Allen Adams
Tomatometer-approved critic
Allen Adams is the editor and lead culture critic for The Maine Edge, an arts/entertainment weekly based in Bangor, Maine. He has been reviewing movies for that publication for the past decade. For the past seven years, he has also done a weekly segment - called Pass the Popcorn - on the drive-time radio show Downtown with Rich Kimball. He's an actor and an improviser ... and he has been a contestant on Jeopardy!
Movies reviews only
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DC League of Super-Pets (2022) |
“DC League of Super-Pets” isn’t great cinema, but there’s no denying the joyfulness inherent to the premise. Am I still being cynically manipulated for corporate financial gain? Absolutely – but at least I’m having a good time while it happens. - The Maine Edge
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| Posted Aug 04, 2022
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Vengeance (2022) |
Triple-slashing is always a crapshoot – you never know if you’re going to get good, bad, so-bad-it’s-good or what – but Novak’s talents behind the camera as both writer and director win out. - The Maine Edge
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| Posted Aug 04, 2022
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Honor Society (2022) |
I had “Honor Society” pegged as a disposable high school comedy, but it’s definitely a couple of notches better than that. - The Maine Edge
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| Posted Aug 04, 2022
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Nope (2022) |
[C]reepy and charming, fearful and funny – a mélange of vibes that probably shouldn’t work as well as it does. Another excellent production from the mind of a generational talent. Say yes to “Nope.” - The Maine Edge
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| Posted Aug 04, 2022
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The Gray Man (2022) |
The parts that work really work, even as the parts that don’t fall flat. However, if you’re a fan of large-scale blockbuster cinema, you’ll derive sufficient satisfaction from the good bits to make it worth a watch, though again - size isn't everything. - The Maine Edge
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| Posted Aug 04, 2022
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Where the Crawdads Sing (2022) |
It isn’t a terrible film, but neither is it good enough to stay afloat. Instead, it simply sinks into the marsh, out of sight and – rather quickly – out of mind. - The Maine Edge
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| Posted Aug 04, 2022
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Persuasion (2022) |
[W]ith sincere apologies to the Austenheads out there, I enjoyed it well enough. Though I don’t expect I’ll be able to persuade you. - The Maine Edge
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| Posted Aug 04, 2022
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Paws of Fury: The Legend of Hank (2022) |
“Paws of Fury” isn’t blazing hot, but ultimately, it should prove warm enough for younger audiences. - The Maine Edge
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| Posted Aug 04, 2022
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Thor: Love and Thunder (2022) |
Balancing a plot laden with god murder and child abduction and an irreverent joke- and gag-driven spirit isn’t easy, but this film is successful far more than it isn’t at doing just that. All in all? Pretty mighty. - The Maine Edge
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| Posted Jul 13, 2022
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The Sea Beast (2022) |
Set sail with “The Sea Beast” – it’s a voyage well worth taking for the whole family. - The Maine Edge
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| Posted Jul 13, 2022
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Elvis (2022) |
“Elvis” is a sumptuous visual experience, packed with great music and an excellent titular performance...a compelling and captivating musical biopic, albeit one that perhaps could have used a little less conversation and a little more action. - The Maine Edge
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| Posted Jun 28, 2022
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The Black Phone (2021) |
[A] film that would be right at home as part of a drive-in double feature while also feeling thoroughly modern...a combination of old and new school that largely mines the best of both worlds, creating something new, yet still hauntingly familiar. - The Maine Edge
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| Posted Jun 28, 2022
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Beavis and Butt-Head Do the Universe (2022) |
Heh heh, this movie rules. It rules! - The Maine Edge
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| Posted Jun 28, 2022
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Lightyear (2022) |
“Lightyear” is a bit of a surprise. Not in terms of general quality, obviously – we are talking about Pixar here – but in terms of the specifics...a fun and exciting adventure story with real heart. - The Maine Edge
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| Posted Jun 28, 2022
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Cha Cha Real Smooth (2022) |
“Cha Cha Real Smooth” is an outstanding sophomore effort. Despite wearing three very heavy hats, he excels in all three...I said it after his debut feature “S—those” and I’m saying it now – expect Cooper Raiff’s star to keep shining brighter and brighter. - The Maine Edge
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| Posted Jun 28, 2022
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Jerry & Marge Go Large (2022) |
“Jerry & Marge Go Large” is the kind of mid-level movie that used to be the backbone of Hollywood, a solid comedy headlined by stars and featuring a memorable, recognizable cast...Not great, but pretty good – you have to like your odds. - The Maine Edge
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| Posted Jun 28, 2022
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Father of the Bride (2022) |
[This] isn’t earth-shattering cinema. It isn’t going to shift the paradigm. But it’s not meant to do those things. What it is meant to do is entertain and it absolutely does that...Say “I do” to “Father of the Bride” – you’ll be glad you did. - The Maine Edge
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| Posted Jun 28, 2022
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Jurassic World Dominion (2022) |
Even if the movie as a whole isn’t good (and it isn’t, not really), it doesn’t matter, because it definitely delivers on the dinosaurs, and hey – if you’re not down for various flavors of dino-action, then what are we even doing here? - The Maine Edge
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| Posted Jun 28, 2022
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Hustle (2022) |
It is a film about family, about regret and ambition … and a really good basketball movie ... The combination of interpersonal relationships and pro basketball nuts-and-bolts turns out to be a winning team.
In short, respect the “Hustle.” - The Maine Edge
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| Posted Jun 28, 2022
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Fire Island (2022) |
This movie is heartfelt and hilarious; you’ll laugh a ton and shed a tear or two, all while having one hell of a good time. And really, why else would you go to Fire Island? - The Maine Edge
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| Posted Jun 28, 2022
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Interceptor (2022) |
[A] generic point-to-point action movie, one whose plot mechanics make less and less sense as we proceed and whose action sequences – ostensibly the reason we’re here in the first place – prove to be largely bland and uninteresting. - The Maine Edge
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| Posted Jun 28, 2022
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Facing Nolan (2022) |
“Facing Nolan” is a solid sports biography, old-fashioned in its lack of scandal or flash. It’s not revelatory, but that’s largely by design – Nolan Ryan simply was who he appeared to be...You couldn’t make him up, so it’s a good thing he’s real. - The Maine Edge
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| Posted Jun 01, 2022
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Top Gun: Maverick (2022) |
I wouldn’t have thought that we needed another trip into the danger zone, but this film definitely took my breath away. - The Maine Edge
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| Posted Jun 01, 2022
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Chip 'n' Dale: Rescue Rangers (2022) |
It is funny and unapologetically weird, evoking the spirit of the source material even as it veers off in wildly different directions. Today’s kids might not get it, but ‘90s kids certainly will. - The Maine Edge
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| Posted Jun 01, 2022
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Men (2022) |
“Men” is a challenging film, one definitely not for the faint of heart...evocative and off-putting, unpleasant and utterly unsettling. It’s the sort of movie that you don’t often see … and you probably won’t see twice. - The Maine Edge
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| Posted Jun 01, 2022
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Downton Abbey: A New Era (2022) |
“Downton Abbey: A New Era” is a fine film, the sort of quiet escapism that we could all use a little of these days. It’s not challenging or groundbreaking, but fans of the franchise will be more than satisfied. - The Maine Edge
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| Posted Jun 01, 2022
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The Valet (2022) |
There’s something to be said for a movie that leaves you feeling good at the end. “The Valet” is ... a well-balanced distribution of the “rom” and the “com.” I’ll leave it at this – you won’t regret handing over your keys. - The Maine Edge
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| Posted Jun 01, 2022
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Firestarter (2022) |
“Firestarter” isn’t good, but it also isn’t even bad enough to be enjoyable...inconsequential, a movie that will be quickly forgotten and not missed. Rather than roaring flames, we get dying embers, a fire that barely began to burn before sputtering out. - The Maine Edge
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| Posted May 19, 2022
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Senior Year (2022) |
With a few tweaks, “Senior Year” might have graduated with honors. Instead, it’s squarely in the middle of the class. - The Maine Edge
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| Posted May 19, 2022
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Sneakerella (2022) |
“Sneakerella” works. It’s not a great movie, but it is exactly the movie it wants to be. There’s an earnestness to the proceedings that makes it very easy to watch, even if you might occasionally find yourself rolling your eyes. - The Maine Edge
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| Posted May 19, 2022
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Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022) |
[It] might not be what we expected, but there’s a lot to like. It isn’t perfect, but it’s an awfully good time at the movies (and it’s even better if you’ve done the reading … er, watching). So sit back and let the good doctor cast his spell. - The Maine Edge
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| Posted May 19, 2022
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Along for the Ride (2022) |
“Along for the Ride” isn’t a great movie. Nor is it a particularly memorable one. But as far as disposable Netflix teen romances go, it’s better than it needs to be. - The Maine Edge
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| Posted May 19, 2022
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Marmaduke (2022) |
Marmaduke is a steaming pile of movie. If you step in this movie, you’ll need a stick to scrape squished Marmaduke from the treads of your shoes. As the saying goes, you can’t polish a turd – but it doesn’t seem like anyone here even tried. - The Maine Edge
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| Posted May 19, 2022
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Memory (2022) |
Memory is ironically named, because it is yet another Liam Neeson movie that you will completely forget about as soon as you reach the parking lot. - The Maine Edge
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| Posted May 19, 2022
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The Survivor (2021) |
The Survivor is undeniably difficult to watch at times, with myriad moments of viciousness and violence...a story of hope maintained in the face of hopelessness, of good pulled from the gaping maw of evil....A hard watch, yes, but a worthwhile one. - The Maine Edge
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| Posted May 19, 2022
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Crush (2022) |
Crush is a quirky comedy reminding us of what high school romance is all about – awkwardness and confusion and general weirdness...You might not fall in love with this movie, but you could well wind up with a bit of a crush. - The Maine Edge
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| Posted May 19, 2022
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The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent (2022) |
Absurd and wildly funny and strangely thoughtful, all thanks to the pure unadulterated mayhem wrought by one man.
You'll enjoy being trapped in this unbreakable Cage. - The Maine Edge
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| Posted Apr 28, 2022
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The Northman (2022) |
"The Northman" is a sweeping epic driven by blood and brutality, offering up a bleak and unrelenting take on the legend that inspired it. It might be great - hell, it almost certainly IS great - but sadly, it left me behind. - The Maine Edge
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| Posted Apr 28, 2022
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The Bad Guys (2022) |
"The Bad Guys" is a true rarity: a family film that really will entertain the whole family. It's visually interesting, well-plotted and very funny - the whole package. In short, "The Bad Guys" is actually really good. - The Maine Edge
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| Posted Apr 28, 2022
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Everything Everywhere All at Once (2022) |
I laughed. I wept. I cheered and I sobbed. As accurate as the film's title might be, it even more accurately describes the breadth of my feelings after experiencing it. - The Maine Edge
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| Posted Apr 28, 2022
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Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore (2022) |
Honestly, the biggest issue with "Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore" is that the film never gives us a reason to actually care about any of it...empty spectacle, mired in a feeling of crass commercial pointlessness that is impossible to ignore. - The Maine Edge
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| Posted Apr 28, 2022
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Choose or Die (2022) |
"Choose or Die" is a flawed film, but one not without merit...watchable, thanks to its brisk pace and intriguing central concept, but the uneven execution leaves you wondering if perhaps the filmmakers should have just pressed reset. - The Maine Edge
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| Posted Apr 28, 2022
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Tony Hawk: Until the Wheels Fall Off (2022) |
"Tony Hawk: Until the Wheels Fall Off" is the best kind of sports documentary, an account of an individual athlete's lifelong efforts rendered with respect and affection without ever becoming overly obsequious. - The Maine Edge
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| Posted Apr 14, 2022
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Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (2022) |
It's not great cinema, but kids are going to dig it and adults will probably manage to stay awake. For a video game movie - a sequel, no less - that's definitely a W. - The Maine Edge
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| Posted Apr 14, 2022
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Ambulance (2022) |
You're not here for the complexity of the human condition or taut dialogue loaded with subtext. You are here to watch guns being fired, vehicles being crashed and a whole lot of explosions. You know it. I know it. And Michael Bay definitely knows it. - The Maine Edge
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| Posted Apr 14, 2022
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All the Old Knives (2022) |
It has some things going for it - the performances chief among them - but its many cons undermine the pros...formulaic and, for stretches, rather dull...when your spy thriller is called "All the Old Knives," it should probably be sharper than this. - The Maine Edge
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| Posted Apr 14, 2022
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Apollo 10 1/2: A Space Age Childhood (2022) |
Visually compelling and narratively charming, it's a combination of everything that makes Linklater such an engaging filmmaker. Again - grounded, but also high-flying. - The Maine Edge
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| Posted Apr 07, 2022
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Morbius (2022) |
A mishmash of shoddy-looking effects work and oddball creative choices, a mélange of nonsense that could have been somewhat forgiven if the movie was any fun ... but it isn't. In short, Morbius kind of sucks. - The Maine Edge
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| Posted Apr 07, 2022
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The Bubble (2022) |
The Bubble is one of those films that probably sounded better on paper...an interesting attempt, though uneven in terms of its success. - The Maine Edge
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| Posted Apr 07, 2022
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The Lost City (2022) |
The Lost City is a reminder of Hollywood offerings past, a throwback movie experience that, while slight, is a heck of a lot of fun. At the risk of sounding curmudgeonly, they don't often make 'em like this anymore. One might even call it ... a lost art. - The Maine Edge
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| Posted Apr 07, 2022
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