Review: The Bad Guys 2 Brings Big Voice Talent to a So-So Story
In this sequel to the moderately popular 2022 original, The Bad Guys 2 follows the crew of animated animal villains (former villains, actually) down their new path of being Good […]
Review: In Oh, Hi!, Gen Z-ers Fumble Through a Fledgling Relationship Rather Than Grow Up
Molly Gordon may be best known to Chicagoans as Claire Dunlap, Carmy Berzatto’s on-again, off-again love interest in FX’s smash hit series The Bear. She also co-wrote and co-directed 2023’s […]
Review: Pete Davidson Continues to Try On New Characters, Acting Styles in Effective Thriller The Home
When did Pete Davidson become the type of actor you could slot into just about any role? Actually, pretty much from the beginning of his movie career. Unlike another former […]
Review: Michael Winterbottom’s Shoshana Skillfully Chronicles Political Turmoil and Unexpected Romance
In this “inspired by real events” work from prolific British director Michael Winterbottom (The Trip films, A Mighty Heart) comes a tight-wire act of a film set in the pivotal […]
Review: The Fantastic Four: First Steps Balances a Retro Look and Feel with a Fresh Take on Stan Lee’s Classic Foursome
In so many superhero films’ attempts to feel grounded and emotional, they forget that their source material is comic books—colorful and inventive but rooted in the human condition. They can […]
Review: History Through an Eight-Year-Old’s Eyes in Embeth Davidtz’s Directorial Debut Don’t Let’s Go to the Dogs Tonight
Making her feature film directorial debut, actor Embeth Davidtz (Old, The Morning Show) delves into her roots in Africa (her parents are South African, though she was born in the […]
Interview: Filmmaker Ari Aster on Eddington, Making an Omni-Political Period Piece Set in 2020
As I said in my review of Eddington, filmmaker Ari Aster is an artist who sculpts nightmares—not just the kind that frequently populate horror film (although his first feature, Hereditary, […]
Review: Finally Dawn Channels Mid-Century Movie Magic with a Compelling Cast Cavorting Around Rome
If “Be Careful What You Wish For” were a film genre, the Italian production Finally Dawn might be one of the better entries in it. Written and directed by Saverio […]
Review: Identity and Gender Fluidity at the Heart of the Surreal and Daring Kill the Jockey
I have seen Luis Ortega’s Kill the Jockey (El Jockey) twice this year and am still in awe at the big swings it takes, how it keeps audiences on their […]
Review: James Gunn Launches a New Movie Studio and New Take on a Classic Super Hero in Superman for a New Generation
Kickstarting a new superhero franchise is an almost impossible task, especially when the hero in question has as long and varied a history as Superman. But that hasn’t kept Warner […]
Review: Heads of State Puts John Cena and Idris Elba on the World Stage—Then Strands Them There
The funniest thing about the new action-comedy Heads of State is the casting, and I mean no disrespect to either John Cena (playing action star-turned-U.S. President Will Derringer) or Idris […]
Review: A Brave Afro-Colombian Woman Faces the Powers That Be in Documentary Igualada
Three years ago two outsiders broke the stranglehold Colombia’s right wing parties had over the country when they were elected president and vice-president: the former M19 guerrilla fighter and senator […]