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A-
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Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse
(2023)
|
Courtney Howard
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This stylish, heartfelt, ingenious follow-up brilliantly re-contextualizes its own filmic language, utilizing the power of aesthetics and audio to color the landscape.
Posted May 31, 2023
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B
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The Boogeyman
(2023)
|
Courtney Howard
|
This Stephen King adaptation is an unrelenting nerve-rattler that earns its scares by getting us to care deeply about its harassed heroes.
Posted May 25, 2023
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1/5
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Kandahar
(2023)
|
Courtney Howard
|
This desert dry actioner is filled with lazy, laughable clichés and poorly orchestrated spectacle.
Posted May 25, 2023
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C-
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The Little Mermaid
(2023)
|
Courtney Howard
|
We’re given an occasionally charming, fairly rote rehash of the 1989 feature, now padded with extra songs, characters and conundrums that add very little to the magic of the original.
Posted May 22, 2023
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|
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Anna Nicole Smith: You Don't Know Me
(2023)
|
Preston Barta
|
‘You Don’t Know Me’ leaves you with incredible sadness, whether you are familiar with [Smith's] story or not. Through this deeply personal chronicling of her life, you feel the nails of the inescapable monster that is fame.
Posted May 20, 2023
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2/5
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Fast X
(2023)
|
Courtney Howard
|
Honestly, it’s a surprise Dom doesn’t actually jump a shark during the plodding, padded run time.
Posted May 17, 2023
|
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B+
|
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3
(2023)
|
Courtney Howard
|
Bright, gorgeously rendered spectacle and these misfits’ unique brand of witty banter buoy a meaningful tale centered on family, fidelity and friendship that doesn’t just feel earned, but also profound.
Posted Apr 28, 2023
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B+
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Peter Pan & Wendy
(2023)
|
Preston Barta
|
'Peter Pan & Wendy' is a meaningful bit of cinematic poetry that’s as vivid as its characters’ imaginations. Lowery sprinkles the classic tale with his own batch of fairy dust that’s monumentally satisfying and should see more stories from this Neverland.
Posted Apr 28, 2023
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2 out of 5
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Chevalier
(2022)
|
Courtney Howard
|
Chevalier is a ravishing visual feast hampered by a movie-of-the-week caliber script.
Posted Apr 21, 2023
|
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B
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Evil Dead Rise
(2023)
|
Courtney Howard
|
Lee Cronin constructs the frights with a gleeful grin, making the audience scream and squirm long enough to go in for the kill.
Posted Apr 19, 2023
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C+
|
Cocaine Bear
(2023)
|
Preston Barta
|
'Cocaine Bear' is a disappointment to those who know what's better. All the pieces are here. It just didn't know how to shred them and make them ooze with the joy the movie promised.
Posted Apr 18, 2023
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B
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Secret Admirer
(1985)
|
Preston Barta
|
This 1985 comedy of errors is a total surprise and undervalued movie. It doesn’t capitalize on its full potential, but it’s damn funny and admittedly charming when it goes for it.
Posted Apr 18, 2023
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B+
|
Triangle of Sadness
(2022)
|
Preston Barta
|
'Triangle of Sadness' kicks up the wild meter and delivers a more narratively scattered work [compared to Östlund’s previous films]. Still, it hangs in the mind and is intelligent filmmaking.
Posted Apr 18, 2023
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B
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Renfield
(2023)
|
Preston Barta
|
It’s got that 'Zombieland'-like zaniness and 'Warm Bodies'-like loving feeling — just a gleeful rampage. Nicolas Cage portrays Dracula with comedy chops as sharp as his fangs.
Posted Apr 14, 2023
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A-
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Beau Is Afraid
(2023)
|
Courtney Howard
|
Part gorgeous nightmare fuel, part comedic odyssey, the unrelenting trip into the higher consciousness of a 40-something man is an astounding pillar of artistic genius.
Posted Apr 11, 2023
|
|
A
|
Tori and Lokita
(2022)
|
Courtney Howard
|
A humane and heartbreaking story about friendship set against the backdrop of scalding social injustice, it’s a must-see.
Posted Apr 05, 2023
|
|
A
|
Air
(2023)
|
Courtney Howard
|
It’s a feel-good underdog sports movie, filled with gobs of heart and gumption.
Posted Apr 05, 2023
|
|
2/5
|
The Super Mario Bros. Movie
(2023)
|
Courtney Howard
|
Many of its strengths are overpowered by noisy, inert action sequences, overly simplistic characterizations and unimaginative soundtrack selections.
Posted Apr 04, 2023
|
|
B+
|
BlackBerry
(2023)
|
Preston Barta
|
‘BlackBerry’ doesn’t hang up on its potential to matter. It’s a hilarious, wicked and exciting geek tragedy!
Posted Mar 27, 2023
|
|
B
|
Raging Grace
(2023)
|
Preston Barta
|
'Raging Grace' brilliantly maintains a sense of unease by focusing on obscure household items, sound effects, camera framing and one of the best horror musical scores in some time. It’s quietly menacing, heartfelt and intense as hell.
Posted Mar 22, 2023
|
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B
|
Problemista
(2023)
|
Preston Barta
|
'Problemista' is its own animal of comedic high jinks that will undoubtedly send your mind racing and itching out of beautiful perplexity. It’s quite possibly A24’s weirdest movie yet.
Posted Mar 16, 2023
|
|
A
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Parachute
(2023)
|
Preston Barta
|
'Parachute' encapsulates the messier and darker shades of ourselves, and [director Brittany Snow] makes it feel as though it’s perfectly natural to capture that for the screen.
Posted Mar 16, 2023
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B+
|
Shazam! Fury of the Gods
(2023)
|
Courtney Howard
|
A super solid, super fun and super smart blend of hilarity, heart and heroics, it’s a super-powered sequel that packs a punch.
Posted Mar 15, 2023
|
|
A
|
Talk to Me
(2023)
|
Preston Barta
|
This terror is an absolute nerve cooker that breathes down the back of your neck with genuine, artfully done frights. It’s a daring game I’d be happy to play again and again.
Posted Mar 15, 2023
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|
A-
|
John Wick: Chapter 4
(2023)
|
Courtney Howard
|
Brawny, bold and badass, this 4th film in a scorching, searing, soaring saga for the ages brilliantly balances vested stakes with an absolutely spectacular, high octane thrill ride.
Posted Mar 14, 2023
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|
B+
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65
(2023)
|
Courtney Howard
|
With economy of time blessedly in mind, its big action set pieces do triple duty, keeping the unrelenting action moving, the dramatic tension building and the pair of protagonists’ stakes at the forefront.
Posted Mar 10, 2023
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|
2/5
|
Scream VI
(2023)
|
Courtney Howard
|
Despite better-constructed set pieces, these characters, their connections and their conundrums are stretched paper-thin, leading us to feel disconnected from their slaughter, let alone their survival.
Posted Mar 08, 2023
|
|
|
Rookie of the Year
(1993)
|
Preston Barta
|
‘Rookie of the Year’ doesn’t deserve the critical bench after 30 years. It’s an ace family sports movie!
Posted Mar 07, 2023
|
|
|
The Texas Chain Saw Massacre
(1974)
|
Preston Barta
|
[It's] about as animalistic and frightful as movies come. It's so in tune with the wickedness of its story that all aspects of filmmaking are working together to create something that truly is a classic of the horror genre.
Posted Mar 02, 2023
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B-
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Cocaine Bear
(2023)
|
Courtney Howard
|
Banks and Warden take a bare-bones, true-life tale and turn it into a rousing, completely gonzo, wildly berserk horror-comedy.
Posted Feb 23, 2023
|
|
|
Swallowed
(2022)
|
Preston Barta
|
A gut-wrenching terror (and love story) that must be consumed! It features one hell of a performance from Mark Patton.
Posted Feb 17, 2023
|
|
D+
|
Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania
(2023)
|
Courtney Howard
|
This chapter continually hobbles itself, churning out a hackneyed, exposition-heavy story that’s a nothing-burger – a feeble, forgettable and frustrating product.
Posted Feb 14, 2023
|
|
A-
|
Magic Mike's Last Dance
(2023)
|
Courtney Howard
|
It’s a sexy, revelatory reinvention of the series.
Posted Feb 07, 2023
|
|
A-
|
Knock at the Cabin
(2023)
|
Courtney Howard
|
Gnarly, psychologically gripping and thought-provoking, Shyamalan ramps up tension, artfully weaving sound and vision with great craft and care.
Posted Feb 01, 2023
|
|
B+
|
Theater Camp
(2023)
|
Courtney Howard
|
This vérité doc lovingly lampoons and embraces insufferably endearing theater types and their very specific struggles.
Posted Jan 31, 2023
|
|
B+
|
A Little Prayer
(2023)
|
Courtney Howard
|
Once again returning to poignant, deeply-rooted, familiar themes tied to family, the assured filmmaker delivers a story thick with character, grace and humanity.
Posted Jan 29, 2023
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|
C-
|
Fair Play
(2023)
|
Courtney Howard
|
Domont’s directorial debut has a coherent narrative and earns our good graces with its technical craftsmanship and assured performances. Yet it doesn’t forge new ground exploring the tired, sexist notion that men are threatened by successful women
Posted Jan 25, 2023
|
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B
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M3GAN
(2022)
|
Preston Barta
|
Pure sinister joy! It’s an absolutely bonkers horror thriller that slaps a goofy smile on your face and keeps the clap-worthy moments coming.
Posted Jan 06, 2023
|
|
A-
|
The Whale
(2022)
|
Preston Barta
|
'The Whale' isn’t merely an actors’ showcase of earnest vulnerability. Aronofsky finds unique ways to make what surrounds his cast members feel just as alive with wonder and fascination.
Posted Dec 23, 2022
|
|
A
|
Babylon
(2022)
|
Courtney Howard
|
A dazzling, dizzying cacophony of demented depravity. And yet the unrelenting, frenetic spectacle showcased through a Scorsese-inspired lens gives way to profundity, both sentimental and scorching.
Posted Dec 16, 2022
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|
|
A Wounded Fawn
(2022)
|
Preston Barta
|
This is about as close as it gets to getting a film directed by Satan. So, fully expect your mind to get its extra steps in during your viewing.
Posted Dec 02, 2022
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4/5
|
Violent Night
(2022)
|
Courtney Howard
|
The magic of Christmas becomes a bloody, crowd-pleasing riot in director Tommy Wirkola’s hands.
Posted Nov 30, 2022
|
|
|
Blood Relatives
(2022)
|
Preston Barta
|
Noah Segan's 'Blood Relatives' is a charming, playful and reverberant father-daughter road comedy.
Posted Nov 23, 2022
|
|
B-
|
Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery
(2022)
|
Preston Barta
|
'Glass Onion' carries over a portion of its predecessor’s pumped-up energy, but the narrative blades have admittedly lost some of their sharpness and shine. The smart writing we expected doesn’t sustain due to the sequel's goofy, less compelling mystery.
Posted Nov 21, 2022
|
|
A-
|
Strange World
(2022)
|
Preston Barta
|
The multigenerational, sci-fi adventure may not feature all the song-and-dance numbers to hog radios to and from family functions over the holidays, but it supplies many fruitful thoughts and memorable images to discuss and treasure.
Posted Nov 21, 2022
|
|
B-
|
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
(2022)
|
Preston Barta
|
While difficult to take seriously at times, ‘Wakanda Forever’ remains a fine addition to the MCU, offering the most food for thought than any other Phase 4 movie.
Posted Nov 12, 2022
|
|
3.5/5
|
Saint Omer
(2022)
|
Courtney Howard
|
This drama features provocative themes ruminating on female generational trauma and the racial imbalance of who’s afforded grace and mercy.
Posted Nov 05, 2022
|
|
B+
|
The Eternal Daughter
(2022)
|
Courtney Howard
|
Joanna Hogg and Tilda Swinton turn in a beautifully understated, evocative elegy on the nature of grief and the ghosts that haunt us. The pair craft cozy claustrophobia that all at once feels enveloping, enriching and totally absorbing.
Posted Nov 05, 2022
|
|
4/5
|
EO
(2022)
|
Courtney Howard
|
This is what it sounds like when donkeys cry – and maybe you too.
Posted Nov 05, 2022
|
|
|
Selena Gomez: My Mind and Me
(2022)
|
Courtney Howard
|
This cinematic testimony provides hope by spotlighting its heroine’s search for honesty and humanity.
Posted Nov 03, 2022
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