Monthly Archives: November 2018

For the life of me, I don’t know why they bothered. Sure, it’s got a stellar voice cast — Christian Bale and Cate Blanchett and Naomie Harris and Benedict Cumberbatch and Andy Serkis and Tom Hollander doing voices for all … Continue reading →

A little Bastardized Bard to start your day? A lot of talent was drawn to this interesting idea in the “Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead” vein. “Star Wars” weak sister Daisy Ridley has the title role, as Prince Hamlet’s cruelly … Continue reading →

  It began with a 2015 email from out of the blue to a reporter, Bastian Obermayer, with a newspaper in Munich, Germany. The author, labeling her or himself “John Doe,” was “just a concerned citizen” seeing ” unbelievable amount of … Continue reading →

“The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” morphs into The Girl with Nine Lives in “The Girl in the Spider’s Web,” a bastardized borrowing of Stieg Larrson’s avenging hacker angel. Lisbeth Salander has more narrow escapes than Jason Bourne in this … Continue reading →

Start-up distributor STX is dabbling in animation, too. Their MO — throw money at “names” of dubious cinematic merit — applies to the animated side, too. Janelle Monae, Kelly Clarkson, Nick Jonas, Gabriel Iglesias, Wanda Sykes, Emma Roberts and Blake … Continue reading →

“Astral” is a British thriller in the “Ouija” mode, young people creeped out by what they stumble into exploring the “other” world. Shot quickly and on the cheap (12 days, limited locations), it plays like a prospectus for a bigger, … Continue reading →

Filmgoers have lots of choices at Fandango.com or in the line at their favorite cineplex box office this weekend. The holdover “Bohemian Rhapsody” should continue the Queen revival. But “The Grinch” gives families with small children something to go see, … Continue reading →

“Overlord” grafts World War II combat movie cliches onto zombie and Frankenstein “Give my creature LIFE!” cliches, a D-Day with Monsters mashup with splendid firefights, digitally dazzling airdrop action and gruesome as all get out Nazi Walking Dead effects. It’s … Continue reading →

It’s a Lars von Trief horror film, but really — aren’t they all? It looks monstrous. Dillon’s most challenging film since “Factotum,” I’d say. “The House that Jack Built” is a serial killer tale starring Dillon, with Bruno Ganz is … Continue reading →

Pettyfer makes his directing debut in this Southern Gothic noir. Juliette Lewis is mama in prison, Robert Patrick is the jaded local sheriff, Nicola Peltz is the ex-con’s sister in this adaptation of a Tawni O’Dell novel. “Back Roads” may … Continue reading →