Steve Crum

Steve Crum
Tomatometer-approved critic
Publications: Kansas City Kansan, Video-Reviewmaster.com, Dispatch-Tribune Newspapers
Critics' Group: Kansas City Film Critics Circle
Official Websites: kansascitykansan.com

Movie Reviews Only

T-Meter Title | Year
A- 83% Mank (2020) At the very least, when 'Mank' is released on DVD, it should be paired with 'Citizen Kane' in a boxed set. Each would complement the other. - Video-Reviewmaster.com EDIT
Read More | Posted Mar 29, 2021
A- 92% The Life Ahead (2020) A wonderfully crafted character study of Rosa and Momo, both of whom fight the inevitable sad truths of the world. - Video-Reviewmaster.com EDIT
Read More | Posted Mar 22, 2021
A- 74% Palmer (2021) The acting and powerful storytelling belie expectations. See it, and you will be impressed. Timberlake underplays terrifically. - Video-Reviewmaster.com EDIT
Read More | Posted Feb 19, 2021
C- 55% The Prom (2020) So why does the film fall short? The answer is overproduction and slickness. - Video-Reviewmaster.com EDIT
Read More | Posted Feb 9, 2021
A- 50% The Midnight Sky (2020) Clooney, as well as the entire Aether crew, make the implausible plausible. That is a credit to their acting. - Video-Reviewmaster.com EDIT
Read More | Posted Jan 17, 2021
A- 95% Palm Springs (2020) The cleverness of Max Barbakow's direction blended with the originality of Andy Siara's screenplay result in a fast-paced, extremely diverting 90 minutes. - Video-Reviewmaster.com EDIT
Read More | Posted Jan 12, 2021
A- 95% First Cow (2020) 'First Cow' both begins and ends with a mystery. That might frustrate some viewers, but it works pretty beautifully. - Video-Reviewmaster.com EDIT
Read More | Posted Dec 31, 2020
B 87% On The Rocks (2020) It turns out that there isn't really too much to the story, but Murray's eccentric, charismatic presence sells it. - Video-Reviewmaster.com EDIT
Read More | Posted Dec 27, 2020
A 88% News of the World (2020) Like the news presented by Kidd, 'News of the World' grabs us with irony, drama, and humor. - Video-Reviewmaster.com EDIT
Read More | Posted Dec 24, 2020
A 89% The Trial of the Chicago 7 (2020) Crackling dialogue and courtroom drama...both tense and shockingly funny. - Video-Reviewmaster.com EDIT
Read More | Posted Oct 21, 2020
A 94% Dads (2020) A joyful, tearful, happy discovery of the re-defining of fatherhood. - Video-Reviewmaster.com EDIT
Read More | Posted Oct 12, 2020
B 79% Greyhound (2020) Running a tight 91 minutes, "Greyhound" is a tense, nearly non-stop actioner. - Video-Reviewmaster.com EDIT
Read More | Posted Oct 2, 2020
A- 62% The Call of the Wild (2020) A very good action-adventure film based upon Jack London's endearing 1903 novel. Although its PG rating is based upon some violence and peril depicted, the film is ultra suitable for family audiences. - Video-Reviewmaster.com EDIT
Read More | Posted Feb 21, 2020
A 89% 1917 (2020) Among THE best movies set during WWI ever produced. - Video-Reviewmaster.com EDIT
Read More | Posted Jan 10, 2020
B 85% Just Mercy (2020) This above average movie deals with racism, a corrupt prison system, and determination. Like other films of this ilk, the audience's shock, disgust, and anger grow as the story progresses. - Video-Reviewmaster.com EDIT
Read More | Posted Jan 10, 2020
B 51% Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker (2019) Lacks the outright fun and originality of the previous episodes, but it achieves its goal of providing big scale closure. - Video-Reviewmaster.com EDIT
Read More | Posted Dec 19, 2019
A 92% Ford v Ferrari (2019) Pistons and torques aside, 'FvF' is really about friendship, love, trust, and risk. It is a balancing act superbly orchestrated. - Video-Reviewmaster.com EDIT
Read More | Posted Nov 15, 2019
C+ 73% Harriet (2019) The film looks and feels more like a well done History Channel reenactment. The facts are solid, but the emotional impact is lacking. - Video-Reviewmaster.com EDIT
Read More | Posted Nov 1, 2019
A- 81% Judy (2019) Zellweger captures Judy Garland's person and-surprisingly-her voice and performance demeanor. She is enough like Judy to convince this longtime Garland fan. - Video-Reviewmaster.com EDIT
Read More | Posted Sep 27, 2019
B- 83% Ad Astra (2019) The mundane aspects of space travel are definitely shown, but thankfully broken with some action- space monkeys and moon pirates included. - Video-Reviewmaster.com EDIT
Read More | Posted Sep 20, 2019
A 90% Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019) A doozy of a story packed with visual surrealism and clever plot surprises. - Video-Reviewmaster.com EDIT
Read More | Posted Jul 2, 2019
C 50% A Dog's Journey (2019) A scattershot story line, covering many years and leaving plot holes and unanswered questions. Coincidences abound to the point of ridiculousness. - Video-Reviewmaster.com EDIT
Read More | Posted May 17, 2019
A- 91% Gloria Bell (2019) Julianne Moore's extraordinary performance convinces us that Gloria will not only survive, but conquer. - Video-Reviewmaster.com EDIT
Read More | Posted Mar 22, 2019
B+ 93% Us (2019) You know a movie is really scary when audience members at the preview keep yelling at the screen, "Don't open that door!" and "Look out!" (I didn't say such, but I sure thought it.) - Video-Reviewmaster.com EDIT
Read More | Posted Mar 22, 2019
C+ 79% Captain Marvel (2019) The fun of 'Captain Marvel' is not so much Danvers/Marvel, but her pal Nick Fury, portrayed by the ubiquitous Samuel L. Jackson. - Video-Reviewmaster.com EDIT
Read More | Posted Mar 8, 2019
A 92% Stan & Ollie (2019) To play upon Mr. Hardy's catchphrase, 'Stan & Ollie' is quite the opposite of a mess The Boys have gotten us into. - Video-Reviewmaster.com EDIT
Read More | Posted Jan 25, 2019
B+ 72% On the Basis of Sex (2019) A fascinating, well crafted, accurate bio-drama about the early life-personal and professional-of Ruth Bader Ginsburg. - Video-Reviewmaster.com EDIT
Read More | Posted Jan 11, 2019
B+ 65% Vice (2018) Bale's transformation is incredibly uncanny and stunning. This is far from an Alec Baldwin burlesque of Donald Trump-funny as that is. - Video-Reviewmaster.com EDIT
Read More | Posted Dec 25, 2018
B+ 80% Mary Poppins Returns (2018) Emily Blunt and Lin-Manuel Miranda are practically and perfectly cast. - Video-Reviewmaster.com EDIT
Read More | Posted Dec 19, 2018
A 90% A Star Is Born (2018) I will go out on a short limb to predict Academy Award nods to Cooper, Gaga and Elliott. Lady Gaga's days of wearing a meat dress are history. A born movie star is she. - Video-Reviewmaster.com EDIT
Read More | Posted Oct 5, 2018
B- 65% The Little Stranger (2018) Low on the creepazoid meter, but it tingled a couple of nerves along my spine. - Video-Reviewmaster.com EDIT
Read More | Posted Aug 31, 2018
A- 79% Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again (2018) This sequel to 2008's 'Mama Mia!' is a delightfully winning romantic-musical-comedy. In a couple of ways, it outshines the extremely popular original. - Video-Reviewmaster.com EDIT
Read More | Posted Jul 20, 2018
B+ 47% Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom (2018) Prepare for typical 'Jurassic Park' action, tinged with the dark humor of men and women at risk of losing their limbs and lives. Bring the family. - Video-Reviewmaster.com EDIT
Read More | Posted Jun 22, 2018
B 69% Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018) ...A fun and exciting, though imperfect, addition to the Star Wars array. 'Solo' is well worth seeing, particularly for fans. - Video-Reviewmaster.com EDIT
Read More | Posted May 25, 2018
A 87% Tully (2018) Charlize Theron's portrayal...is nothing short of brilliant, and certainly Oscar worthy. Adding Diablo Cody's screenplay and Jason Reitman's direction equals a trifecta supreme. - Video-Reviewmaster.com EDIT
Read More | Posted May 4, 2018
B- 51% Rampage (2018) Essentially turning to formula plotting, we get a hero (or three) versus some mad scientists who have unleashed monsters. We have seen this before, but it works very comfortably here. - Video-Reviewmaster.com EDIT
Read More | Posted Apr 12, 2018
B 72% Ready Player One (2018) Gamers will get a kick out of this nearly non-stop racing movie loaded with familiar pop culture images. - Video-Reviewmaster.com EDIT
Read More | Posted Mar 28, 2018
C+ 96% Black Panther (2018) I had hoped for so much more than what was delivered. The loyal fan base will no doubt think otherwise. - Video-Reviewmaster.com EDIT
Read More | Posted Feb 16, 2018
A- 88% The Post (2018) The cinematic takeaway here is a combination of the factual story, the superb supporting cast (Sarah Paulsen, Bob Odenkirk, Carrie Coon, and Tracy Letts among them), and the film's powerhouse leads, Streep and Hanks. - Video-Reviewmaster.com EDIT
Read More | Posted Jan 10, 2018
A- 90% Star Wars: The Last Jedi (2017) Director/screenwriter Rian Johnson has truly delivered the galaxy goods on this event-the second installment of the sequel trilogy. - Video-Reviewmaster.com EDIT
Read More | Posted Dec 12, 2017
B- 31% Wonder Wheel (2017) Though contrived, 'Wonder Wheel' has stunning color and Kate Winslet as pluses. - Video-Reviewmaster.com EDIT
Read More | Posted Dec 1, 2017
B- 79% The Man Who Invented Christmas (2017) Compelling? Well, so-so. A unique take on the familiar Charles Dickens tale, 'A Christmas Carol'? Definitely. - Video-Reviewmaster.com EDIT
Read More | Posted Nov 22, 2017
B 87% Only the Brave (2017) Two factors elevating 'Only the Brave' above the norm are the film's location photography and realistic forest fire sequences. - Video-Reviewmaster.com EDIT
Read More | Posted Oct 20, 2017
A- 92% Dunkirk (2017) Important to the film's success is Hans Zimmer's unique score, which becomes a living entity unto itself due to pulsating sounds. - Video-Reviewmaster.com EDIT
Read More | Posted Jul 21, 2017
A 92% Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017) This one is the best Spider-Man movie ever, and among the best of any in the history of superhero films. - Video-Reviewmaster.com EDIT
Read More | Posted Jul 7, 2017
B 93% Wonder Woman (2017) When 'Wonder Woman' is good, it is compellingly fun. But when the Amazonian warrior is shown for the 37th time in mid-air, slo-mo battle pose, it is a yawner. - Video-Reviewmaster.com EDIT
Read More | Posted Jun 2, 2017
B+ 85% Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017) This second volume is pretty terrific, a must-see. It suffers a bit from being a sequel in that characters are already firmly defined. (The revelation of their personas was a plus in the previous film.) - Video-Reviewmaster.com EDIT
Read More | Posted May 5, 2017
B 64% The Zookeeper's Wife (2017) Emotionally wrenching in many ways, 'The Zookeeper's Wife' succeeds as a fact-based a story of love and perseverance. - Video-Reviewmaster.com EDIT
Read More | Posted Mar 31, 2017
B+ 75% Kong: Skull Island (2017) Stereotypical in many ways, 'Kong: Skull Island' is great fun to watch, thanks to a literate, savvy script, fine acting, and visuals that should please the most discriminating monster movie fan. - Video-Reviewmaster.com EDIT
Read More | Posted Mar 10, 2017
B 93% Logan (2017) Combining these two blade runners, working side by side, is a recipe for stunts, special effects, and big box office. - Video-Reviewmaster.com EDIT
Read More | Posted Mar 3, 2017