Category Archives: Reviews

Love that Octavia Spencer. And since I’ve interviewed Shailene Woodley so much her mom is getting suspicious, I pitched The Only O I Adore as someone I’d like to talk to about “Insurgent,” the sequel to “Divergent.” We last spoke … Continue reading →

The best acting job in “Unfinished Business” is turned in by Vince Vaughn. He spends the 91 minutes of this seriously laugh-starved comedy trying to pretend he doesn’t want to strangle Dave Franco. Rare is the performance that inspires such … Continue reading →

Wrongheaded in conception, eye-rolling in execution, “Chappie” is a childish blend of the cute robot goofiness of “Short Circuit,” and the bloody-minded mayhem of “Robocop.” It never finds its sweet spot and never, for one moment, works. Neill Blomkamp, the … Continue reading →

“To Write Love on Her Arms.” It’s a cause, vividly illustrated by its name, a turn of phrase so poetic that it’s no wonder a big segment of the music industry embraced it as a cause celebre a few years … Continue reading →

Dame Judi Dench takes an awkward pause, Her interviewer’s name is familiar, even if the actor he shares it with never played one of Dench’s versions of James Bond. “Well, I don’t know whether to have a nice little chat…or … Continue reading →

A pop culture icon passed away today. Leonard Nimoy was, by my estimation, the Dalai Lama of world pop culture, recognizable, revered, respected. And all because of a TV character. A character he played on a low-rated show that became … Continue reading →

Maria Laura, the heroine of our story, is thin, slinky bombshell of an actress who uses her talents to flirt with other women’s beaus to test their loyalty. The acting roles aren’t there, but there is no shortage of women … Continue reading →

Lesley is a conscientious school bus driver. A kid doesn’t have a stocking cap for his snowy walk home from his bus stop, she gives him hers. She parks her vehicle at the end of a shift, mentions to the … Continue reading →

You may see better, more Oscar-worthy documentaries this year. But you will never see one more mouth watering than “Deli Man,” Erik Greenberg Anjou’s look at the dying dietary tradition of America’s Jewish delicatessens. It’s a playful and tasty crash … Continue reading →

Mae Whitman sasses, sashays and sparkles in “The DUFF,” a snappy, sweet-spirited teen comedy about a smart girl who tries to fight high school labeling with wit and words. And the occasional punch. It’s a paint-by-numbers romantic comedy. But Whitman, … Continue reading →