Reviews
“See How They Run” (2022)—Excellent Execution of a Mediocre Mystery
Premise On the night of the 100th showing of Agatha Christie’s “The Mousetrap,” a director (Adrien Brody) who hopes to make it into a film is murdered. Jaded Inspector Stoppard (Sam Rockwell) is joined by the unexperienced but enthusiastic Constable Stalker (Saoirse...
“Samaritan” (2022) is the superhero flick we deserve
Premise Sam (Javon ‘Wanna’ Walton), a young boy in Granite City, idolizes the superhero Samaritan who disappeared 25 years ago after his ultimate battle with Nemesis. While some believe he gave his life to save the city, Sam suspects that the trashman who lives in his...
I want to linger a little longer with “Marcel the Shell with Shoes On”
Premise A filmmaker (Dean Fleischer-Camp) becomes fascinated with an adorable talking shell (Jenny Slate) who lives in an Airbnb with his grandmother (Isabella Rossellini). As we explore the little guy’s world, Marcel discovers the possibility of reconnecting with his...
Romanticism vs Reality in “Where the Crawdads Sing”
Premise In the 1960’s North Carolina marshes, the body of Chase Andrews (Harris Dickinson) is found at the base of a high tower. Speculation and town gossip leads to the arrest and trial of Kya Clark (Daisy Edgar-Jones) who lives alone in the marshes. Romanticism and...
UFO sci-fi horror ‘Nope’ is a step down from Peele’s best
For the last five-odd years, I’ve had a recurring nightmare. The details and circumstances vary, but the concept is always the same. I see some kind of incredible spectacle—a tornado, a brilliant sunset, even the arrival of a spaceship. My first instinct is to grab my...
‘Mr. Malcolm’s List’ is the crowning jewel of the summer
Premise When Julia Thistlewaite (Zawe Ashton) is humiliated over being publicly slighted by the wealthy, honorable Mr. Malcolm (Sope Dirisu), she enlists her cousin (Oliver Jackson-Cohen) and childhood friend Selina Dalton (Frieda Pinto) to use Mr. Malcolm’s list of...
‘Love and Thunder’ is a step down from ‘Ragnarok,’ but pretty good for post-‘Endgame’ MCU
Thor: Love and Thunder – 3 stars out of 4 For the “Thor: Love and Thunder” soundtrack, director Taika Waititi uses Guns ‘n Roses the same way he used Led Zeppelin for “Thor: Ragnarok” in 2017. Guns ‘n Roses was a great band, far superior to most all its peers, but it...
“Cryo” (2022) is one to keep on your radar
Premise Five people suddenly wake up from cryosleep in a mysterious underground facility with no immediate recollection of who they are or why they are there. As they get a sense of their roles and situation, not all is as it appears as each person seems to be...
Disappointing ‘Dominion’ ends Jurassic trilogy with a cluttered whimper
Jurassic World: Dominion - 2 stars out of 4 There are a lot of scenes in “Jurassic World: Dominion” where characters have threatening encounters with a dinosaur, enough that they start to feel redundant. But one stands out in particular. As with most of these scenes,...
‘Jurassic World: Dominion’ might have had good intentions…. and that’s about it. *A RANT*
Premise Following the world-altering events of “Fallen Kingdom,” dinosaurs are now living in the outside world. Owen (Chris Pratt), Claire (Bryce Dallas Howard), and Maisie (Isabella Sermon) have become a pseudo-family hiding out in the woods. Although sympathetic to...
‘Maverick’ is a spectacular return to the Danger Zone
Top Gun: Maverick - 3 1/2 stars out of 4 As much as I enjoyed “Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent,” and with all due respect to Mr. Nicholas Cage, I think “Top Gun: Maverick” just took over my top spot for Favorite Movie of 2022 (So Far). It is a perfect blend of...
“The Bad Guys” (2022) wasn’t bad at all!
Premise The Bad Guys are a gang of animal thieves led by Wolf (Sam Rockwell) who have embraced their reputation for being bad. They appeal to Governor Diane Foxington (Zazie Beetz) to give them the chance to reform as a guise for a bigger heist. However, through these...