Cyrano (2021) – Glossing Over a Classic
Peter Dinklage is a powerful force for good in an otherwise listless adaptation that misinterprets whatever it doesn’t omit entirely.
2020s
Samaritan – Bum Rap
Samaritan accepts on faith that the audience thinks Stallone is a superhero. His charm, and almost nothing else, makes it sporadically watchable.
Sin (Il Peccato) – Holy Unhappiness
Sin is a portrait of an artist in pain, with god-defying amounts of melancholy. Lovers of classic art cinema will enjoy this more than he enjoyed himself.
Lightyear – Origin Sin
Lightyear was so tangled in its struggle for effective marketing that every aspect of its filmmaking became a lower, or nonexistent, concern.
Prey: Consent to Kill
Prey expresses a strong period aesthetic powered by fresh performances but relies on a screenplay that misplaces its series’ core values.
The Tragedy of Macbeth: Saggy Soliloquy
This well-endowed Macbeth strives for greatness without the stomach for it. Stylized visuals can’t cover for all the meaning it misses.
Obi-Wan Kenobi Part VI Review: Final Fizzle
The final episode of Obi-Wan Kenobi gets everything to where it was going. Not even its best part could be worth the wait.
Obi-Wan Kenobi Part V Review
Part V continues Obi-Wan Kenobi’s habit of steamrolling plausibility with reverse-engineered plot directions, with a small twist.
Everything Everywhere All at Once: Exposition Epic
Despite triumphant performances and high ambitions, Everything Everywhere All at Once hopes to be so well-understood that it overexplains its triumphs away.
Obi-Wan Kenobi: Part I-III Review
So far, Obi-Wan Kenobi seems to be relying more on Star Wars fans to be excited in the absence of creativity than on its own inspiration or technical ability.
Why Army of the Dead Should Not Be the Oscars Fan Favorite
Army of the Dead’s ruthless devotion to plagiarization is its most passionate aspect. Less effort was never spent on a film so casually praised.
Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2022): Glossy Legacy
The new Texas Chainsaw Massacre film is exactly what you would expect from rebooting this dirty series into the glossed-up legacy sequel model.
The Batman: V for Vengeance
Admirably grounded and well-cast, The Batman tries its best to add relevance to a cluttered canon amid broken thriller mechanics and aloof dialogue.
Jurassic World Dominion Trailer: How Jurassic Park Evolved Into This
Jurassic World Dominion is supposed to be the climax of decades of franchise build-up. Here are my thoughts on the trailer and how this series got here.
The Batman – Trailer Reaction
Another trailer for The Batman encouraged me to write down my thoughts, both my anticipation and misgivings, about Matt Reeves’ latest take on the Dark Knight.