Monthly Archives: August 2021

The irresistible off-the-cuff Canadian quips of Ryan Reynolds are unleashed in an inside-video-game comedy from the director of “Night at the Museum,” “Free Guy,” an amusing variation on what is by now a well-worn plot. The new twist here? Our … Continue reading →

The year’s second Capote doc, after “Tennessee and Truman,” is due out Sept. 10 and seems to lean heavily on interview excerpts from his very life, heavily televised life.

This Sept. 10 Netflix release gives it’s titular heroine 24 hours to get a dirty job done. Woody Harrelson explains it all to us.

I can’t say everything I know about modern Japan I got from anime. Because, you know, “Iron Chef,” “Godzilla,” J-horror, “Hello Kitty,” etc. Japanese history, Japanese folklore, Japanese fads like steam punk, styles of dress, teaching methods and styles, cuisine, … Continue reading →

You see a straight razor in a movie, your first thought is “Sweeney Todd.” Even when the movie’s about online voyeurism, you know that straight razor is coming out, and if somebody’s REALLY unlucky, the “stew” is going to have … Continue reading →

A few obstacles remain before James “Guardians of the Galaxy” Gunn is officially canonized for pulling “The Suicide Squad,” the DC universe and Warner Brothers out of the comic book movie doldrums. Firstly, there’s the undebatable fact that Warners/DC has … Continue reading →

As if “Groundhog Day” wasn’t creepy enough. “6:45” is a “live the same day over” tale in mystery thriller form. But the perils we see on screen pale with those facing any filmmaker who tells a story that circles around … Continue reading →

Well, we’re into August. So I guess I can say, with all confidence, that “CODA” is the feel good movie of the summer. It’s a plucky and poignant coming-of-age romance about a teen who loves to sing. But as a … Continue reading →

“Hostage House” is a half-speed thriller about a real estate agent trapped in the “open house” from hell. Stop grinning and clapping with glee. Yes, I know that “she probably had it coming” is a lot of people’s first reaction … Continue reading →

“Naked Singularity,” Chase Palmer’s film of lawyer/novelist Sergio De La Pava’s book, makes a single self-conscious reference to “The French Connection.” A New Yorker in the film notes the criminal enterprise that involves smuggling drugs inside a Lincoln and describes … Continue reading →