movie reviews
Movie Review: The First Omen
4 stars out of 5 The Exorcist came out when I was 4 years old, followed by The Omen when I was 7. These movies seemed to be mentioned quite a lot during my childhood. Sure, I had my little ghost stories and such, but there seemed to be some truly scary stuff out there […]
Movie Review: Problemista
4.5 stars out of 5 I first heard of Julio Torres as an SNL writer, but it was with the series Los Espookys that I truly appreciated his unique, surreal, gentle brand of comic ingenuity. MAX’s penny-pinching new ownership canceled The Spookies after two seasons, but the very bright side is this motion picture written […]
Movie Review: Imaginary
1 star out of 5 I wanted to see a movie to clear my head, and I probably should’ve chosen the Dune sequel, as I’d been waiting for it, and it had been well reviewed, but… it just seemed like too much work. So I rolled the dice with Imaginary. And I crapped out. The […]
Movie Review: Drive-Away Dolls
3.5 stars out of 5 “Does anybody remember laughter?” as Mr. Plant once asked. The comedy film, once a reliable staple of the multiplex, has become nearly extinct. Sure, there are humorous elements in the increasingly crummy Marvel movies, and there are rom-coms but they more rom than com. For those of us who truly […]
Movie Review: Madame Web
3.5 stars out of 5In late December, I saw a confusing trailer for Madame Web starring Dakota Johnson. No interest whatsoever. In late January, however, when Ms. Johnson hosted Saturday Night Live, I learned that her Madame Web character mentors Sydney Sweeney’s character. Total interest; saw the film on opening day. This is one of […]
My Highly Subjective List of the Best Films of 2023
Over the past couple of months I’ve noticed people in pajamas at the movie theater. At first I was annoyed (“People used to dress for Broadway!”), but I suppose whatever gets people to the cinema these days is OK by me. And I dare say that crowds are slowly returning even though A) films are […]
Movie Review: The Iron Claw
2.5 stars out of 5The Von Erichs were heroes to some but didn’t mean shit to me. I was a WWF kid: Bruno Sammartino, Bob Backlund, Jimmy “Superfly” Snuka, Mr. Fuji & Mr. Saito, etc. When I was a bit older there was some second-rate wrestling federation on WTBS; I associate that with Saturday nights, […]
Movie Review: Ferrari
4 stars out of 5 I think the last movie I saw directed by Michael Mann was Heat back in 1995. And prior to that, Manhunter in 1986. But I was a big Miami Vice fan, and perhaps unfairly associated Mann with style over substance. And while the racing scenes here give Mann plenty of […]
Movie Review: Poor Things
3.5 stars out of 5 Dear Poor Things:Where The Wild Things Are called; it wants its font treatment back. OK, on to the review! For the first 30–45 minutes, I was entranced by this film, laughing out loud, prepared to re-order my top movies of the year, and ready to hand the Best Actress Oscar […]
Jack Silbert, curator