Yearly Archives: 2018

Put hotheaded, just-quit working class mechanic Jason Mantzoukas (“The Dictator,” “The House”) in a car with child of privilege Tony Revolori (“Grand Budapest Hotel,” “Spider-Man”)  and send them into desert Southwest America. Laughs see sure to follow. Pamela Reed, Taissa … Continue reading →

I’ve interviewed Peter Jackson a few times over the years, and often as the conversation was winding up, he’d talk of the war movie he wanted to make — a version of WWII’s “The Dam Busters,” about RAF pilots who … Continue reading →

The bar has been set high for Kevin Hart comedies, and adding new star Tiffany Haddish to the mix should prove a boon for “Night School,” an indifferent star-comedy with little to recommend it — a few laughs, widely scattered … Continue reading →

There’s been so much written, said and filmed about New York’s famed disco era icon Studio 54, that filmmaker Matt Tyrnauer was hard-pressed to find anything new for his documentary, “Studio 54” (Oct. 5). What he settled on was the tactile … Continue reading →

Musically sharp and dramatically flat, the latest version of “A Star is Born” starts impressively and falls off suddenly, a sudsy, overwrought remake that drowns in its abrupt, perfunctory emotional leaps. All this hype around Lady Gaga’s big screen debut? … Continue reading →

“Hell Fest” falls on the “Why’d they even bother releasing this one?” end of the horror film spectrum. Then you look around at the late Thursday preview audience and see a theater half-full for a movie that was so crappy … Continue reading →

They must teach this in schools where filmmakers learn the art of making documentaries. While there are many subgenres of nonfiction film — historic, sport, art, nature, biographical profile — one can’t-miss shortcut to getting your film made and seen … Continue reading →

It’s taken a while for her to get there, but Joey King’s finally made a movie that cements her growing girl-who-wants-to-be-bad reputation. No “Kissing Booth” this time. With “Summer ’03” she goes full Aubrey Plaza. I’d say watching “Summer ’03” … Continue reading →

The year of “Captain Marvel” and “Birds of Prey” begins with “Dark Phoenix,” a new X-Men feature which brings back the non-Wolverine/Fassbender-McAvoy-J. Lawrence cast for a Fox payday and a fresh start. Sophie Turner’s Jean Gray, who turns bad badder … Continue reading →

Vanessa Grasse stars as a young woman who cannot escape her horrific past in “Open 24 Hours.” Making quite the career for herself, covered in blood (“Leatherface”). This just played at Fantastic Fest. Looks visceral.