Monthly Archives: July 2020

As the title character in “Benjamin,” Colin Morgan is chatty, insecure, painfully awkward, and thanks at least in part to his Irish accent, adorably twee. Your instinct is to sidle up to him, give him a little “Could we talk … Continue reading →

This biopic about the Curies, Marie and Pierre, and their research into radiation already opened in Europe. July 24, Amazon Prime has it. Rosamund Pike is the big-name in the cast.  

An Irishman beat Bram Stoker to the whole fangs, bites, stake-in-the-heart business way back in the golden age of “vampire fiction.” Sheridan Le Fanu’s “Carmilla” came to print a quarter century before “Dracula.” It’s been turned into an opera, comics, … Continue reading →

A July 24 release, bit of a departure for Ms. Slate.

The iconic fashion, art and portrait photographer Helmut Newton (1920-2004) described himself, half-dismissively, as “a professional voyeur.” Elaborating, he said “I photograph a body, a face, legs…” Always women. Typically nude. Often provocatively posed and photographed. One of his favorite … Continue reading →

Damn this is fun. “Mucho Mucho Amor” is a documentary that takes many of us back to that first time we caught a load of Walter Mercado, Puerto Rico’s astrologer to the masses, a Liberace/Elton/Cher flamboyant showman who brought old … Continue reading →

Jesse Williams and Jordana Brewster also star in this thriller about comic book writers who wonder about the connection between their work and“Random Acts of Violence.”This one opens Aug. 20.

The culinary term “Nose to Tail” is a philosophy — a chef who turns her or his talents to finding a use for everything in a purchased carcass in the food served at the restaurant. You don’t have to go … Continue reading →

A young, gay and lovelorn filmmaker tries to confirm he didn’t just die or go into a monastery after making a splash with his debut film, by releasing and publicizing his second. We finally get Simon Amstell’s“Benjamin” in streaming release … Continue reading →

The comic book adaptation “The Old Guard” is more interesting for its “changing of the guard” politics than anything it puts on screen. Netflix made it, wrote a big check for a franchise built around Oscar winner Charlize Theron, with … Continue reading →