Terence Johnson
Tomatometer-approved critic
Movies reviews only
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The Little Mermaid (2023) |
While The Little Mermaid certainly isn’t breaking new ground in the musical department, it manages to be a fun times at the movies and audiences will surely get their fill - Le Noir Auteur
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| Posted Jun 02, 2023
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Past Lives (2023) |
Past Lives is a quietly observed but intimately studied film that really sticks with you. - Le Noir Auteur
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| Posted Jun 02, 2023
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Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (2023) |
There’s such life and energy in every aspect of the filmmaking that even when the movie isn’t hitting on all cylinders, you trust that something amazing will be coming in the next minute - Le Noir Auteur
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| Posted Apr 28, 2023
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Ghosted (2023) |
There’s absolutely nothing about this film that feels new and fresh, which in itself is not egregious, but when you aren’t doing anything new, you should at least do something well. - Le Noir Auteur
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| Posted Apr 28, 2023
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Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania (2023) |
By virtue of placing a character that is nearly street level with a universe threatening opponent, you have to make the movie rise to meet it. However Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania is largely stuck in needing to be bigger. - Le Noir Auteur
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| Posted Feb 23, 2023
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M3GAN (2022) |
M3GAN is crowd pleasing entertainment at its finest. The scares are effective but the filmmakers and cast know that it’s the foolishness we’re here for. - Le Noir Auteur
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| Posted Jan 06, 2023
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Babylon (2022) |
Unfortunately for audiences, there’s only so much fine fabrics and gilded chandeliers can do. The film struggles to maintain any semblance of pace and there is distinct impression that the movie did not know how to end. - Le Noir Auteur
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| Posted Dec 28, 2022
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Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022) |
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is certainly a lot of movie and a fitting tribute to the legacy of Chadwick Boseman. While some mileage may vary with the pacing and plottiness, the movie does provide a thrilling entry in the saga of Wakanda. - Le Noir Auteur
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| Posted Nov 17, 2022
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Bros (2022) |
Bros is a genuinely good time at the movies and hopefully a welcome step in the right direction towards more varied protagonists in studio pictures. - Le Noir Auteur
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| Posted Sep 30, 2022
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Don't Worry Darling (2022) |
Although there were some entertaining moments, Don’t Worry Darling is unfortunately weighed down by the many issues in the script and the questions it brings forth, but refuses to and can’t answer. - Le Noir Auteur
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| Posted Sep 23, 2022
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Uncharted (2022) |
A globe-hopping adventure that manages to be visually boring and charm-sucking. - Le Noir Auteur
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| Posted Aug 26, 2022
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Persuasion (2022) |
Persuasion never gets to truly take off because it is trying to be both modern and period. There is far too much winking towards the camera. - Le Noir Auteur
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| Posted Aug 26, 2022
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40 Years Young (2022) |
A very fun and breezy Netflix film. - Le Noir Auteur
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| Posted Aug 26, 2022
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Beast (2022) |
What’s not to like? Seriously, this movie is very well made and it knows exactly what it was made to do, to thrill audiences. - Le Noir Auteur
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| Posted Aug 26, 2022
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Bullet Train (2022) |
A fun movie that was just one script element and one plot point too much for itself. - Le Noir Auteur
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| Posted Aug 12, 2022
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Fire Island (2022) |
There’s a great mix of earnestness and hijinks that kept me laughing throughout the film. It’s also a short but sweet look at the variances in the gay experience. - Le Noir Auteur
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| Posted Jun 07, 2022
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Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022) |
You can feel the production and overall plan seeping into the storytelling in ways that Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness doesn’t entirely have the strength to overcome. - Le Noir Auteur
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| Posted May 03, 2022
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The Bad Guys (2022) |
With stylish flair and some fun turns, the film is a good example of how to adapt something with reverence while using the tools that make film such a fun medium. - Le Noir Auteur
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| Posted Apr 23, 2022
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The Northman (2022) |
Robert Eggers has established himself as a master of mood and tone since he dragged us by our eyebrows with The VVitch. Here, he’s working with a much broader canvas and a sizable budget, and acquits himself astoundingly well. - Le Noir Auteur
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| Posted Apr 23, 2022
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Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021) |
This sort of well meaning, but poorly executed approach leads what could be interesting, to feel like nothing but fan service that doesn't do anything worthwhile for the previous stories or this one. - Le Noir Auteur
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| Posted Dec 23, 2021
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West Side Story (2021) |
In their attempt to ground the musical and add new wrinkles, Spielberg and screenwriter Tony Kushner actually work against the story. Expanding the narrative, adding in additional backstory, and trying to ground the movie didn't quite gel for me. - Le Noir Auteur
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| Posted Dec 04, 2021
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Red Rocket (2021) |
It's a movie that's trying to get to a seedy awfulness of some truly foolish people but the way events unfold, particularly towards the end left a sour taste in my mouth. - Le Noir Auteur
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| Posted Nov 15, 2021
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Parallel Mothers (2021) |
Penelope Cruz is quite sensational in this movie; nobody understands her gifts or challenges her like Pedro, and it was great to see them working in concert together once again. - Le Noir Auteur
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| Posted Nov 15, 2021
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Good Madam (2021) |
Good Madam has an out of this world sound design, which is used to creepy and chilling effect at every turn. This South African horror film is 92 minutes of nerves. - Le Noir Auteur
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| Posted Nov 15, 2021
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Paris, 13th District (2021) |
Some really smart performances end up making this Jacques Audiard a winning effort. - Le Noir Auteur
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| Posted Nov 15, 2021
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To What Remains (2021) |
Despite the stories and the interesting topic, I couldn't quite get into the movie. I feel like the filmmaking choices weren't quite up to the material they were showcasing. - Le Noir Auteur
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| Posted Nov 15, 2021
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The Power of the Dog (2021) |
The Power of the Dog is a movie I'm certain to be thinking about a lot in the coming days, if not for the rest of the year. Jane Campion has crafted a sterling film that everyone should see the second they get a chance. - Le Noir Auteur
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| Posted Nov 12, 2021
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Eternals (2021) |
Pretty images can only go so far and Eternals can't quite rise to its own formidable goals. - Le Noir Auteur
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| Posted Nov 04, 2021
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Dune (2021) |
I loved how the movie gives you the tools you need to realize what's happening so that you can be immersed in the world of the characters. - Le Noir Auteur
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| Posted Oct 22, 2021
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Dear Evan Hansen (2021) |
It's truly a shame that the cast brought their A game to a movie that was not as interested in serving their characters as they were - Le Noir Auteur
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| Posted Sep 22, 2021
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Blue Bayou (2021) |
Even when the movie dips or zigs when it should zag, the performances are enough of a delight to move you and make Blue Bayou a worthy watch. - Le Noir Auteur
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| Posted Sep 18, 2021
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Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (2021) |
It's perfectly fine entertainment in the moment, but the overall staying power is pretty negligible. - Le Noir Auteur
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| Posted Aug 27, 2021
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Candyman (2021) |
As a whole, these ideas don't cohere into an even, interesting picture, leaving Candyman feeling like a liquid amorphous thing rather than a solid entity. - Le Noir Auteur
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| Posted Aug 27, 2021
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Jungle Cruise (2021) |
Not offensive enough to be seen as a soulless cash grab but not good enough to make you feel that your time is being valued, Jungle Cruise is a misfire. - Le Noir Auteur
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| Posted Jul 30, 2021
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Black Widow (2021) |
While I'm still not quite sure why the movie needed to exist in theory, I do think that Cate Shortland crafted a really fascinating and entertaining film. - Le Noir Auteur
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| Posted Jun 29, 2021
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Zola (2020) |
Director Janicza Bravo does some herculean work with this movie, handling the many elements with a deft hand. She has a really impressive eye for staging and understanding that sometimes the smallest details can make the biggest impact. - Le Noir Auteur
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| Posted Jun 29, 2021
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Cruella (2021) |
Look after look after look by Jenny Bevan helped this film feel like a breeze. This movie also breezes by on the delicious acting decisions made by Thompson who revels in the villain-y of the Baroness. - Le Noir Auteur
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| Posted Jun 01, 2021
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Army Of The Dead (2021) |
The movie does not have enough interesting things going for it to uphold this run time. - Le Noir Auteur
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| Posted May 28, 2021
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Demon Slayer -Kimetsu no Yaiba- The Movie: Mugen Train (2020) |
Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba the Movie: Mugen Train truly is a distillation of what makes the anime so great. The animation style is top tier, a dream to behold given that these characters move around so much when they fight. - Le Noir Auteur
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| Posted May 13, 2021
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Raya and the Last Dragon (2021) |
Raya and the Last Dragon proved that it was more than just an adventure film by being able to bring weighty themes and fun action beats together in a fun way. - Le Noir Auteur
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| Posted Mar 06, 2021
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Malcolm & Marie (2021) |
Yes, we enjoy getting to witness two people be awful, but if it doesn't come from a truly emotional place or have someone other than the main couple to bounce off, it just feels awful. - Le Noir Auteur
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| Posted Jan 26, 2021
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Wonder Woman 1984 (2020) |
The main problems for this film start with the script and its lack of attention to detail. - Le Noir Auteur
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| Posted Dec 26, 2020
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Hillbilly Elegy (2020) |
Both of those actresses are quite gifted at digging into characters, but this movie does not give them much tangible to grab hold of. This gets to the movie's fatal flaw: an inability to tap into anything specific to elevate the story. - Le Noir Auteur
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| Posted Nov 12, 2020
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Nine Days (2020) |
I felt unmoored rather than inquisitive about the premise. The movie is at it's best when it relies on actors doing thing in a space to an amazing score, but the ideas didn't make me sit forward and ponder. - Le Noir Auteur
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| Posted Oct 23, 2020
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Uncle Frank (2020) |
Paul Bettany is really phenomenal in Uncle Frank... So phenomenal in fact that he singlehandedly helps rescue the movie from some plot foolery. - Le Noir Auteur
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| Posted Oct 23, 2020
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Wolfwalkers (2020) |
Beautiful images and a wonderful score make this movie a breezy watch. - Le Noir Auteur
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| Posted Oct 23, 2020
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The Boys in the Band (2020) |
The Boys in the Band might be a classic text, but even with this new production, it feels more like a museum exhibit than a vibrant account of the past. - Le Noir Auteur
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| Posted Oct 07, 2020
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Mulan (2020) |
Stuck in a battle of wills between an American sensibility, the Chinese legend, and the spectre of a previous film. This battle extends to every arena of the film with the exception of the acting and gorgeous costume work. - Le Noir Auteur
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| Posted Sep 03, 2020
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Sputnik (2020) |
Sputnik rises above expectations by investing in the science and the characters, trusting that the amazing work of the cast and crew can carry the audience through. And carry us through they did. - Le Noir Auteur
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| Posted Aug 17, 2020
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Palm Springs (2020) |
Miliotti and Samberg are so brilliant in their roles, I was mesmerized. The depth of their performances in channeling varying degrees of weariness and struggle is worth the price of admission (or clicking play on Hulu). - Le Noir Auteur
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| Posted Jul 15, 2020
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