Daily Archives: August 14, 2023

On December 17, 2010, a Tunisian street vendor set himself on fire, in protest, and changed the Arab world. Mohamed Bouazizi’s desperate, despairing act started the Arab Spring, which didn’t quite upend the socio-political order of the Islamic Middle East … Continue reading →

This supernatural thriller about someone or someTHING manipulating Tunisians into setting themselves on fire looks creepy, and the unusual setting gives it bonus points. Look for “Ashkal” on Friday.

“Dead Shot” is a lean, myopic thriller that remembers the IRA wars against UK “paras” and special units as tit-for-tat violence that couldn’t help but turn “personal.” Set against the IRA London bombing campaign of 1975, it enfolds dueling personal … Continue reading →

A profane, all-star stoner comedy about talking/insulting/swearing pooches is the very definition of a sleeper-wannabe hit for the “Dog Days” of August. I chuckled at the trailer. Let’s see if this delivers. “Strays” opens Friday.

“The Murderer” is a comical Thai whodunit featuring grisly (ish) deaths, goofy, conflicting versions of how they occurred and a grumpy senior cop nicknamed “The Hot-Headed Crime Buster” who tries to sort out the truth from the conclusions he’s more … Continue reading →