Category Archives: Reviews, previews, profiles and movie news

Vanessa Grasse stars as a young woman who cannot escape her horrific past in “Open 24 Hours.” Making quite the career for herself, covered in blood (“Leatherface”). This just played at Fantastic Fest. Looks visceral.

Think of “Bleach” as the Harry Potter of manga, the epic Japanese illustrated books (comics) that inspire many an anime outing. It’s a fantastical struggle between good and many faces of evil waged by teenagers who could hold second jobs … Continue reading →

  October 1, Universal is putting Ryan Gosling and Claire Foy’s Oscar hopes in front of the fans, as they host nationwide “preview” screenings of “First Man,” the Neil Armstrong/Apollo picture. Here’s where it is happening. No, I didn’t alphabetize … Continue reading →

Mary Elizabeth Winstead made a magnificent drunk in “Smashed,” so it should be no surprise that she kills as a stand-up comic in “All About Nina.”  Drunken/druggy, needy and emotionally-crippled comics are a cultural cliche, like critics “in it for … Continue reading →

A zombie end-times musical? Already fanboy endorsed at South by Southwest and Fantastic Fest. But they’re soulless zombies themselves, on occasion. Lemmings, actually, and they do love them some hot starlets singing about zombies. So we’ll see about that. It … Continue reading →

Kevin Hart giveth and Kevin Hart taketh away in “Night School.” He never seems more generous than when he’s stepping back, taking on the Ice Cube role in “Ride Along,” reacting and playing the straight man for Tiffany Haddish and … Continue reading →

Two striking things stand out about the meticulously realized 19th century in Craig William Macneill’s film, “Lizzie,” about the infamous Lizzie Borden ax murders in Fall River, Massachusetts. One is the surreal quiet that a world before telephones, electronic gadgets … Continue reading →

Great to see Danny T get  a Western. Always good to see Lou Diamond Phillips and Jason Patric on the screen. The actual “stars,” including director Scott Martin, are younger and far less known. Christoph Sanders has TV’s “Last Man … Continue reading →

“55 Steps” almost certainly started life with “Oscar bait” in its pitch. Getting a digital release ahead of theatrical kind of tosses that out the window. Helena Bonham Carter as “we’ve never seen her for,” a mental patient whose test … Continue reading →

Kevin Hart and Tiffany Haddish co-star in this comedy, and with the way audiences treat comics as if they have expiration dates, there’s no telling how well this will do, even if it’s great. And the trailers aren’t selling that, … Continue reading →