Monthly Archives: August 2023

The bar’s pretty high on zombie movies these days. Show us something fresh, maybe with a bit of subtext, and surprise us. Or don’t bother. “Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead” is a Japanese multi-media franchise riff on a … Continue reading →

Insights and blunt psychological and sociological truths thumb-wrestle with “twee” all the way through actor Randall Park’s directing debut, “Shortcomings,” an Asian American rom-com that comments on Asian-American rom-coms. Equal measures witty, bittersweet and trite, it lands laughs and body-blows … Continue reading →

“The Meg 2: The Trench” loses the benefit of being an off-the-wall big-budget B-movie surprise, and it loses most of the laughs served up by the monster movie that took the summer of 2018 by surprise. It’s still built around … Continue reading →

Joe Manganiello is the hit man who dabbles with a brush to keep their dirty business “legit.” Maya Hawke and Debi Mazar join”Pulp Fiction” cast mates Uma Thurman and Samuel L. Jackson in a star&studded ensemble that sounds like “Ozark,” … Continue reading →

The true story of a Korean diplomat kidnapped in civil war-torn Lebanon in the ’80s becomes the most exciting, most entertaining buddy picture in years —“Ransomed” — the best action pic of the summer. Sorry, Mr. Cruise. Shoot-outs, car chases, … Continue reading →

“Soulcatcher” is a solid if somewhat flatly-directed shoot-em-up thriller from Poland, a movie interesting to fans of the “special skills” commando “extraction” genre chiefly due to the ways it differs from such slam-bang action features in The West. There’s this … Continue reading →

An uncommonly stupid movie turned into an unlikely hit five years ago. Has it been five years? Wow. Anyway, Warners being Warners, there’s a sequel to “The Meg.” Statham being Statham, he took those suckers’ money. It’s not like those … Continue reading →

Ah, the Films of August. They’re always like this. But you never know when a good one might sneak in under the radar. “Storage Locker” film about a comic book collector who digs for hidden collectible treasure in a couple … Continue reading →

Hadn’t heard much from Mr. Hutcherson, the “Hunger Games” hearthrob, of late. This Sept. 29 release co-stars Freeman, Lovie Simone and Greg Germann in a story of how even a tiny bit of time-travel can change one person’s future, and … Continue reading →

I missed the HBO film “The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks” when it came out in 2017, even though I had read up on the story, had been tracking the film’s progress and had a personal interest in it. HBO … Continue reading →