Recent Reviews
These are our latest reviews of movies at theaters, at the art house, or at festivals.
Across the Spider-Verse is a monumental work of art.
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The Little Mermaid (2023)
***1/22023, Rob Marshall
There’s a good amount of attention put into making all of the characters more interesting.
It’s not perfect, but Disney’s live-action remake of The Little Mermaid offers plenty of magical moments.
Even though it’s one of the most expensive movies ever made, Fast X belongs in the scrap heap.
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3
**1/22023, James Gunn
It’s a disturbing, jarring start without a primer.
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 is an exhausting journey through some mighty dark skies.
Polite Society
**1/22023, Nida Manzoor
Much as the movie is a tale of two sisters, it’s also a tale of two reactions.
Polite Society runs in a number of different directions, which is both advantageous and deleterious to its effectiveness as a popular entertainment.
Sisu
***1/2Jalmari Helander
Sisu is not for the squeamish, but it most certainly provides a cathartic experience.
Sisu goes for the jugular in a stunningly well-crafted tale of one man who refuses to die when confronted with a caravan of Nazis during World War II.
Guy Ritchie’s The Covenant
***2023, Guy Ritchie
The material might very well have benefited from more of that classic Ritchie style.
Guy Ritchie’s The Covenant keeps the action subdued while sending a message loud and clear: even in war, there is still honor.
Renfield serves as a catharsis of over-the-top gore and somewhat jaundiced social commentary, all bundled into a bonkers therapy session.
The Super Mario Bros. Movie
***2023
Mario’s movie is dazzling, breezy entertainment that feels more and more like a Nintendo video game.
The wit’s not as sharp as the Minions, but The Super Mario Bros. Movie is still a winning video game adaptation that’ll keep the younger kids entertained.
Air is a captivating, fleet-of-foot account of a pivotal moment in sport and marketing history.
Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves
***2023, John Francis Daley, and Jonathan Goldstein
Ultimately, it’s not about the material acquisition but rather the personal growth.
Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves rolls the dice and winds up winning with its spells of wit and charms of visual splendor.
John Wick: Chapter 4
****2023, Chad Stahelski
In so many respects, John Wick: Chapter 4 is glorious filmmaking.
With its stylish, jaw-dropping third act set in Paris, John Wick: Chapter 4 might very well qualify as the first ratatouille western.
Shazam! Fury of the Gods
***2023, David F. Sandberg
It’s fresh in a world full of comic book movies that are starting to go stale.
As Fury of the Gods plays off its humor and charms, it becomes a throwback to good ol’ fashioned comic book movies unencumbered by multiverses and interconnected narratives.
Return to Seoul
***2023, Davy Chou
In this post-pandemic world, the theme of searching and identity is even more relevant.
While conveying the detached life of an adopted daughter, Return to Seoul itself becomes a detached movie experience. But patience and retrospection bring rewards.
Every once in a while, a movie with an artificial heart of gold and the best of intentions falls flat on its face. That’s Champions.