Monthly Archives: September 2022

The Rock as a superhero, an ex James bond as his enabler.

The whiff of fall sends a movie critic into reveries of Toronto, where the annual film festival (TIFF) is underway again. It’s a lovely city that hosts a first rate festival. Is the shoe museum still open? A movie like … Continue reading →

“Steal from one,” the old saying goes, “and you’re a plagiarist. Steal from many, you’re a bloody genius.” Something like that. Writer-director Steve Stone almost makes a sci-fi fan viewing party game out of the antecedents for his thriller “Deus,” … Continue reading →

Love that Disney got these three back together for a reunion/revenge comedy. The Divine Ms. Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker and Kathy Najimy look tickled to be back in these guises. A comically adept supporting cast thrown in and we’ve got … Continue reading →

Fierce, furious and feminine, “The Woman King” is an action picture that isn’t so much “released” as “unleashed. It’s a period piece built around history’s real Amazons — the all-female palace guard of the Kingdom of Dahomey. Oscar winner Viola … Continue reading →

Yes, it’s different. And kind of the same. Disney’s version of Hans Christian Anderson’s character is a sweet singing woman of color. The original animated film thrilled kids, brought adults to tears and Disney back to animated relevance. The bar … Continue reading →

Direct to Disney+? Still dying to see it. Now here’s a sequel we can all get behind. An “Enchanted” follow up that’s all about life after marrying your McDreamy Prince and moving to the ‘burbs. Love and Amy! And Maya … Continue reading →

“The Bengali” is a lovely home movie about finding one’s roots, a simple tale that connects a New Orleans family to its West Bengal patriarch, who came over from India in the late 19th century. School teacher Fatima Shaik grew … Continue reading →

It always circles back to “Clerks” for Kevin Smith. Jersey’s DIY indie filmmaker may have taken his shots at leaving Jay and Silent Bob and Dante and Randal et al. But those guys and that New Jersey convenience store they … Continue reading →

When we meet Justin Long’s actor character AJ in the new thriller “Barbarian,” he’s a Hollywood lad on the make, a guy with a TV pilot about to be picked up sporting down the coast with the top down in … Continue reading →