Bride a shambling mess of a movie In the interest of full disclosure, I need to say upfront that I’ve seen James Whale’s The Bride of Frankenstein more than any other movie. It never ceases to entertain, the filmmaker’s inventive combination of gothic horror, dark humor and fairy tale elements are as fresh today as […]
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EPIC features unseen Elvis Presley footage, younger set will love GOAT
EPIC showcases the King in his court While in the process of making Elvis, director Baz Luhrmann, was informed there was footage shot for the concert films That’s the Way it Is, and Elvis in Concert, that had never been used. The problem was, no one knew where it had been stored. His production assistants […]
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An honest, romantic, queer drama
Embracing its risqué subject matter, Harry Lighton’s Pillon is one of the most honestly romantic films to have graced the screen in the last decade. This queer drama deals takes place within the gay biker subculture, the relationship at its center based on a dominant/submissive dynamic, which will likely be a hard sell to middle […]
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Wuthering Heights a beautiful, frustrating film; Glen Powell shines in How to Make a Killing
Fennell her own worst enemy in Wuthering HeightsEmerald Fennell’s Wuthering Heights is a glorious, frustrating mess of a film. Thesumptuous production captivates with its broad visually romantic strokes, the directorputting her distinctive stamp on the Emily Bronte classic in using a vibrant and, at timesbrooding, aesthetic that’s never less than captivating. And yet, the overall […]
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Desperation drives Crime 101 characters, Good Luck is whiplash-inducing ride
Exceptional Crime a study of desperation Though it is being touted as an action film, Bart Layton’s gripping Crime 101 actually consists of multiple character studies, examining three people who’ve each come to a crossroads in their lives. Captivating and smart, the film benefits from exceptional work from its three veteran leads and old-school pacing, […]
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Crime 101 a throwback thriller
Though it’s being promoted as an action film, Bart Layton’s Crime 101 is actually a triptych of character studies. Adapted from the novella by Donald Winslow, the film focuses on three people who’ve each reached the end of their respective ropes, which compels them to make some rash, desperate decisions. Propelled by an ever-increasing sense […]
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Dracula shows some life, Send Help doesn’t end well
Cast finds life in flawed Dracula Estimates as to how many times Dracula has appeared on film range from approximately 200 to 500. The low number is tabulated by purists who only count productions that feature a version of Bram Stoker’s character while the latter figure included parodies or knock-offs of the seminal vampire. He’s […]
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Wrecking Crew needs innovation, The Morrigan a worthwhile shocker
Bautista, Mamoa nearly salvage Wrecking Crew With the coming of sound to the film industry in 1927, the movie musical was born. Studios were so eager to promote the new technology through song and dance, there was a glut of musicals that nearly killed the genre before it could gain a head of steam. In […]
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Mercy falls short, Rip cleverly done
Intriguing Mercy ultimately falters Smacking of Steven Spielberg’s overlooked masterpiece Minority Report, Timur Bekmambetov’s Mercy also features a law enforcement officer trapped in a legal system he helped create, trying desperately to prove his innocence. At the heart of the Tom Cruise feature were questions of free will and predetermination. Here, the script from writer […]
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Bloody Bone Temple saved by graceful moments, Choral scattered but salvageable
Humanity emerges through Temple’s bloody surface Nia Da Costa’s 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple is two movies in one which, unfortunately, vary drastically in quality. This middle chapter in a new trilogy of the Danny Boyle franchise is a frustrating exercise, one that in moments soars with innovation and daring, and at others, wallows […]
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Best films of 2025
The major film studios are in a desperate spot, still not having recovered from the mass exodus to home viewing that began during the COVID-19 pandemic. Getting enough viewers to theaters to justify the huge budgets for tentpole movies has proven difficult. Once sure things, such as Marvel films or big-budget action movies, are no […]
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The 10 best scenes of 2025
Movies are about moments – big moments that erase our cynicism about cinema and remind us of its capacity to dazzle as well as touch us. This happens in a way only possible with a medium that seamlessly combines so many other art forms. These are instances that prompt us to consider things in a […]
