Monthly Archives: August 2023

Didya love “Black Dynamite?” Didya MISS it? Get on that, wouldya? I loved it. And this has “Black Dynamite” blaxploitation Western energy, and we know Mr. White’s gift for deadly deadpan. Michael Jai White wrote, directed and stars in “Outlaw … Continue reading →

Every ten years, like clockwork, we get a new version of “La grande séduction.” And every ten years, I review it and find something charming in this “Northern Exposure” tale of a dying village lying, cheating and manipulating its way … Continue reading →

In the spirit of “It’s animated, let’s dub it with English-speaking voices and see if it’ll sell” comes “Goodbye Monster,” a cross-cultural curiosity from China that loses something in translation. The director and co-writer of “Bobby the Hedgehog,” Huang Jianming, … Continue reading →

This A24 release is a sort of Jesus-adjacent/not quite Pythonesque account of the revolutionary ferment of 1st century Jerusalem. Omar Sy, Alfred Woodard, Benedict Cumberbatch, David Oyelowo and James McAvoy are in this January release.

An Oct 6 release from Lionsgate, et al. Mel Gibson is Mississippi Mel in this one, which is based on a Michael Farris Smith novel. Sort of Stockholm Syndromish involvement between the son and an accused cop killer? Hard to … Continue reading →

I have been thinking Liam Neeson and his “Retribution” comrades were lucky to get their picture into theaters before Denzel’s third go as “The Equalizer.” Even though “Retribution” bombed. But the Oscar winning Mr. Washington is…interestingly attired for this film, … Continue reading →

I was never much of a fan of B-movie maker Monte Hellman, who had a long if not exactly prolific career — 23 directing jobs between 1959 and the 2010s. “Two-Lane Blacktop” is a solid genre picture, and I’m hard … Continue reading →

Well, thank God that “Squared Love” romance is settled and done with. Again. Those crazy lovebirds, teacher Monika (Adrianna Chlebicka) and high-living influencer Enzo (Mateusz Banasiuk) have had not one but TWO Polish rom-coms to fall hard and tie the … Continue reading →

Elham was beaten, almost to death, by her abusive husband. When she gets out of the hospital, the only place she feels at peace — normal — is in the sea, swimming. As the daughter of a famous freestyle wrestler, … Continue reading →

“Showdown in Yesteryear” is an exceptionally-pokey indie Old West fantasy about an aged John Wayne-worshipping stable boy who finds himself transported back to @1880, Dogwood Pass. It’s ambitious enough, making use of an Ohio “Old West” town attraction, but clumsily … Continue reading →