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4/5
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The Eight Mountains
(2022)
|
Michael J. Casey
|
A memoir of two friends, an elegy for something lost but was beautiful while it existed.
Posted May 25, 2023
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3.5/5
|
Master Gardener
(2022)
|
Michael J. Casey
|
The charge here is not to separate the artists from the art, but to consider the multitudes people are capable of.
Posted May 18, 2023
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3.5/5
|
Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie
(2023)
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Michael J. Casey
|
The story of a plucky kid who rises, falls a little and then gets back up to face another day. And if that sounds like a typical Michael J. Fox movie to you, well, you’re not far off.
Posted May 11, 2023
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2.5/5
|
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3
(2023)
|
Michael J. Casey
|
If anything, the letdown of "Vol. 3" isn’t all the scenes of torture, genetic mutation, incarceration and genocide; it’s that the movie is here for kicks and little else.
Posted May 04, 2023
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4/5
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Paint
(2023)
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Michael J. Casey
|
Low-key satire, a comedy in autumnal tones, that’s as satisfying as it is silly.
Posted Apr 06, 2023
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2.5/5
|
A Thousand and One
(2023)
|
Michael J. Casey
|
An interesting story featuring compelling characters, but missing a narrative engine.
Posted Mar 30, 2023
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3/5
|
Boston Strangler
(2023)
|
Michael J. Casey
|
A drab affair confined to shallow focus and a battery of performances all in the same key. Yet, Ruskin’s new take finds resonance and takes time to consider the experience of the victims. “What must that have been like for her?” McLaughlin asks.
Posted Mar 23, 2023
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4.5/5
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The Boston Strangler
(1968)
|
Michael J. Casey
|
Formally exciting with its use of split screen, narrow framings, impressionistic editing and performances.
Posted Mar 23, 2023
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4.5/5
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The Runner
(1984)
|
Michael J. Casey
|
The film is rich with symbolism, but none of it feels forced or academic. Rare are movies this effortless.
Posted Mar 16, 2023
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4/5
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All the Beauty and the Bloodshed
(2022)
|
Michael J. Casey
|
It’s not every day you find an honest human being with a compelling story to tell, who can make it beautiful along the way.
Posted Mar 09, 2023
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3.5/5
|
Jack Has a Plan
(2022)
|
Michael J. Casey
|
About as uplifting as you can get with a premise like this.
Posted Mar 02, 2023
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3.5/5
|
The Quiet Girl
(2022)
|
Michael J. Casey
|
"The Quiet Girl" is a pleasant respite from the chaos of modern society. Not that the movie is free of drama, but how director Bairéad and cinematographer Kate McCullough capture these tender moments makes even instances of anguish seem comforting.
Posted Feb 23, 2023
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3/5
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Go Tell It on the Mountain
(1984)
|
Michael J. Casey
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Director Stan Lathan is faithful to James Baldwin’s novel, and though the film bears the usual production signs of a made-for-TV movie, there is an undeniable quality in the writing and performances that is captivating.
Posted Feb 09, 2023
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3.5/5
|
Causeway
(2022)
|
Michael J. Casey
|
"Causeway" is a movie where the drama exists between the pauses. It’s a somewhat dour affair, one thankfully leavened by the setting, a hot, muggy, and lush New Orleans, and the casualness of Brian Tyree Henry’s performance
Posted Feb 02, 2023
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3.5/5
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Argentina, 1985
(2022)
|
Michael J. Casey
|
An engaging piece of storytelling with more than a few unsavory parallels to modern-day abuses of power and cruelty. Some histories don’t feel like history at all.
Posted Feb 02, 2023
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4/5
|
The Lady From Shanghai
(1948)
|
Michael J. Casey
|
A mangled masterpiece from a filmmaker who presided over a number of mangled masterpieces.
Posted Jan 28, 2023
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3.5/5
|
Imitation of Life
(1934)
|
Michael J. Casey
|
Adapted from the novel by Fannie Hurst, "Imitation of Life" is a multi-layered melodrama that feels staid in some places and fresh as a daisy in others.
Posted Jan 19, 2023
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3.5/5
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Saint Omer
(2022)
|
Michael J. Casey
|
There are clear answers in "Saint Omer," but answers are rarely assuring.
Posted Jan 19, 2023
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|
3.5/5
|
American Murderer
(2022)
|
Michael J. Casey
|
An impressive feature debut that punctures the myth of the charismatic conman.
Posted Jan 05, 2023
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|
5/5
|
No Bears
(2022)
|
Michael J. Casey
|
Fantastic. The story’s twists and turns are never too much or too little. Panahi’s movie-within-a-movie is about two lovers trying to cross a border so they don’t have to live their lives in secret. It might not be vérité, but it feels authentic.
Posted Dec 22, 2022
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|
2.5/5
|
Avatar: The Way of Water
(2022)
|
Michael J. Casey
|
Still feels more theme park than movie.
Posted Dec 15, 2022
|
|
5/5
|
The Red and the White
(1967)
|
Michael J. Casey
|
It would be hilarious if it weren’t so tragic.
Posted Dec 08, 2022
|
|
4/5
|
All Quiet on the Western Front
(2022)
|
Michael J. Casey
|
It’s fascinating, haunting and queasy, a powerful work that’ll turn off even the most ardent warmongers.
Posted Dec 02, 2022
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|
3.5/5
|
The Inspection
(2022)
|
Michael J. Casey
|
A satisfying piece of performance, character and tone.
Posted Dec 02, 2022
|
|
4/5
|
My Old School
(2022)
|
Michael J. Casey
|
Some things you gotta see to believe—especially when they’re true.
Posted Nov 30, 2022
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4.5/5
|
The Black Vampire
(1953)
|
Michael J. Casey
|
Much like Truman Capote’s seminal "In Cold Blood," 1953’s "El Vampiro Negro" from Argentinian filmmaker Román Viñoly Barreto is a masterwork that tests the limits of what you might consider “entertainment.”
Posted Nov 17, 2022
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3.5/5
|
Close
(2022)
|
Michael J. Casey
|
It’s a powerful movie that would feel utterly crushing if not for the happy ending. Maybe it’ll feel contrived to you, but after this much sadness, contrivances might be all we got.
Posted Nov 10, 2022
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4/5
|
Gods of Mexico
(2022)
|
Michael J. Casey
|
Stunning cinematography and a wonderful exercise in imagination.
Posted Nov 10, 2022
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|
3/5
|
Love, Charlie: The Rise and Fall of Chef Charlie Trotter
(2021)
|
Michael J. Casey
|
A fascinating and engaging doc that falters at the finish line by papering over one of Trotter’s demons.
Posted Nov 03, 2022
|
|
4/5
|
Speer Goes to Hollywood
(2020)
|
Michael J. Casey
|
A powerful and troubling documentary that won’t leave you any time soon.
Posted Nov 03, 2022
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|
3/5
|
Hallelujah: Leonard Cohen, a Journey, a Song
(2021)
|
Michael J. Casey
|
Directors Daniel Geller and Dayna Goldfine assemble an impressive collection of interviews, a slew of archival material and more renditions of “Hallelujah” than you ever knew you needed.
Posted Nov 03, 2022
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4.5/5
|
The Banshees of Inisherin
(2022)
|
Michael J. Casey
|
"Banshees" is a mature work, one where McDonagh realizes that a microcosm can say more than an entire war.
Posted Oct 27, 2022
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4.5/5
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Eve's Bayou
(1997)
|
Michael J. Casey
|
"Eve’s Bayou" cast a spell over viewers, first through story, then through lament.
Posted Oct 20, 2022
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5/5
|
Tár
(2022)
|
Michael J. Casey
|
Masterpiece, full stop.
Posted Oct 20, 2022
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|
|
The Lure
(2015)
|
Michael J. Casey
|
Half the fun of this full-blown choreographed musical is that you can't believe what you are seeing. The other half is watching Golden dispatch leering drunks.
Posted Oct 15, 2022
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4/5
|
Riotsville, USA
(2022)
|
Michael J. Casey
|
You could watch "Riotsville, U.S.A." and think: “This is how we got here.” The better response might be: “How the hell are we still here?”
Posted Oct 13, 2022
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3.5/5
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Hockeyland
(2021)
|
Michael J. Casey
|
Though a few players stand out, "Hockeyland" is more about the team, the game and the towns than it is about the individual.
Posted Oct 13, 2022
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4.5/5
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Memoria
(2021)
|
Michael J. Casey
|
The film casts a wonderful spell—a warm, comforting spell that wipes clear the doors of perception—and it could only work in a theatrical setting.
Posted Oct 06, 2022
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|
2/5
|
Blonde
(2022)
|
Michael J. Casey
|
Like Dominik’s disinterest with Monroe the performer, his inability to capitalize on de Armas’ performance sinks "Blonde."
Posted Sep 29, 2022
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|
4.5/5
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Bones and All
(2022)
|
Michael J. Casey
|
It’s sick and gross and oh-so-good.
Posted Sep 09, 2022
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|
4.5/5
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Buck and the Preacher
(1972)
|
Michael J. Casey
|
They could have made a whole franchise out of "Buck and the Preacher."
Posted Aug 25, 2022
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|
5/5
|
Mulholland Dr.
(2001)
|
Michael J. Casey
|
David Lynch’s failed TV pilot turned cinematic masterpiece.
Posted Aug 12, 2022
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|
3/5
|
In Bed with Ulysses
(2012)
|
Michael J. Casey
|
"In Bed With Ulysses" aims for accessibility. Taverna and Adelson love Ulysses and want you to, too.
Posted Jul 21, 2022
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4.5/5
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Thief
(1981)
|
Michael J. Casey
|
If the camera doesn’t like a performer, it simply stares. With James Caan, the camera leans in.
Posted Jul 16, 2022
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|
3/5
|
Olga
(2021)
|
Michael J. Casey
|
It might be impossible to watch the events unfolding in "Olga" and not think of the war currently underway in Kyiv.
Posted Jul 07, 2022
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|
4/5
|
Official Competition
(2021)
|
Michael J. Casey
|
A riot. It’s primarily an insider comedy about making a movie, but the strokes are broad enough that anyone can play.
Posted Jun 30, 2022
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|
4/5
|
Neptune Frost
(2021)
|
Michael J. Casey
|
A movie of many layers: Not all of them stack neatly, but none of them are boring.
Posted Jun 23, 2022
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|
4/5
|
Bitterbrush
(2021)
|
Michael J. Casey
|
This isn’t your average day-in-the-life documentary.
Posted Jun 16, 2022
|
|
3/5
|
Crimes of the Future
(2022)
|
Michael J. Casey
|
"Body is reality?" Then why does it feel so plastic?
Posted Jun 09, 2022
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|
4/5
|
The French
(1982)
|
Michael J. Casey
|
What Klein conveys in "The French" is what makes tennis so perfectly tennis.
Posted May 26, 2022
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