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1/4
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Silent Night
(2023)
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Odie Henderson
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Marco Beltrami’s pounding score gives the proceedings a silent-movie feel while Woo relies on the faces of his actors to tell the story, a fatal flaw as Kinnaman cannot portray anything but dourness.
Posted Dec 01, 2023
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2/4
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Maestro
(2023)
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Odie Henderson
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Imitation and musical enthusiasm are all there is to this performance; in the dramatic scenes that make up the majority of “Maestro,” Cooper is the weak link that drags everything down.
Posted Dec 01, 2023
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Home Alone
(1990)
|
Matthew Gilbert
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Home Alone is a cotton-candy stick of a movie, one that kids will love but one that's too cloying for their parents.
Posted Nov 28, 2023
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2/4
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Saltburn
(2023)
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Mark Feeney
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Visually, the movie can be quite pretty. Linus Sandgren, Damien Chazelle’s go-to cinematographer, shot it. Emotionally, it’s ugly through and through, which the prettiness makes that much uglier.
Posted Nov 25, 2023
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2/4
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Wish
(2023)
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Odie Henderson
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This fairy tale feels more like a corporate product than a magical event; it’s a limp dissertation on Disney’s motto that, “When you wish upon a star, your dreams come true.”
Posted Nov 25, 2023
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1.5/4
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Napoleon
(2023)
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Odie Henderson
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It relies far too often on the “little man, big temper” idea of Napoleon — at times, Phoenix is practically channeling an angry Donald Duck mid-meltdown — and the scenes between the two lovers make them seem more like robots emulating human beings.
Posted Nov 25, 2023
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The Duellists
(1977)
|
Michael Blowen
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Overall, the lavish mixture of painfully slow pictorial scenes, historical authenticity, and a few interesting duels never coalesce into an effective pattern.
Posted Nov 20, 2023
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3/4
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Dream Scenario
(2023)
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Odie Henderson
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I don’t think the third act of “Dream Scenario” works at all. It’s too obvious. However, its saving grace is Cage, whose petulance in these late sequences never ceases to be as funny as it is uncomfortable to watch.
Posted Nov 17, 2023
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1/4
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Next Goal Wins
(2023)
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Odie Henderson
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Watch the documentary instead, and not because of any truth-twisting Waititi employs. You should watch the other film because "Next Goal Wins" is abysmal.
Posted Nov 17, 2023
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2.5/4
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Trolls Band Together
(2023)
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Odie Henderson
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Though “Trolls Band Together” mercilessly beats its familiar, tired message about the importance of family into the ground, it’s still surprisingly watchable with plenty of voice and singing talent.
Posted Nov 17, 2023
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1.5/4
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The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes
(2023)
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Odie Henderson
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Even if you’ve only seen one of these films, you won’t need to spend 156 minutes witnessing the rise of a madman whose actions never required any backstory in the first place.
Posted Nov 17, 2023
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The Legend of Billie Jean
(1985)
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Michael Blowen
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The Legend of Billie Jean, while neither as grotesque as Rambo nor as sleazy as a slasher movie, is repulsive in its vacuous cheerleading for an empty heroine and her ridiculous escapades.
Posted Nov 17, 2023
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Alien
(1979)
|
Michael Blowen
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Alien is another triumph of technology over art. It is also a horror movie set in space -- and it just doesn't work.
Posted Nov 16, 2023
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Cocoon
(1985)
|
Jay Carr
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A lot of directors are deft: Howard is deft and tasteful, and his instinct for handling actors -- when to let them go and when to rein them in -- is remarkable.
Posted Nov 12, 2023
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3/4
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The Marvels
(2023)
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Odie Henderson
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In a universe where the movies last well over three hours, the 105 minute runtime of “The Marvels” is as welcome as it is surprising.
Posted Nov 10, 2023
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Little Big Man
(1970)
|
Kevin Kelly
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If the film fails somewhat in the arc of Penn's ambition, it is, nonetheless, quite remarkable, and not simply because of Dustin Hoffman's bravura performance.
Posted Nov 10, 2023
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State Fair
(1933)
|
Globe Staff
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It is a more or less accurate film transcription of Phil Stong's Literary Guild prize novel. As a motion picture, it provides human, sympathetic, and agreeable entertainment, with the all-star cast presenting some excellent characterizations.
Posted Nov 09, 2023
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3.5/4
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Smoke Signals
(1998)
|
Jay Carr
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In its quiet, personalized, intimately scaled way, it's a landmark -- the first film to be written, directed, and coproduced by Native Americans. But then part of its charm is that it would make fun of the "landmark" label.
Posted Nov 08, 2023
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3/4
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Rustin
(2023)
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Odie Henderson
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Enough cannot be said about Domingo, a recognizable character actor in shows like “Euphoria” who has finally been given his moment to shine in the lead.
Posted Nov 03, 2023
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3.5/4
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The Holdovers
(2023)
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Odie Henderson
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Massachusetts plays itself well enough, but the real joy of “The Holdovers” is watching two pros and a newcomer deliver such beautiful, haunting performances.
Posted Nov 03, 2023
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1.5/4
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Priscilla
(2023)
|
Odie Henderson
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I confess to being a sinner, but nothing I’ve done as of late warranted the punishment of having to sit through two movies about Elvis Presley within a year.
Posted Nov 03, 2023
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3.5/4
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Anatomy of a Fall
(2023)
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Odie Henderson
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Triet approaches so many elements from slightly askew angles that bend just enough to support conflicting arguments.
Posted Oct 27, 2023
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3/4
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The Pigeon Tunnel
(2023)
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Mark Feeney
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“The Pigeon Tunnel” is mannered, but one could argue that’s fitting. It’s hard to get more mannered than the le Carré prose style and plotting.
Posted Oct 27, 2023
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The Last Picture Show
(1971)
|
Kevin Kelly
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It is, I think, a classic American movie in a tradition that has long since been blithely abandoned by Hollywood.
Posted Oct 25, 2023
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2.5/4
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Dicks: The Musical
(2023)
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Odie Henderson
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Like a bender, this type of cult movie is more memorable in the moment than it is the morning after.
Posted Oct 20, 2023
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3/4
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Killers of the Flower Moon
(2023)
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Odie Henderson
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“Killers of the Flower Moon” is flawed, but still worth seeing.
Posted Oct 20, 2023
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3/4
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The Burial
(2023)
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Odie Henderson
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Though it plays fast and loose with several details, “The Burial” remains true to its focus on race, class, and how capitalism exploits both regardless of a person’s color or financial means. The message is not subtly delivered, but it’s still effective.
Posted Oct 13, 2023
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Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore
(1974)
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Kevin Kelly
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Alice Doesn't Live Here lacks the cohesion of Scorsese's Mean Streets, and further, it's flawed, but I found it warm, touching and irresistible.
Posted Oct 12, 2023
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Raging Bull
(1980)
|
Bruce McCabe
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This is a masterpiece. It proves that a film can have violent undertones and overtones, but still illuminate and comment upon violence in a moving, poetic and profound way.
Posted Oct 06, 2023
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3/4
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Cassandro
(2023)
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Odie Henderson
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Williams keeps the pace quick and tight, the wrestling scenes are fun, and the costumes are delightful. With its message of acceptance, “Cassandro” is preaching to the choir, but it’s a good sermon nonetheless.
Posted Oct 06, 2023
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1.5/4
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PAW Patrol: The Mighty Movie
(2023)
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Odie Henderson
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“PAW Patrol: The Mighty Movie” is not a good movie, but it should appeal to its intended audience.
Posted Oct 06, 2023
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1.5/4
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Dumb Money
(2023)
|
Odie Henderson
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I could barely keep my eyes open during this unfunny snoozer packaged as a wannabe heir to Adam McKay’s 2015 film “The Big Short.”
Posted Oct 06, 2023
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2/4
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The Exorcist: Believer
(2023)
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Odie Henderson
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Though Green tries all types of terror tactics from sudden jump cuts to graphic gore, there isn’t a single scare in the entire 121-minute runtime.
Posted Oct 06, 2023
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Taxi Driver
(1976)
|
Kevin Kelly
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Taxi Driver is so volatile it nearly explodes from the screen. Under Martin Scorsese's brilliant direction, it works a dramatic tension that is inescapable, carefully, systematically straitjacketing its audience in the problems of its central character.
Posted Oct 06, 2023
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Taxi Driver
(1976)
|
Jay Carr
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At its heart, Taxi Driver is the best satire ever of America's ingrained belief in violence as salvation.
Posted Oct 05, 2023
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3.5/4
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Fair Play
(2023)
|
Natalia Winkelman
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One of the shrewdest takes on the erotic thriller in recent memory.
Posted Oct 02, 2023
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The Exorcist
(1973)
|
Jay Carr
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It's still jolting. It's great shock theater.
Posted Sep 28, 2023
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The Exorcist
(1973)
|
Kevin Kelly
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The movie is a startling mix of religion, ESP, frenzy, fervent hope, occultism and a heavy-handed dose of diabolism. But don't mistake it... The Exorcist is slam-bang sensationalism. It is an exhaustive, as well as an exhausting shocker.
Posted Sep 27, 2023
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3.5/4
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Scrapper
(2023)
|
Odie Henderson
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Campbell is a revelation. This is her first movie role, and her performance is flawless.
Posted Sep 15, 2023
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2/4
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A Haunting in Venice
(2023)
|
Mark Feeney
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Predictable as the formula is, it’s not unpleasant.
Posted Sep 15, 2023
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The Seer and the Unseen
(2019)
|
Peter Keough
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The film casts the audience as an equal participant, searching for what’s not readily evident in the frame, and seeing meaning within it regardless.
Posted Sep 13, 2023
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Lone Star
(1996)
|
Jay Carr
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Lone Star not only is an eloquent and richly layered take on borders actual and metaphorical, it's a work with the kind of reach and ambition that few American films even attempt.
Posted Sep 06, 2023
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Selena
(1997)
|
Jay Carr
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If Olmos brings dignity and stature to what could have been a problematic role, Lopez overcomes what must have been a lot of curiosity if not outright skepticism on the part of Selena's fans. They should be satisfied, though.
Posted Sep 06, 2023
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3.5/4
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Bottoms
(2023)
|
Odie Henderson
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I loved every twisted, hilarious minute of the violent high school comedy “Bottoms” because, as I’ve told you more than once, I’m a sicko.
Posted Sep 01, 2023
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White Men Can't Jump
(1992)
|
Jay Carr
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White Men Can't Jump isn't perfect. But most of the time it's a lot of fun. Its funky moves are going to smiles on more faces than any regular season or tournament basketball TV throws at you.
Posted Aug 31, 2023
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1.5/4
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Golda
(2023)
|
Odie Henderson
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The real Meir has more energy and charisma in the few seconds when she’s shown onscreen than Mirren has in 100 minutes.
Posted Aug 25, 2023
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1/4
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Gran Turismo: Based on a True Story
(2023)
|
Odie Henderson
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The film’s visual look is as inert as its screenplay, and its attempts to make the real racing scenes look like “Gran Turismo” gameplay by overlaying the game’s graphics with live footage fall embarrassingly flat.
Posted Aug 25, 2023
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1.5/4
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Strays
(2023)
|
Odie Henderson
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As a movie, it is not a good boy; it is a bad dog. But if I were currently 12, I might have reacted in a more positive way.
Posted Aug 18, 2023
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3/4
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Blue Beetle
(2023)
|
Odie Henderson
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“Blue Beetle” is a watchable time-waster made better by the actors and the cinematography by Pawel Pogorzelski.
Posted Aug 18, 2023
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3/4
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The Last Voyage of the Demeter
(2023)
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Odie Henderson
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This is good, fun summer fare, shot in ominous shades of darkness by cinematographers Roman Osin and Tom Stern and fueled by an effective score by Bear McCreary that isn’t obtrusive.
Posted Aug 11, 2023
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