movie reviews
Movie Review: Shorts 6 — It Hurts to Laugh (comedy; Chicago International Film Festival)
Blocks (USA) 3 stars out of 5 Not affiliated with the Lego Movie series, but the popular connecting blocks do play a role here. We have a stressed-out mom and something strange starts happening. It’s basically one joke, but likable enough. Play Schengen 2.5 stars out of 5 Cute and timely concept — gamers pitching […]
Movie Review: On the Rocks
4 stars out of 5A bunch of people seemed surprised that I went to a movie theater. They’re perhaps forgetting that for the overwhelming majority of films I go to see, the attendance has always been well under 25% capacity. Regardless, going to the movies was one of the main things I’ve missed during the […]
Movie Review: Uncle Peckerhead
4 stars out of 5A lot was different when I saw Matthew John Lawrence’s first feature, Two Pints Lighter, back in 2013: no pandemic, the president wasn’t a corrupt fascist moron, I had feet, the writer/director billed himself simply as Matt Lawrence, etc. But, upon watching his newly-released second feature, Uncle Peckerhead, it’s clear that […]
Movie Review: VHYes
4 stars out of 5In the grand tradition of The Kentucky Fried Movie, SCTV, and Too Many Cooks comes… VHYes. This anthology of 80s pop-culture spoofs is the feature-length debut from director/co-writer Jack Henry Robbins. Two of the executive producers, who also appear in the movie, are Tim Robbins and Susan Sarandon, coincidentally the parents […]
Movie Review: The Assistant
3.5 stars out of 5I read the poster and thought “Julia Garner is too old to play a young assistant.” But I was thinking of Jennifer Garner. Was pleasantly surprised to learn that the lead was Julia, who I am very familiar with from Ozark and The Americans. She’s been great in both those series […]
Movie Review: The Rhythm Section
3 stars out of 5 Different town, but second consecutive movie where I was the only one in the theater. I’m starting to get a complex. Or perhaps a multiplex. The Rhythm Section (I keep typing Rhythm Method) is a crummy name for an action flick, but at least the title is explained in the […]
Movie Review: Gretel and Hansel
4 stars out of 5 Do I have to say every time that, full disclosure, Sophia Lillis is my dear friend Karen’s stepdaughter? What if I get it out of the way in the first sentence? OK, fine. Um, this movie is FUCKED UP. I had no idea what to expect. Even my recollections of […]
Movie Review: 2020 Oscar Nominated Live-Action Short Films
A Sister (Belgium) 4.5 stars out of 5 A taut, highly realistic thriller based around a nighttime car ride. I won’t say any more plot-wise as it’s very worth watching and I don’t want to ruin it. Terrific performance by the actress not in the car, Veerle Baetens. This would be my choice for the […]
Movie Review: 2020 Oscar Nominated Animated Short Films
Dcera (Czechia) 3.5 stars out of 5 Daughter/dad story #1, told in an intriguing, dark papier-mâché-esque style. Grown-up daughter reflects back on her relationship with her father back in the day. Impressive, though I had a little trouble following the exact details of this one. Hair Love (USA) 3 stars out of 5 Daughter/dad story […]
Movie Review: Pain and Glory
4 stars out of 5 When I was a college boy, Pedro Almodóvar was a big deal: Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown (which I’m pretty sure I didn’t see) and Tie Me Up! Tie Me Down! (which I’m pretty sure I did). And yet I can’t say I’ve really kept up with […]
Jack Silbert, curator