Movie Reviews

Sydney Sweeney goes extreme horror in new shocker ‘Immaculate’. Sydney Sweeney playing a nun? Believe it or not, that’s one of the least shocking things about the creepy new religious horror flick ‘Immaculate’.While the sight of Sydney Sweeney costumed in a nun’s habit might be jarring enough...

‘Next Goal Wins’ finds director Taika Waititi in typically silly, heartwarming style for an underdog tale. The movie, inspired by a real-life sports story, stars Michael Fassbender, Elisabeth Moss, Rachel House, Oscar Kightley and Will Arnett.Opening in theaters on November17th, ‘Next Goal Wins’...

'Blackhat' Movie Review

Movies about computers or computer hackers have never been particularly exciting, at least on the big screen. Maybe that's because the act of typing something on a keyboard while little words or hieroglyphics of code appear on the screen in front of you isn't the most cinematic conceit. There's not a...

‘Back to Black’ features a star-making lead turn but leaden execution. Sam Taylor-Johnson here brings the story of talented, ill-fated British singer/song-writer Amy Winehouse, with Marisa Abela starring as the musician.In theaters on Friday, May 17th, ‘Back to Black’ aims to chronicle the rise...

‘Nandor Fodor and the Talking Mongoose’ is a small-scale mystery movie that lets quirk get in the way of a good story. Simon Pegg stars as real-life parapsychologist, psychoanalyst, journalist and author in the based-on-truth (maybe) tale of a strange creature encounter.In theaters on September 1st,...

'Father Stu' Movie Review

Mark Wahlberg gives a strong performance in touching faith-based film 'Father Stu'. In addition to Wahlberg, the cast also includes Jacki Weaver, Mel Gibson, Malcolm McDowell, and Teresa Ruiz. The result is a surprisingly well-made and touching faith-based film, that never forces the faith on you, and...

'Jupiter Ascending' Movie Review

Sometimes a movie can be doomed before it even opens.This happens when a film is discussed openly without anyone having firsthand knowledge of (or even having seen) it, and it becomes something of a self-fulfilling prophecy when said movie come out and underperforms, thanks in large part to countless...

'Guy Ritchie's The Covenant' Movie Review

The movie is not based on a true story, but the script –– written by Ritchie, Ivan Atkinson and Marn Davies –– does channel the experiences of a lot of troops and citizens in Afghanistan (and there are images of real-life heroes over the end credits).‘Guy Ritchie’s The Covenant’ follows...

'Empire of Light' Movie Review

Though they were both swirling around their writer/directors’ minds before the pandemic struck, it’s hard not to see Steven Spielberg’s ‘The Fabelmans’ and Sam Mendes’ ‘Empire of Light’ partly as reactions to cinemas being closed during the long months that everyone was locked down. And...

‘Heart of Stone’ finds Gal Gadot looking to launch a spy franchise. Gadot stars as Rachel Stone, a special agent dealing with a McGuffin called the Heart, but the movie falters out of the gate with a bland effort.On Netflix now, ‘Heart of Stone’ is an abject lesson in what happens when you really,...

'M3GAN' Movie Review

Convinced that doll you gave your daughter or niece for Christmas is watching you? Then you’ll relate to Allison Williams’ plight in ‘M3GAN,’ the latest horror offering from fear factory Blumhouse Productions, screenwriter Akela Cooper (‘Malignant’) and horror auteur James Wan (here co-writing...

'West Side Story' Movie Review

Opening in theaters on December 10th is the new musical remake ‘West Side Story,’ which is based on the Broadway play and the original 1961 film of the same name. Directed by Oscar winner Steven Spielberg (‘Schindler’s List) and written by Oscar winner Tony Kushner (‘Lincoln’), the film tells...

'Nightmare Alley' Movie Review

Opening in theaters on December 17th is the new neo-noir thriller from Academy Award-winning filmmaker Guillermo del Toro entitled ‘Nightmare Alley,’ which is based on the novel of the same name by William Lindsay Gresham. The film stars Oscar nominee Bradley Cooper (‘A Star is Born’) as a 1940s...

'Belfast' Movie Review

Drawing on inspiration from his own life, writer and director Kenneth Branagh has truly made his greatest movie yet, which is a beautiful and touching film about growing up, contrasted with the backdrop of the looming Northern Ireland Conflict.Opening in theaters on November 12th is 'Belfast', the new...

'F9' Movie Review

It's hard to look at the 20-year-old 'The Fast & the Furious' and see the beginnings of a blockbuster franchise, but here we are. And if the series has moved past illegal street races and into heist and spy movie territory, that’s all for the better. As this rogue's gallery of street racers has become...

‘Napoleon’ has sweep but lacks power as it packs in too much history. Ridley Scott brings an epic feel to much of ‘Napoleon,’ but the story and Joaquin Phoenix’s central performance feel unfocused.Opening in theaters on November 22nd is Ridley Scott’s ‘Napoleon,’ starring Joaquin Phoenix,...

‘Inside Out 2’ is all grown up, explores self-awareness of a teenager. Pixar’s latest feature film delivers on laughs and tears while exploring self-doubt and self-discovery, with an outstanding performance from Maya Hawke.Joy, Sadness, Anger, Fear, and Disgust are back for the sequel and ready...

‘IF’ only John Krasinski could have made a better family film. John Krasinski writes, directs, and co-stars with Ryan Reynolds in the well-intentioned but poorly executed ‘IF,’ which works too hard for too little.After spending most of the past decade following the end of ‘The Office’ in...

‘Argylle’ offers a silly twist on the spy genre with manic energy. Director Matthew Vaughn’s latest espionage story features the likes of Henry Cavill, Bryce Dallas Howard, John Cena, Sam Rockwell and Bryan Cranston.In theaters on February 2nd, ‘Argylle’ sees ‘Kingsman’ director Matthew...

‘Godzilla Minus One’ makes the big green guy more terrifying than ever. ‘Godzilla Minus One’ may be the Japanese monster’s most haunting, emotionally powerful movie in decades, with Godzilla itself more fearsome than ever.Opening in theaters on December 1st is ‘Godzilla Minus One,’ which...

'Chevalier' Movie Review

In theaters now, ‘Chevalier’ brings to screens a story that absolutely deserved to be told but ends up telling it in an immature and overly melodramatic way that makes it seem more like soap opera than even the opera performances that dot the story. ‘Chevalier’ is based on one of the most compelling...

‘Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice’ is as nostalgic as it is surprising and fun. Director Tim Burton’s one part sequel, one part origin story is undoubtedly a Beetlejuice and Burton fans dream come to life on the big screen.‘Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice’, the long-waited sequel to 1988's 'Beetlejuice',...

Leaden direction stops soulless ‘The Crow’ remake from ever taking off. An aimless rehash of the 1994 cult classic that was marked by a tragic real-life death, ‘The Crow’ can’t find its own identity and settles for mediocrity.Here’s a little secret: this writer has never been a huge fan of...

‘Strays’ unleashes crude, funny dog comedy that also manages to dig Up some heart. Will Ferrell, Jamie Foxx, Isla Fisher, Randall Park and Sofia Vergara are among those lending their voices to dogs in this live-action Phil Lord and Chris Miller-produced movie.In theaters now, ‘Strays’ represents...

'The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special' Movie Review

Premiering on Disney+ beginning November 25th and marking the conclusion of the MCU’s Phase Four is Marvel Studios’ second “Special Presentation” following ‘Werewolf by Night’ entitled ‘The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special.’ Written and directed by James Gunn, the special bridges...

'Don't Worry Darling' Movie Review

Florence Pugh’s feeling paranoid in Olivia Wilde’s ‘Don’t Worry Darling’. Wilde follows up the jokey, warm ‘Booksmart’ with this psychological thriller, which features a stand-out performance from Pugh.Releasing in theaters this week, Olivia Wilde’s ‘Don’t Worry Darling’ has been...

'The Woman King' Movie Review

‘The Woman King’ sees Viola Davis as a historical warrior. Davis commands the screen (in more ways than one) for Gina Prince Bythewood’s stirring epic of battle and bonding.Gina Prince Bythewood, who last directed 'The Old Guard' (a more fantastical tale of an immortal female warrior leading her...

Hugh Grant is devilishly good in cerebral horror flick ‘Heretic’. The creepy ‘Heretic’ pits a jovial, sinister Hugh Grant against a pair of religious missionaries in a battle of wits that begins to fray toward the finish.Scott Beck and Bryan Woods, the co-writers of the original ‘A Quiet Place’...

‘A Different Man’ Tackles Issues of Identity with Compassion and Humor. Sebastian Stan stars in the new film from writer/director Aaron Schimberg, which sees a man undergoing facial surgery and a crisis in confidence.Opening in theaters on September 20th, ‘A Different Man’ is the latest movie...

The quiet parts work best in the pedestrian ‘A Quiet Place: Day One’. ‘A Quiet Place: Day One’ manages to tell a decent human story in the midst of a mostly pointless, extended flashback to the start of the alien invasion.Although ‘A Quiet Place Part II’ already documented the arrival of...

‘The Creator’ sees director Gareth Edwards back in original sci-fi territory. The new movie, about mankind’s fight against AI, is not, however, quite as unique as it might seem, though it is very good.In theaters on Friday 29th September, ‘The Creator’ represents a return for director Gareth...

'Halloween Ends' Movie Review

David Gordon Green plays around with the mythology again in ‘Halloween Ends’. Looking to wrap up his ‘Halloween’ trilogy, David Gordon Green can’t quite stick the landing, even as he attempts to breathe new life into the franchise.Opening in theaters and streaming on Peacock beginning October...

Fall is an Edge-of-Your-Seat thriller filled with gravity. Grace Caroline Currey and Virginia Gardner star as thrill-seeking climbers who become trapped in this taught new movie.The movie kicks off with a throwback to Sylvester Stallone classic ‘Cliffhanger’, in which Becky (Grace Caroline Currey),...

'King Richard' Movie Review

The performance is a breakthrough for Smith, playing a well-intended but flawed character, and he does it with all the charm and charisma we expect from the "Artist formerly known as the Fresh Prince."

'Bumblebee' Movie Review

The posters and promotional materials for "Bumblebee" all feature the computer-generated title character more prominently than any of the film's human actors, which is an important reminder how much of a cultural fixture Transformers has become. But Travis Knight's spin-off/ prequel to the five Michael...

'The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part' Movie Review

Five years ago, the notion of a movie about Legos seemed ridiculous, but after $500 million in box office receipts and two successful spin-offs, "The Lego Movie 2" is a highly- and understandably-anticipated event sequel. Phil Lord and Chris Miller, returning as co-screenwriters and producers, hand the...

‘May December’ is Darkly Comedic Melodrama Carried by Strong Performances From Julianne Moore and Natalie Portman. Todd Haynes’ latest film explores a controversial issue yet sometimes slides into a strange tone that doesn’t fit with the rest of the movie.Premiering on Netflix December 1st, ‘May...

‘The Exorcist: Believer’ Sees David Gordon Green Following Up Another Classic Horror. Green, who previously tackled ‘Halloween’ with a trilogy, is here trying to match the iconic ‘Exorcist’ from 1973 with what is described as a “new chapter”.In theaters on October 6th, ‘The Exorcist:...

Bland and Irritating, ‘Here’ Will Make You Wish You Were Anywhere But. The time-bending ‘Here’ is director Robert Zemeckis’ latest experiment in filmmaking, but again he sacrifices compelling story and characters for gimmicks.Robert Zemeckis has made some genuinely great films, including the...

‘Asteroid City’ finds Wes Anderson in typically quirky, composed mode. The director has rounded up an assortment of regulars plus the likes of Tom Hanks, Steve Carell and more for a meta story of creativity and alien encounters.For his latest, ‘Anderson’ is working on two levels. The first is...