palma has made some truly wonderful films. He has a talent for ratcheting up the tension and creating some very memorable sequences. His latest, the Nikolaj Coster-Waldau starring “Domino” may have an interesting moment or two, but it is… Read More ›
Movie Review: “Rocketman” (2019)
Last year audiences were treated to the story of Freddie Mercury (or a version of it) in “Bohemian Rhapsody.” As you may recall if you read my piece on the film, I liked it but also had real problems with… Read More ›
Movie Review: “Brightburn”
As you may have noticed, superheroes are all the rage today. You can’t go to a multiplex without having a superhero movie playing on multiple screens or trailers for several upcoming films or lobby cards or some combination thereof. It therefore… Read More ›
Movie Review: “Booksmart”
Every few years a new senior year in high school/senior prom/graduation movie comes along. By and large, these tend to be truly raunchy comedies. And yet, for all the raunch, the best entries in the genre manage to get at… Read More ›
Movie Review: “Photograph” (2019)
Do opposites really attract? There is an incredibly large number of movies which display individuals from very different backgrounds falling in love with one another and, perhaps, living happily ever after (stories tend to focus less on what happens next). … Read More ›
The TV and Film Guy's Reviews 