Category Archives: Reviews, previews, profiles and movie news

Even the best thrillers allow or invite the viewer to get a step or two ahead, to anticipate what’s coming next, or what might come. The script usually reveals its mysteries by relying on melodramatic tropes or cliches of the … Continue reading →

Just a teaser, has a touch of Tyler Perry with an all-Asian cast. Gloss and aspirational consumption (check out the cars). Not a laugh in the teaser, but the target audience is underserved, under-represented and HUGE. Maybe it’ll work out. … Continue reading →

One way to elevate the stoner comedy — And who asked for that? — might be to cast against type. Thus “Dude,” an L.A. high school stoner romp about four BFFs coping with senior year, prom, college plans, singing along … Continue reading →

“The Incredible Jessica James” is the very definition of “Netflixable.” It’s movie of undeniable charms, some witty moments and nice chemistry between its stars. But it’s got too little to it to warrant traveling to a cinema and buying a … Continue reading →

Sure, it’s the Liam Neeson keep-yourself-relevant role model, take on vengeful wise-old-men-of-action films in your 60s. I’ve gotten over any sense that these are “beneath” the often fine actors who make these movies. Especially after “Roman J. Israel, Esq.” Denzel … Continue reading →

Wes Anderson’s got something he wants to talk to you about.     Every day, more than 4,100 dogs and cats are killed in America’s shelters, simply because they don’t have safe places to call home. Best Friends Animal Society … Continue reading →

It takes confidence in your jokes-per-minute count to burn through as many as these “Deadpool” movies do. It always seems like a mistake, giving away too much, too many gags/action beats and one-liners. But maybe not. Will it chase “Avengers: … Continue reading →

There was a moment, right at the end of “Inside Amy Schumer” and just after “Trainwreck” blew up, that it seemed everybody wanted to be in the Amy Schumer business. Make a movie with her, talk her into a stand-up … Continue reading →

Good actors making their living in the nether regions of the cinematic mainstream are an ongoing fascination for me. Nicolas Cage, Oscar winner and C-movie mainstay, John Cusack donning and endless selection of baseball caps to hide the inevitabilities of … Continue reading →

Clancy Brown is getting a lot of off-Hollywood work these days. The “Shawshank” star’s long been a favorite of mine. In “SuperCon” he plays a beloved but hateful genre-picture star — think Ron Perlman/Bruce Campbell/Shatner — whose bounty for autographs … Continue reading →