Few filmmakers have faced the scrutiny M. Night Shyamalan has endured in the nearly 20 years since “The Sixth Sense” became a global phenomenon and launched his memorable name into the spotlight. With each progressive film, it seemed Shyamalan drew more and more ire for his twist-focused approach to horror and by the late 2000s, […]
Archives
The Founder Review
“The Founder” tells the story of McDonald’s Corporation founder Ray Kroc, the salesman and idea-chaser who turned two humble brothers’ speedy burger concept into the biggest restaurant chain in the world. But Kroc isn’t actually the most interesting part of his own movie.
Wonder Woman Review
DC Entertainment needed a superhero hit badly, and what better way to make a comeback than with a female heroine? Maybe “Wonder Woman” should be evaluated apart from its exciting feminist energy, but in a prolific superhero movie landscape, individuality matters, and the female star-director duo of Gal Gadot and Patty Jenkins is a large […]
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them Review
At long last, a return to the world of “Harry Potter” — and a test to see what kind of legs “Potter”-themed but Potter-less stories might have on the big screen. Directed by franchise mainstay David Yates with a script by no less than J.K. Rowling herself, “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” has […]
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 Review
Marvel Studios and writer/director James Gunn proved with 2014’s “Guardians of the Galaxy” that superhero movies don’t need to feature familiar (usually white, male, special suit-wearing) characters saving Earth; they just need to be fun, dynamic and easy to relate to. “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2” doubles down on its investment in Peter Quill/Star-Lord […]
Summer Movie Preview 2017
The summer blockbuster slate is the most anticipated and heavily scrutinized of all the movie seasons. Bloated with sequels but always containing hidden gems, there’s little certainty outside of a few films which ones will dominate the box office or be hailed as something worth going indoors for. Which sequels will live up to the […]
Moana Review
The Disney fairytale mold sets sail for Polynesia in “Moana,” the studio’s latest animated musical featuring a strong female lead character, and a film hoping to build off the success of “Frozen” and “Tangled.” Although audiences are unlikely to be as familiar with ancient Polynesian mythology as they were with the stories of Rapunzel or […]
In Search of Israeli Cuisine Review
If someone asked you to describe your country’s cuisine and what makes it uniquely of your country, you might be hard-pressed to provide an answer. Especially for Americans, if you’re country is made predominantly of immigrants and hasn’t been around for even 250 years, that’s a really tough question to answer. For Israel, a country […]
Tower Review
At the onset, it might seem insensitive to tell the story of a deadly mass shooting using rotoscope animation, but after you settle into the style of filmmaker Keith Maitland’s “Tower,” you realize how useful (and even powerful) a tool animation can be to tell a story that largely exists in fragments of witnesses’ memories.
Logan Review
Hugh Jackman’s 17-year ride as beloved “X-Men” hero Wolverine has been full of ups (“X2”) and downs (“X-Men Origins”), but his commitment to the character has never wavered, and that’s undoubtedly a factor in what makes “Logan” a special superhero film.
Suicide Squad Review
DC Entertainment has this superhero movie business all backwards. They’ve jumped straight to the orgy without taking time to acquaint us more intimately with the individuals. It didn’t work all that well in “Batman vs. Superman,” but we held out hope that a team- up of lesser-known supervillains under the direction of David Ayer (“End of Watch,” “Fury”) could get the DC universe on track. Instead, “Suicide Squad” is a mess.
Lion Review
You know that helplessly choked up feeling you get watching a TV news feature or documentary special about parents and children reuniting after years or decades apart? That’s the fuel that powers “Lion,” a classically emotional story accentuated by astute craftsmanship.
Oscars 2017 Predictions
I will be incommunicado this year for the Oscars, so I thought I’d get some predictions up there since I won’t have an opportunity to recap this year’s telecast. Below are my predictions in all categories for which I feel I can offer a prediction. I also like to give percentages of what I think […]
Hidden Figures Review
There are some classic Hollywood storytelling molds out there — frameworks that with the right story and the right talents applied, result in a feel-good, crowd-pleasing movie — the popcorn and Coca-Cola of cinema. “Hidden Figures” perfectly encapsulates that type of film. It balances upon a combination of a witty script both humorous and dramatic, […]
High Fidelity Review
There’s always been an inexplicable connection between music, love and the movies. Certain songs always seem to set the tone for various kinds of love and romance in film, whether the light-hearted or the dramatic. “High Fidelity” not only uses the power of that emotional mixture, but also focuses on it and attempts to understand it.
