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2.5/5
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Expend4bles
(2023)
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Richard Crouse
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Expend4bles delivers quips and kills galore, but to paraphrase Tony Jaa’s character Decha, “The more people you kill, the less joy you have.”
Posted Sep 22, 2023
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4.5/5
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Stop Making Sense
(1984)
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Richard Crouse
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The 4K Stop Making Sense restoration of the four-decade old movie is a joyful, high-energy revisiting of a classic. A document of a band working at the top of their game, it captures the love of music and performance in a way few other have.
Posted Sep 21, 2023
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3.5/5
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Dumb Money
(2023)
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Richard Crouse
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Dumb Money doesn’t get too bogged down by the financial jargon, although it may be worth a trip to “short sell” Wikipedia page before buying a ticket. Instead, it’s the rousing David and Goliath story of levelling the playing field.
Posted Sep 21, 2023
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2.5/5
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A Haunting in Venice
(2023)
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Richard Crouse
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The jitteriest of Branagh’s Christie films.
Posted Sep 14, 2023
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3.5/5
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El Conde
(2023)
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Richard Crouse
|
It’s not exactly a giggle fest, it is, after all, about the existence and persistence of evil, but it does trade in dark comedy in a way that Tod Browning never could have imagined.
Posted Sep 14, 2023
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3/5
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The Retirement Plan
(2023)
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Richard Crouse
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Cage lwts his freak flag fly and it shows, in a movie that doesn’t take itself too seriously... and neither should you.
Posted Sep 14, 2023
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3/5
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American: An Odyssey to 1947
(2022)
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Richard Crouse
|
American An Odyssey to 1947 does a good job of setting up time and place, and though the shift from career retrospective to the personal stories isn’t smooth, the film finds its balance to become an inventive recontextualization of a well-documented life.
Posted Sep 08, 2023
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2/5
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My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3
(2023)
|
Richard Crouse
|
There are some intimate moments that, if played with even a hint of restraint, could have pulled at the heartstrings. Instead, we get souvlaki jokes, banal schmaltziness and choppily edited tourism bureau style footage.
Posted Sep 08, 2023
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2.5/5
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The Nun II
(2023)
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Richard Crouse
|
There are a few good jump scares and the demon in full nun regalia is still an unsettling sight, but the movie is just a little too similar to The Nun—it’s another story about Irene and an ancient demon destroying relic—to feel anything but familiar.
Posted Sep 08, 2023
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3.5/5
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Bottoms
(2023)
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Richard Crouse
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Unapologetically rowdy and rambunctious, but also cheerfully sweet and sensitive, Bottoms one of the funniest and bloodiest stories about the anarchy of adolescence to hit screens since Heathers.
Posted Aug 31, 2023
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4/5
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You Are So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah
(2023)
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Richard Crouse
|
The movie doesn’t break much new ground, the break-up-and-make-up story beats are predictable, but the sweet and sassy performances and genuine family vibe make You Are So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah a welcome addition to the Sandler Family catalogue.
Posted Aug 31, 2023
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3.5/5
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The Equalizer 3
(2023)
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Richard Crouse
|
The Equalizer 3 is a revenge story, plain and simple, tarted up with some talk of salvation, but let’s face it, this is “Death Wish” with nicer scenery.
Posted Aug 31, 2023
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3.5/5
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Dreamin' Wild
(2022)
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Richard Crouse
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Anchored by Casey Affleck’s performance, Dreamin’ Wild’s portrait of a tortured artist is like the music Donnie Emerson performs in the film; thoughtful, gentle and emotionally authentic.
Posted Aug 24, 2023
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3/5
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Golda
(2023)
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Richard Crouse
|
Narrowing the film down to the Yom Kippur War allows for a focused look at those events but feels like part two of three of the Golda Meir story. A life of the magnitude and influence of Meir’s deserves and requires more historical context.
Posted Aug 24, 2023
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3/5
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Gran Turismo: Based on a True Story
(2023)
|
Richard Crouse
|
It’s hard to dislike a movie as relentlessly upbeat as this. As the cars whiz around the track it is all forward momentum in service of the inspiring story. It’s just a shame that the human parts of the tale aren’t as immersive as the racing scenes.
Posted Aug 24, 2023
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3/5
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Blue Beetle
(2023)
|
Richard Crouse
|
Blue Beetle makes history as the first Latino DC superhero to lead a film, but the freshness that comes along with that is overwhelmed by the usual superhero dross.
Posted Aug 17, 2023
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3.5/5
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Strays
(2023)
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Richard Crouse
|
It is a safe bet to call Strays the most adorable, yet rudest movie of the year. Reggie and his pals are a cute canine quartet but the film’s “beyond the chain” jokes and situations, mostly involving poop, vomit and doggie sex, are anything but sweet.
Posted Aug 17, 2023
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3/5
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The Monkey King
(2023)
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Richard Crouse
|
The Monkey King has laughs and gags, mostly for young viewers, and diverting well-choreographed martial arts scenes, but offers very little new stuff in its retelling of an old tale.
Posted Aug 17, 2023
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3/5
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Heart of Stone
(2023)
|
Richard Crouse
|
Cinematographer George Steel shoots for the big screen, and has an eye for action. The location work gives the movie an up-market sheen, but don’t be fooled, this is an expensive knockoff, a Canal Street copy of other, better spy movies.
Posted Aug 11, 2023
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3.5/5
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The Last Voyage of the Demeter
(2023)
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Richard Crouse
|
Built of tension and fear, it makes for an old-fashioned fright fest. It’s a little heavy handed in its final moments, as it attempts to set up a sequel, but if the next one is as elemental and frightening as this one, I’m in.
Posted Aug 10, 2023
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3.5/5
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Passages
(2023)
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Richard Crouse
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Passages feels like a throwback to the erotic relationship films of the 1980s and 90s. It is an adult, sexual film with a couple explicit scenes, but more than that, it is explicit in its emotional complexity.
Posted Aug 10, 2023
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3.5/5
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Satan Wants You
(2023)
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Richard Crouse
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Satan Wants You is a time capsule of 1980s moral outrage, but more than that, it demonstrates how quickly and easily misinformation can cause an epidemic of mass hysteria.
Posted Aug 10, 2023
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2/5
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Meg 2: The Trench
(2023)
|
Richard Crouse
|
Midway through Statham rasps, “This ain’t good.” It’s a meta moment that feels like he has broken the fourth wall to comment on the movie. He hasn't of course. The movie isn’t clever enough to have that kind of built-in self-awareness. But he’s not wrong.
Posted Aug 04, 2023
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3.5/5
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A Compassionate Spy
(2022)
|
Richard Crouse
|
It’s the personal touch that elevates the story from historical and geopolitical tell-all to a different, and in many ways, more compelling story of intergenerational secrecy.
Posted Aug 03, 2023
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3.5/5
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Shortcomings
(2023)
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Richard Crouse
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Shortcomings delivers laughs—Ben and Alice are a playful odd couple—and examines cultural expectations, but it really succeeds because of its uncompromising character study.
Posted Aug 03, 2023
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3.5/5
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Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem
(2023)
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Richard Crouse
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Seven feature films in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem does something kind of remarkable. It takes a decades-old franchise and makes it feels contemporary with humor and heart while still providing a nostalgic blast for long-time fans.
Posted Aug 03, 2023
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3/5
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Theater Camp
(2023)
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Richard Crouse
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An update on the Judy and Mickey “let’s put on a show” trope, Theater Camp is a musical underdog story that nails the vibe of the camp, a place for misfits who don’t fit in anywhere else.
Posted Jul 20, 2023
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4/5
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Barbie
(2023)
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Richard Crouse
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Barbie has both style and substance, and while its story may get overactive and muddled in its last reel, Gerwig’s point of view on gender roles and the way that women are treated in society pulls few punches.
Posted Jul 20, 2023
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4.5/5
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Oppenheimer
(2023)
|
Richard Crouse
|
The brainiest blockbuster of the season is a period piece about a man who moral conundrums regarding power and the way it is wielded, that resonates just as loudly today as they did when the events took place.
Posted Jul 20, 2023
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3.5/5
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The Deepest Breath
(2023)
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Richard Crouse
|
The Deepest Breath may not be completely satisfying account of why people risk their lives in this extreme sport, but it is a compelling visual record of those who do.
Posted Jul 13, 2023
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2.5/5
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The Miracle Club
(2023)
|
Richard Crouse
|
The actors imprint each of these characters with the cumulative weight of their lives, willing Eileen, Lily and Chrissie into stubborn life, despite a script that attempts to keep them as stereotypes.
Posted Jul 13, 2023
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4.5/5
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Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning, Part One
(2023)
|
Richard Crouse
|
Mission: Impossible—Dead Reckoning is the ne plus ultra of modern, big-budget studio filmmaking. Director Christopher McQuarrie manages the breathless, super-sized movies with an expert hand, blending old school action movie filmmaking with real stakes.
Posted Jul 13, 2023
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2.5/5
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This Place
(2022)
|
Richard Crouse
|
But while the story falters somewhat in its execution, the movie’s heart, and its messages of love, compassion and understanding, never do.
Posted Jul 06, 2023
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3.5/5
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The Lesson
(2023)
|
Richard Crouse
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The Lesson is a slow burn, a story that unfolds at its own pace with wit, theatrical cruelty and welcome surprises.
Posted Jul 06, 2023
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3.5/5
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Joy Ride
(2023)
|
Richard Crouse
|
The whole thing is bound by the cast’s genuine chemistry, a kind of Bridemaid’s bond that allows for the movie’s wild shifts in tone.
Posted Jul 06, 2023
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4/5
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Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny
(2023)
|
Richard Crouse
|
There is a poignancy to Ford’s lion-in-winter portrayal of the character, and, as a result, (NO SPOILERS HERE) there is an emotional component to the film’s final reel that may be the most touching moment in the entire series.
Posted Jun 30, 2023
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3.5/5
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Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken
(2023)
|
Richard Crouse
|
What it lacks in originality—Turning Red used transformation as a metaphor for coming out of your shell first—it makes up for with good humor, fun voice work, particularly from Jane Fonda and Annie Murphy, and an engaging lead character.
Posted Jun 30, 2023
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4/5
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Nimona
(2023)
|
Richard Crouse
|
Co-directors Nick Bruno and Troy Quane ensure that amid the messages of benevolence and self-acceptance, are plenty of emotional moments and exciting, large scale action scenes that will make your eyeballs dance.
Posted Jun 30, 2023
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3/5
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Asteroid City
(2023)
|
Richard Crouse
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Despite the quirky tone and Anderson’s trademarked stylistic choices, Asteroid City is a serious film, albeit one laced with a healthy dose of absurdism.
Posted Jun 22, 2023
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3.5/5
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Blue Jean
(2022)
|
Richard Crouse
|
Rosy McEwan’s star-making performance guides the character through the self-recrimination, heartache and ultimately relief necessary to bring this low-key story to vibrant life.
Posted Jun 22, 2023
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2/5
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No Hard Feelings
(2023)
|
Richard Crouse
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No Hard Feelings aims to find a sweet spot between racy comedy and heartfelt friendship story and misses the mark on both counts.
Posted Jun 22, 2023
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3/5
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Elemental
(2023)
|
Richard Crouse
|
The vivid artwork is often spectacular, and provides many beautiful images, but the watered-down story does not equal the film’s visual impact.
Posted Jun 15, 2023
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3.5/5
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The Blackening
(2022)
|
Richard Crouse
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The allegories may be more effective than the actual gore, but despite the light touch with the bloody violence, The Blackening achieves something special and interesting within its genre.
Posted Jun 15, 2023
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3.5/5
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The Flash
(2023)
|
Richard Crouse
|
The Flash finds a balance between fan service and a story for general audiences. The resulting movie gets dark without surrendering to the ennui that has cast its shade over so many of the other DC movies.
Posted Jun 15, 2023
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3.5/5
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Squaring the Circle (The Story of Hipgnosis)
(2022)
|
Richard Crouse
|
Corbijn’s doc is straightforward, austere almost, with little of the wild excess or off-the-hook imagination that typified the work of its subject, but it does do a great job of placing the album artwork in context of its time and timelessness.
Posted Jun 08, 2023
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3/5
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Dalíland
(2022)
|
Richard Crouse
|
Kingsley embraces Dali’s larger-than-life, “you’re in the presence of genius,” side, but never simply plays the caricature. His performance centers the outlandish story with humanity, and as the character ages, empathy for the man behind the moustache.
Posted Jun 08, 2023
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3.5/5
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Transformers: Rise of the Beasts
(2023)
|
Richard Crouse
|
It could use a little more air in the tires in the mid-section and there is way too much exposition as we reach the end game, but it delivers what matters to fans: rock ‘em, sock ‘em robot action writ large.
Posted Jun 08, 2023
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4/5
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Bones of Crows
(2022)
|
Richard Crouse
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It is a story of hard truths, told with skill—despite its sprawling nature, it doesn’t feel bloated—and emotion that gets to the heart of how generational trauma forever altered the lives of the characters.
Posted Jun 01, 2023
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3.5/5
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The Boogeyman
(2023)
|
Richard Crouse
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The Boogeyman is more anxiety inducing than actually scary, but it is an interesting take on grief, and how sometimes you have to put the past behind you to move forward.
Posted Jun 01, 2023
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4/5
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Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse
(2023)
|
Richard Crouse
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Your spidey senses won’t be the only thing left tingling.
Posted Jun 01, 2023
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