July 25, 2018
SKYSCRAPER – review
July 25, 2018
FAR FROM THE TREE – review
July 25, 2018
rampage – review
July 25, 2018
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SKYSCRAPER – review
The signature promotional image of “Skyscraper,” the latest Dwayne Johnson summer extravaganza, features the charismatic blockbuster star hanging from a soaring building by only his left hand. His wedding ring gleams prominently in the foreground, illuminated by the deadly blaze that’s raging all around him. The ring draws our attention as powerfully as the earnest intensity in his eyes, a reminder that—not unlike the “Fast & Furious” franchise in which Johnson figures so prominently—this story is all…
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FAR FROM THE TREE – review
The acclaimed and award winning writer Andrew Solomon (perhaps best known for his groundbreaking study of depression, The Noonday Demon) authored the book on which this movie, which shares its title, is based. Directed by Rachel Dretzin, this documentary makes Solomon one of its subjects. The book and movie are about parents and children who wind up being terribly different from each other. By “terribly” I don’t necessarily mean “sadly.” Although that is sometimes the case. The movie opens…
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rampage – review
Dwayne Johnson finally gets a star to match his size if not charisma in the sometimes gloriously ludicrous “Rampage,” a movie based on a hit arcade game that was literally just larger-than-life monsters bashing buildings. If you’re thinking, “Wow, that seems like a flimsy premise from which to adapt a feature film,” you’re not entirely wrong. Directed by “San Andreas” helmer Brad Peyton, this CGI blockbuster is often a defiantly stupid movie, most comfortable with…
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HOW IT ENDS – Review
The interminable slog of Netflix’s “How It Ends” had me thinking about endings in general. How it felt like the close of this film would never come. How we so commonly return in cinema, especially lately, to visions of the end of the world. How the actual ending of this film is an atrocious cheat. Trust me, you’re better off not even beginning. The cheesy pitch for “How It Ends” could be “Meet the Parents”…
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MCQUEEN – Review
Your humble reviewer believes in full disclosure, so I must tell you I know nothing about fashion. Outside of what looks good on me, and what colors match, I am clueless. I know of very few fashion designers, and quite frankly, whenever I watch a fashion show, the only thought I usually have is “who the hell would wear that in public?” I said those exact words a lot during “McQueen,”—it’s in my notes exactly…
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UNFRIENDED: DARK WEB – Review
I’m torn: should I laugh or yell at the lousy anti-internet horror film “Unfriended: Dark Web?” Like its 2014 predecessor, “Unfriended: Dark Web” is a deeply misanthropic horror film that follows a group of hapless Millennials—through realistic-looking video footage of their computer screens—as they are cyber-terrorized by a mysterious group of internet trolls/killers. The biggest difference between the two films is that “Unfriended” is dynamic and cruel while “Unfriended: Dark Web” is unbelievably stupid and sadistic. Neither movie is especially smart or incisive about the Way We Live…
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THE EQUALIZER 2 – Review
Despite working in feature films for nearly 40 years, Denzel Washington has never until now appeared in a sequel to one of his films. Oh sure, he has done a number of films where one suspects that future installments might have been contemplated at some point but none have ever come to fruition. Now he has finally taken the sequel bait with “The Equalizer 2” and the only thing more baffling than the question of why none…
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MAMMA MIA! HERE WE GO AGAIN – Review
If you loved the first “Mamma Mia!” movie back in 2008, well, “Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again” offers even more—and even less. The sequel (which is also a prequel) features a bigger cast, a longer running time, extra subplots and additional romantic entanglements. But it’s emptier than its predecessor and has even lower stakes. It’s less entertaining, and for all its frantic energy, it manages to go absolutely nowhere. Once again inspired by the…
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BLINDSPOTTING – Review
“Blindspotting” is the third 2018 film to use Oakland, California as the jumping off point for the types of cinematic flights of fancy Hollywood rarely affords people of color. It is part of a trio that dares to violate an audience’s preconceived notions of what fates can befall Black and brown people onscreen, and how those outcomes are rendered. “Black Panther” made Oakland a sister city to the majestic fantasy that is Wakanda, achingly bridging…
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The Third Murder Movie – Review
It’s unexpected and wonderful to see Hirokazu Kore-edagoing through something of a career resurgence after winning the Palme d’Or for his upcoming “Shoplifters.” He’s quite simply one of the most important filmmakers in the world, and it’s so nice to see people talking about discovering his best works after hearing about the recent win—films like “Nobody Knows,” “Still Walking” and “After Life.” Even last year’s “After the Storm” qualifies as top-tier Kore-eda, and the Palme win…
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