Monthly Archives: December 2023

Maybe the definition of madness is “doing the same thing over and over again, expecting a different result.” That doesn’t really explain Netflix’s mania for big budget/”name” cast disaster movies. “Don’t Look Up” was merely the most-hyped. “Bird Box” had … Continue reading →

“Eileen” is a chilly, immersive character study about a young woman drowning in the drudgery and burdens of the trap her life has become. Eileen, played by the wonderful Thomasin McKenzie, has a soul-crushing job at a young men’s prison. … Continue reading →

“The Smell of Money” is a social justice documentary about environmental racism and its role in bringing home the bacon, ham and sausage in the American food chain. Set in the towns and rural counties of Eastern N.C. where Big … Continue reading →

In secular cinematic terms, “The Oath” is a limp, underfinanced Pre-Columbian “Last of the Mohicans,” an “action adventure” about the lone survivor of a tribe hunted down by his hated rivals, but not before he’s fallen in love with an … Continue reading →

Prolific provocateur and cinema revolutionary Jean-Luc Godard cut a long, narrow swath through film history in his 91 years. He changed cinema into something messier and more realistic in launching the French New Wave in the 1950s. Movies were never … Continue reading →

“Photophobia,” Slovakia’s entry for Best International Feature in the upcoming 96th Academy Awards, is a reminder that Ukraine still merits the world’s compassion, aid and attention. It’s a docudrama with non-actors “playing” the role Putin’s Russian invasion has limited them … Continue reading →

Your first though when you see him is that “High School Musical” alum Zac Efron is the beneficiary of the latest tech used to make “The Hulk” come to life. He is a walking muscle, bulked-up so much his head … Continue reading →

As “classics” go, “Black Magic” is very much a mixed-bag. A fanciful and dark account of the life of a real-life historical figure, the magnetic and captivating 18th century magician, con-man and hypnotist Cagliostro, it features impressive Italian locations, soaring … Continue reading →

Former “High School Musical” “It boy” Zac Efron co stars with this year’s cable king Jeremy Allen White of “The Bear” in this tale of wrasslin’ and the violence, risk and true costs of a life in this “fake” “sport.” … Continue reading →

“Stolen Vacation” is a stumbling, slow-footed Mexican “vacation” comedy (titled “Viaje Todo Robado” in Spanish) that barely gets out the front door, fails to arrive at its destination and never once gets up to speed. Comedy can be slow and … Continue reading →