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No Time to Die
(2021)
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Brandy McDonnell
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Writers Fukunaga, Neal Purvis, Robert Wade and Phoebe Waller-Bridge keep that breathtaking pace going for most of the movie, giving fans plenty of opportunities to see Craig's Bond and his cohorts in action one last time.
Posted Oct 08, 2021
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Stillwater
(2021)
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Brandy McDonnell
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Stillwater has its pulse-pounding moments, but it mostly keeps viewers guessing by refusing to follow predictable Hollywood formulas.
Posted Jul 30, 2021
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The Hitman's Wife's Bodyguard
(2021)
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Brandy McDonnell
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The tiresome sequel The Hitman's Wife's Bodyguard wastes its star power as cavalierly as its aggressively unlikeable characters waste ammunition.
Posted Jul 02, 2021
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4/4
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Wolfwalkers
(2020)
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Brandy McDonnell
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Wolfwalkers is unlike any [werewolf movie] you've ever seen -- and not just because of the gorgeous animation. Watching the storytelling unfold is truly a cinematic delight for all ages.
Posted Nov 20, 2020
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3/4
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On the Rocks
(2020)
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Brandy McDonnell
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Much like the many cocktails consumed by its appealing star duo, Oscar-winning writer-director Sofia Coppola's On the Rocks serves up surprisingly relatable dramedy that's smooth, refreshing and more potent that initially anticipated.
Posted Oct 10, 2020
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2.5/4
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The Way I See It
(2020)
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Brandy McDonnell
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A picture is worth a thousand words, and thousands of pictures make a compelling case for the continued importance of photojournalism in the age of video in "The Way I See It.
Posted Sep 25, 2020
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2/4
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The Nest
(2020)
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Brandy McDonnell
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Despite its painstaking construction and the avid actors inhabiting it, writer-director Sean Durkin's sophomore film The Nest is ultimately an empty and overly feathered affair.
Posted Sep 18, 2020
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3.5/4
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Gordon Lightfoot: If You Could Read My Mind
(2019)
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Brandy McDonnell
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Writer-directors Martha Kehoe and Joan Tosoni capitalize on both Lightfoot's blunt honesty and legendary song catalog, creating a captivating and pleasingly unconventional rock doc.
Posted Sep 12, 2020
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3/4
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Nomad: In the Footsteps of Bruce Chatwin
(2019)
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Brandy McDonnell
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Iconic filmmaker Werner Herzog offers a globe-trotting tribute to an inspiring friendship with his heartfelt and thought-provoking new documentary Nomad: In the Footsteps of Bruce Chatwin.
Posted Sep 04, 2020
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3/4
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The Personal History of David Copperfield
(2019)
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Brandy McDonnell
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Although The Personal History of David Copperfield occasionally feels a little too light and fluffy for its own good, it has so much joy and humor baked in that it may well renew an appetite for Dickens' classic storytelling.
Posted Aug 28, 2020
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2.5/4
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Tesla
(2020)
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Brandy McDonnell
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The resulting film, while sometimes strikingly flashy, isn't as invigorating as audiences would hope.
Posted Aug 28, 2020
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1.5/4
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Unhinged
(2020)
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Brandy McDonnell
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It doesn't help that the dialogue, shooting style and score all glaringly signal every plot point miles before it arrives, and that the characters' actions are frustratingly far-fetched.
Posted Aug 22, 2020
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3.5/4
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Sputnik
(2020)
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Brandy McDonnell
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Between the smart script and stalwart performances, Abramenko achieves a fine blast-off for Sputnik, and he gets plenty of help from his team fueling the skin-crawling, suspenseful journey.
Posted Aug 22, 2020
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Out Stealing Horses
(2019)
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Brandy McDonnell
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Composer Kaspar Kaae's vibrant and unexpected score and cinematographer Rasmus Vidbaek's magnificent widescreen views of the harshly beautiful Norwegian countryside effectively immerse viewers in both aged grief and angsty adolescence.
Posted Aug 11, 2020
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3.5/4
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The Truth
(2019)
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Brandy McDonnell
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In many ways, The Truth treads familiar territory, but Kore-eda brings a deftly humorous touch to the story.
Posted Jul 31, 2020
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3/4
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The Shadow of Violence
(2019)
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Brandy McDonnell
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The Irish crime drama The Shadow of Violence delivers a bare-knuckle blow to the heart thanks to a powerhouse performance by Cosmo Jarvis.
Posted Jul 31, 2020
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3.5/4
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Beats
(2019)
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Brandy McDonnell
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The power of friendship and music forcefully shines through the gritty coming-of-age story Beats.
Posted Jul 17, 2020
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3.5/4
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Babyteeth
(2019)
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Brandy McDonnell
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Best known for her work on the acclaimed TV show Killing Eve, Shannon Murphy definitely leaves a mark with her feature film directorial debut Babyteeth, a sharp and stinging coming-of-age dramedy.
Posted Jul 17, 2020
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Cinema Verite
(2011)
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Brandy McDonnell
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The telefilm recreates the period with stunning authenticity.
Posted Jun 04, 2020
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3.5/4
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The Vast of Night
(2019)
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Brandy McDonnell
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A relatively small but unquestionably talented troupe of primarily Oklahoma moviemakers conjure an uncannily creepy and quality micro-budget mystery with The Vast of Night.
Posted May 29, 2020
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Hulk Vs.
(2009)
|
Matthew Price
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There's not a lot of story in either, but there's well-animated action and violence. The characters' voices are on-model and fit with the Marvel Comics depiction.
Posted May 14, 2020
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2.5/4
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I Still Believe
(2020)
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Brandy McDonnell
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With "I Still Believe," the Erwin brothers raise the bar well above most faith-based films, in more ways than one.
Posted Mar 15, 2020
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2/4
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Wendy
(2020)
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Brandy McDonnell
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Although it is wild enough to stay interesting, Zeitlin's Wendy flows sluggishly with shallow characters, muddled storytelling and a murky mythology that fails to capture the magic of Pan.
Posted Mar 13, 2020
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3.5/4
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Onward
(2020)
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Brandy McDonnell
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Both a loving sendup and tribute to epic fantasy stories and their fervent fans, Onward is packed with hilarious Easter eggs and plot twists both familiar and surprising.
Posted Mar 06, 2020
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3/4
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The Invisible Man
(2020)
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Brandy McDonnell
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The Invisible Man does compellingly and sympathetically depict the devastatingly all-consuming effects of domestic violence, while providing plenty of suspense and scares.
Posted Feb 29, 2020
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2/4
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Downhill
(2020)
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Brandy McDonnell
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Although Downhill has a few relatable and amusing moments, it mostly wastes the considerable talents involved. Perhaps the best that can be said for the film is that it might convince more people to rent or stream Force Majeure.
Posted Feb 14, 2020
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3.5/4
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Cunningham
(2019)
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Brandy McDonnell
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Shot in vibrant 3D, the dance sequences veritably leap, spin and gyrate off the screen, offering a captivating visual spectacle that does more to spotlight Cunningham's ingenuity than all the eloquent droning of a dozen expert interviews.
Posted Jan 31, 2020
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3.5/4
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Clemency
(2019)
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Brandy McDonnell
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It's a veritable crime against cinema that Tulsa native Alfre Woodard isn't nominated for an Oscar for her masterful portrayal as a troubled prison warden in the acclaimed drama Clemency.
Posted Jan 31, 2020
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3/4
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Ant-Man and The Wasp
(2018)
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Brandy McDonnell
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Although the sequel's script isn't as clever as its forerunner and depends too much on bumbling slapstick, "Ant-Man and the Wasp" is often laugh-out-loud hilarious, while still giving the story the requisite emotional heft and action sequences.
Posted Jan 27, 2020
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1917
(2019)
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Brandy McDonnell
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Even more importantly, it serves as a mighty reminder of the inglorious, ruinous cost of war more than 100 years after the so-called "War to End All Wars" proved a sadly inaccurate nickname...
Posted Jan 10, 2020
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3.5/4
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A Hidden Life
(2019)
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Brandy McDonnell
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The film runs almost three hours and could certainly be shorter, but at the same time, it's hard to argue it doesn't earn such an epic run time.
Posted Jan 03, 2020
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3.5/4
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Red Dog
(2019)
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Brandy McDonnell
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It's a surprisingly poignant tale of a motley crew of bouncers, bartenders and strippers who became the first family for a toddler and his single mother.
Posted Jan 03, 2020
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3.5/4
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Little Women
(2019)
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Brandy McDonnell
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Although the leaps between timelines can cause moments of confusion, the rich development of characters and themes proves more than worth the extra attentiveness the approach demands from the viewer.
Posted Dec 26, 2019
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3.5/4
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The Kingmaker
(2019)
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Brandy McDonnell
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The Kingmaker is less a historical biography than a timely cautionary tale.
Posted Dec 23, 2019
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2.5/4
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Bombshell
(2019)
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Brandy McDonnell
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Margot Robbie gives arguably the most powerful performance as Kayla Pospisil.
Posted Dec 20, 2019
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2.5/4
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Marriage Story
(2019)
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Brandy McDonnell
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Baumbach deserves kudos for highlighting the adversarial nature of divorce court...but his odd storytelling decisions too often undercut the human dynamics he's trying to explore.
Posted Dec 06, 2019
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3.5/4
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Queen & Slim
(2019)
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Brandy McDonnell
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Captivating performances by Get Out star Daniel Kaluuya and newcomer Jodie Turner-Smith... help to keep the powerful, poetic drama driving forward.
Posted Nov 27, 2019
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3.5/4
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Knives Out
(2019)
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Brandy McDonnell
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Knives Out is an enticing addition to Johnson's filmography and a welcome appetizer before he goes back into orbit for more Star Wars adventures.
Posted Nov 27, 2019
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3.5/4
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The Irishman
(2019)
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Brandy McDonnell
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A magnetic mob epic.
Posted Nov 27, 2019
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3/4
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Frozen II
(2019)
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Brandy McDonnell
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Frozen II boasts a convoluted story with a few plot holes, but returning co-writers and directors Chris Buck and Jennifer Lee deserve credit for crafting a sequel that seeks to answer the most compelling questions left by Frozen.
Posted Nov 22, 2019
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2.5/4
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The Warrior Queen of Jhansi
(2019)
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Brandy McDonnell
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Although it doesn't quite have the sweep you want from a historical epic, the battle scenes are exciting, the colorful depictions of Indian culture are gorgeous, and the heroine is worth rooting for.
Posted Nov 18, 2019
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2.5/4
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The Report
(2019)
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Brandy McDonnell
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Jones spent five years compiling his 6,700-page report, and unfortunately, the movie feels at least this long, with the paper shuffling and screen scrolling occasionally broken up by flashbacks to the CIA black ops sites where the torture is happening.
Posted Nov 15, 2019
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4/4
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Jojo Rabbit
(2019)
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Brandy McDonnell
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One of the best films of the year, Jojo Rabbit nimbly zips through the full gamut of emotions: It's by turns uproarious, warm, heart-rending, horrifying, silly, surreal, scary and joyous.
Posted Nov 08, 2019
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2.5/4
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Midway
(2019)
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Brandy McDonnell
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It was a job only for the bold and brave, and there are worse ways to spend the lead-up to Veterans Day than remembering the men who risked and sacrificed their lives doing that job.
Posted Nov 08, 2019
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3.5/4
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Pain and Glory
(2019)
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Brandy McDonnell
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Banderas earns his best actor prize from Frances' Cannes Film Festival -- and seems to be a shoo-in for an Oscar nod -- with his magnetic turn as Salvador Mallo, celebrated filmmaker plagued with a cavalcade of physical maladies.
Posted Nov 08, 2019
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3/4
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Maleficent: Mistress of Evil
(2019)
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Brandy McDonnell
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Disney fans weary of copycat live-action remakes of beloved animated film can enter a visually stunning fantasy realm with Maleficent: Mistress of Evil.
Posted Oct 18, 2019
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2.5/4
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Miles Davis: Birth of the Cool
(2019)
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Brandy McDonnell
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Though not as groundbreaking as its subject, the expansive documentary showcases the jazz icon's innovative, ever-changing musical style while at least acknowledging the damage his personal demons wrought...
Posted Oct 17, 2019
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3/4
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Moonlight Sonata: Deafness in Three Movements
(2019)
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Brandy McDonnell
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[Moonlight Sonata] accomplishes a fundamental goal of art by allowing us to experience other people's lives, struggles and triumphs, hopefully furthering our understanding of what it means to be deaf in a world wired for sound.
Posted Oct 04, 2019
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2.5/4
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Joker
(2019)
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Brandy McDonnell
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Joker is overly long, thematically murky and narratively uneven, with an unnecessary ending that, like a bad greasepaint job, ruthlessly highlights the film's flaws rather than concealing them.
Posted Oct 04, 2019
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3/4
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Judy
(2019)
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Brandy McDonnell
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An empathetic and engrossing portrait of the latter days of Judy Garland, Judy powers past narrative pitfalls on the sheer might of Renee Zellweger's fearless embodiment of the ill-fated icon.
Posted Sep 27, 2019
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