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3.5/5
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Josie & Jack
(2019)
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Deirdre Crimmins
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Neither exciting nor sexy, Josie & Jack takes a long cold look at a brother and sister and lets all of us come up with our own judgment on them.
Posted Nov 26, 2019
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2.5/5
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Motherless Brooklyn
(2019)
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Deirdre Crimmins
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To anyone yearning to revisit the old noir days of fedoras and dames, Motherless Brooklyn will be a fun little throwback. However, the accumulation of missteps in its execution are far too many for me.
Posted Oct 30, 2019
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2/5
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Eli
(2019)
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Deirdre Crimmins
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Despite the risks Eli takes, at its core the movie is not very good. The performances are expected but competent. The scares are hollow jump-shocks where the score tells you precisely what's coming next.
Posted Oct 25, 2019
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3/5
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Zombieland: Double Tap
(2019)
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Deirdre Crimmins
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Zombieland: Double Tap is a fun enough visit with familiar characters, though not nearly as much fun as the first film.
Posted Oct 18, 2019
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2.5/5
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Trick
(2019)
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Deirdre Crimmins
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The things that Trick gets right, it gets very right. The kills and the element of surprise keep it a quickly moving fright fest.
Posted Oct 18, 2019
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3.5/5
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Maleficent: Mistress of Evil
(2019)
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Deirdre Crimmins
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The creatures are a sight to behold, as are each of the kingdoms. The fighting is tense and exciting. All of that is nearly enough to craft Maleficent: Mistress of Evil into a wonderful fantasy film... but only nearly.
Posted Oct 17, 2019
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2.5/5
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El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie
(2019)
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Deirdre Crimmins
|
Spending a little more time with the beloved Jesse Pinkman is a welcome experience, but the lack of emotional rawness and character drive make it a less involving visit than I yearned for.
Posted Oct 16, 2019
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1/5
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The Addams Family
(2019)
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Deirdre Crimmins
|
There's barely a nod to character development or relationships. Instead, we're dragged from one unconnected scene to the next. In addition to all of this, the animation is lackluster and flat.
Posted Oct 14, 2019
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2/5
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In the Tall Grass
(2019)
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Deirdre Crimmins
|
Natali has been able to tackle out-there concepts by making them visually appealing and emotionally raw. In the Tall Grass tries very hard to compete on those two axes, but the strain to connect them and the mundane setting make it very hard to root for.
Posted Oct 08, 2019
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2/5
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Between Two Ferns: The Movie
(2019)
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Deirdre Crimmins
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By no means a failure, but it's a meandering way to fill in the gaps between glorified web comedy shorts.
Posted Oct 04, 2019
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3/5
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Joker
(2019)
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Deirdre Crimmins
|
The physicality and emotional rigor of the part of this evil man are easily met by a seasoned professional such as Phoenix.
Posted Oct 03, 2019
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A
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The Irishman
(2019)
|
Jason Gorber
|
The dream scenario where a legendary director and his retinue of iconic performers manage to keep their flames of talent alive and make something that's both steeped in the past but, in its own way, also brilliantly, bravely new.
Posted Sep 28, 2019
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2.5/5
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The Wave
(2019)
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Deirdre Crimmins
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The Wave is a fun enough way to watch one man piece together his bad times, when time has no meaning.
Posted Sep 25, 2019
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4/5
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Pelican Blood
(2019)
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Deirdre Crimmins
|
Pelican Blood might not strictly sit within the horror genre, but it will crawl under your skin all the same.
Posted Sep 25, 2019
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4.5/5
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Jallikattu
(2019)
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Deirdre Crimmins
|
The brilliance of Jallikattu is the coexistence of its diametrically opposing natures. It has a simple story, but it's excruciatingly complex in execution. It's rural, but still crowded with people. Most of all, it's both beautiful and violent.
Posted Sep 24, 2019
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2.5/5
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Downton Abbey
(2019)
|
Deirdre Crimmins
|
Its adoration of the One Percent and its refusal to look deeply into any single plot thread make it a little tedious and a little repetitive for any casual fans.
Posted Sep 23, 2019
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4/5
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Depraved
(2019)
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Deirdre Crimmins
|
Depraved is director Larry Fessenden's take on the Frankenstein story, with his own modern twist. The update makes it gloriously timely without losing any of the underlying tragedy of the original tale.
Posted Sep 23, 2019
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|
A
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Waves
(2019)
|
Jason Gorber
|
A film of astonishing elegance, bracing impact, and exquisite subtlety, a poetic and profound work that shapes conversation both intimate and grand
Posted Sep 19, 2019
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3.5/5
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Raise Hell: The Life & Times of Molly Ivins
(2019)
|
Deirdre Crimmins
|
It's a glowing love letter to the extraordinary woman, but when it comes to insight and criticism, the documentary leaves all of the ammunition to Ivins herself.
Posted Sep 13, 2019
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Haunt
(2019)
|
Deirdre Crimmins
|
Never quite resting on the premise of a haunted house gone bad, Haunt dares to wade into the realm of horror that features character development on both sides of the masks.
Posted Sep 13, 2019
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A-
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Joker
(2019)
|
Jason Gorber
|
Joker is no joke. The film challenges our emotions and prods at some fundamental ideas and biases. It's a complex tale told with sophistication and nuance, far quieter and more precise than the rhetoric will surely be.
Posted Sep 10, 2019
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|
A
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Jojo Rabbit
(2019)
|
Jason Gorber
|
Jojo Rabbit is a triumph, a film of brave sophistication and brilliant humor.
Posted Sep 10, 2019
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2.5/5
|
It: Chapter Two
(2019)
|
Deirdre Crimmins
|
At its core, It: Chapter Two is about memory, loss, and good versus evil. I just wish it dragged a little less.
Posted Sep 06, 2019
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3.5/5
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Don't Let Go
(2019)
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Deirdre Crimmins
|
It delivers characters to care about in a situation that has no prescribed outcome, and isn't that great?
Posted Aug 29, 2019
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3/5
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47 Meters Down: Uncaged
(2019)
|
Deirdre Crimmins
|
The whole affair is awfully silly but also awfully entertaining.
Posted Aug 23, 2019
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4/5
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Ready or Not
(2019)
|
Deirdre Crimmins
|
Ready or Not is everything you want out of a solid horror comedy: blood, humor, and a kiss of social commentary.
Posted Aug 23, 2019
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1.5/5
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Angel Has Fallen
(2019)
|
Deirdre Crimmins
|
If going through a checklist of action film clichés were a competitive sport, Angel Has Fallen would be the all-time world champion.
Posted Aug 21, 2019
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2.5/5
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After the Wedding
(2019)
|
Deirdre Crimmins
|
Approached as merely an exhibition of the brute force of acting talent, After the Wedding is a beautiful presentation. However, as a drama of the human condition, it falls flat.
Posted Aug 20, 2019
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2/5
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Good Boys
(2019)
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Deirdre Crimmins
|
When Good Boys hits its mark, the movie is hilarious. It would be a much better experience to watch if it did that more.
Posted Aug 15, 2019
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3/5
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The Angry Birds Movie 2
(2019)
|
Deirdre Crimmins
|
The Angry Birds Movie 2 is not concerned with animation innovation, groundbreaking characters, or telling a story that has never been told. It is, however, a fun movie for everyone in the family.
Posted Aug 14, 2019
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4/5
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Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark
(2019)
|
Deirdre Crimmins
|
Just the type of gateway horror that will fuel nightmares for an entire generation of kids, just as the books did with my own generation.
Posted Aug 09, 2019
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3.5/5
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Mike Wallace Is Here
(2019)
|
Deirdre Crimmins
|
Wallace was an absolutely fascinating man whose extensive television life lends itself well to a documentary filled with celebrities and world leaders.
Posted Aug 02, 2019
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4/5
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Chiwawa (Chiwawa-chan)
(2019)
|
Deirdre Crimmins
|
An incredible coming-of-age film that openly acknowledges that there's no end in sight for anyone's personal growth, no finish line for maturity, and no single version of a person that's any more valid than another.
Posted Aug 01, 2019
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4/5
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1BR
(2019)
|
Deirdre Crimmins
|
It's a fresh take on cults and community, and should not be ignored.
Posted Jul 31, 2019
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1.5/5
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Critters Attack!
(2019)
|
Deirdre Crimmins
|
The Critters themselves are fun enough, but ultimately the plot is sluggish and even the hard-R rating for gore and "bloody creature violence" is not really enough to make it worth your time.
Posted Jul 24, 2019
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4/5
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Swallow
(2019)
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Deirdre Crimmins
|
Swallow will not be for everyone, but as an empathetic representation of a woman struggling to be seen and be heard through issues with mental health, it's a revelation.
Posted Jul 22, 2019
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3/5
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Trespassers
(2018)
|
Deirdre Crimmins
|
The movie has some small surprises along the way, but overall doesn't try to reach beyond the scope of a classic, and often reproduced, invasion horror. What it does bring to the screen is some enhanced style in the filmmaking.
Posted Jul 12, 2019
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1.5/5
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Stuber
(2019)
|
Deirdre Crimmins
|
The plot is forced, the characters single-dimensional, and the action hard to follow, but with a handful of solid jokes Stuber nearly has the same entertainment value as a 30-minute comedy special.
Posted Jul 10, 2019
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4/5
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Anima
(2019)
|
Deirdre Crimmins
|
Anima is a hypnotic non-narrative mixtape where choreography reigns.
Posted Jul 02, 2019
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3.5/5
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Midsommar
(2019)
|
Deirdre Crimmins
|
Midsommar plays like a slow and inevitable train wreck. It may not surpass Aster's previous film, but it does show us that not all horrors live in the dark.
Posted Jun 28, 2019
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2.5/5
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Anna
(2019)
|
Deirdre Crimmins
|
Between its sparse action scenes and non-linear structure, it keeps our attention, but fails to truly sell its own premise.
Posted Jun 27, 2019
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3/5
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Annabelle Comes Home
(2019)
|
Deirdre Crimmins
|
Rather than mucking about with too much plot or deep character development, Annabelle Comes Home embraces the fact that it's just a fun little haunting movie. It's jumpy. It's spooky. It's fun.
Posted Jun 26, 2019
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3/5
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Child's Play
(2019)
|
Deirdre Crimmins
|
Though this version adds little to Chucky's mythology and actually removes some of the juicier bits of his legend, it also charmingly refuses to take itself too seriously.
Posted Jun 24, 2019
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A-
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Toy Story 4
(2019)
|
Jason Gorber
|
We take this magic for granted these days, just as we take for granted how hard to it must be to pull off a film as well as Toy Story 4 does.
Posted Jun 19, 2019
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Verotika
(2019)
|
Deirdre Crimmins
|
Even with ignoring the aggressive sexism, unintentional humor, and watered down stories, Verotika's gross incompetence in the basic mechanics of film creation makes it an utter failure.
Posted Jun 17, 2019
|
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2.5/5
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Men in Black: International
(2019)
|
Deirdre Crimmins
|
Men in Black: International doesn't do anything flagrantly wrong, but it doesn't do a lot right either. This is precisely the type of movie you'll forget you saw, even if you don't dislike watching it.
Posted Jun 14, 2019
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A+
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Rolling Thunder Revue: A Bob Dylan Story by Martin Scorsese
(2019)
|
Jason Gorber
|
Rolling Thunder Revue is an anti-documentary about an anti-tour, while crazy twists of fate and truth lie at the heart of Scorsese's lies.
Posted Jun 13, 2019
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1/5
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The Outsider
(2019)
|
Deirdre Crimmins
|
The caricatures of characters, abysmal treatment of women, and nearly inscrutable plot make the movie an experience to be tolerated rather than celebrated.
Posted Jun 12, 2019
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5/5
|
The Lighthouse
(2019)
|
Jason Gorber
|
The Lighthouse shines its sickly light in ways that are comedic, tragic, and every mode in between.
Posted Jun 11, 2019
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2.5/5
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The Secret Life of Pets 2
(2019)
|
Deirdre Crimmins
|
Though it has a kiss of social irresponsibility and it bites off more than it can chew, for the most part, The Secret Life of Pets 2 is an awfully cute way to watch a menagerie of animals being adorable on screen.
Posted Jun 07, 2019
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