Recent Reviews
These are our latest reviews of movies at theaters, at the art house, or at festivals.
Ford v Ferrari
****2019, James Mangold
Carroll Shelby and Ken Miles chose instinct and tactile, first-hand impressions over computers.
Ford v Ferrari gets the heart racing.
Doctor Sleep
**1/22019, Mike Flanagan
Doctor Sleep should’ve served as a more holistic story of horror balanced with hope.
While Doctor Sleep musters a couple good chills, it’s a bit of a snoozer.
The Lighthouse
***1/22019, Robert Eggers
Think about how the filmmaking and presentation choices impact the material.
The Lighthouse is a fever dream of cinema that’s worth a look despite some narrative challenges.
Maleficent: Mistress of Evil
***2019
Angelina Jolie owns the screen when Maleficent enters the room.
Mistress of Evil ultimately proves itself as a worthy follow-up full of ambition and visual extravagance.
Zombieland: Double Tap
**1/22019, Ruben Fleischer
It’s one of those listless sequels that takes time to find its story and direction.
Zombieland: Double Tap is an entertaining, but gutless, sequel. It’s a missed opportunity that doesn’t take advantage of these braindead times.
Gemini Man
**2019, Ang Lee
Ang Lee winds up with something that’s a little too genteel for its own good.
Gemini Man is an action movie suffering from an identity crisis.
Joker
***1/22019, Todd Phillips
There’s a kind of unsettling complexity that really requires some time to digest and appreciate.
This Joker’s wild.
Part of the charm – for an intentionally poor way to put it — of Joker is how it eschews the trappings of the modern comic book movie. It’s the antithesis of what the other camp, the Marvel Cinematic Universe, has become. It’s a relatively low-budget endeavor ($55 million), so it’s not loaded with eye-melting CGI. It’s not an action-packed, brain-numbing extravaganza. It’s the quintessence of character driven. Even the old school opening credits (sporting the late 1970s/early 1980s Warner Bros. studio logo) set the tone for something off the beaten-to-a-pulp path of Hollywood spectacle. And, mercifully, Zack Snyder didn’t produce this one (but Bradley Cooper did).
Renée Zellweger’s performance is stellar, but this Judy needs more punch.
The Goldfinch
*1/22019, John Crowley
A cold, slow affair that turns into a borderline laughable drama of ridiculous situations.
The Goldfinch isn’t Oscar bait. It’s cat food.
It: Chapter Two
****2019, Andy Muschietti
There’s never been a better time to appreciate It than right now.
There’s a lot more to It than meets the eye.
It’s almost a disservice to describe It: Chapter Two as a horror movie. It’s most certainly a disservice to write it off as nothing more than a horror movie.
Brittany Runs a Marathon
***2019, Paul Downs Colaizzo
The marathon is in many respects merely a device from which more interesting material hangs.
Brittany Runs a Marathon is a little flat-footed, but the larger context offers some good food for thought.
Where’d You Go, Bernadette
***2019, Richard Linklater
There’s a documentary within the movie that’s pure movie gold.
Bernadette isn’t the heavy hitter it could’ve been, but at least it tackles an interesting big idea.
The Peanut Butter Falcon
***1/22019, Tyler Nilson, and Michael Schwartz
It’s the movie’s heart which ultimately makes Peanut Butter Falcon take flight.
The Peanut Butter Falcon is one of those small, off-the-radar movies that deserves to be seen.
Dora and the Lost City of Gold
***2019, James Bobin
Isabela Moner’s eager delivery of every line transcends caricature and creates a unique character.
Dora’s first live-action, big-screen adventure serves as both a fresh start and a loving tribute to the long-running animated TV series.
Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw
***1/22019, David Leitch
Thank director David Leitch for keeping this one grounded in its own insanity.
It’s absurd & implausible, but it’s also a blast & enjoyable.