Movie Reviews

The Story: In a near-future society built around technological dependency, a Luddite turns to tech in order to avenge the murder of his wife. The Lowdown: A poor-man's-Tom-Hardy and bargain-basement-Jared-Leto meet homicidal Siri.

The Story: Sheltered, 27-year-old Moll falls for scruffy woodworker Pascal, who might secretly be the serial killer the police have been hunting for the past 10 years. The Lowdown: A dark and haunting psychological thriller that figures out how to surprise while still being completely open with all the clues.

The Story: Based on real events, in 1983 a young couple are blown off course during Hurricane Raymond and spend 41 days lost at sea. The Lowdown: Shailene Woodley gives a career-best performance in a film that's both harrowing and strangely life-affirming in equal measure.

The Story: A ne'er-do-well divorced man must redeem his relationship with his daughter and save his liability landmine of an amusement park from corporate interests through a variety of ill-advised hijinks. The Lowdown: Light on action, even lighter on point.

In Brief: Sensuality and spirituality collide in Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger's hyperstylized melodrama Black Narcissus (1947) in a way that few other filmmakers could have balanced so deftly. While it may arguably fall short of other Powell/Pressburger pictures, such as The Red Shoes (1948) or I Know Where I'm Going (1947), Black Narcissus represents the duo at the height of their powers and…

The Story: The life and career of Stanley Kubrick's longtime personal assistant Leon Vitali is explored, exposing a depth of obsession rivaled only by the great auteur himself. The Lowdown: A revelatory documentary that sheds light on the unsung hero behind Kubrick's final three films, painting a portrait of unparalleled devotion and self-sacrifice.

The Story: Recalcitrant rogue Han Solo falls in with a bad crowd when his plan to work his way back to a lost girlfriend runs afoul of both the Empire and a band of outlaws. The Lowdown:  Han shoots first, but you'll ask plenty of questions later.

In Brief: For O. Henry’s Full House (1952), 20th Century Fox brought in all the star power it could muster (mostly from the studio’s roster of contract artists), five name directors and the literary clout of no less than John Steinbeck to introduce the five episodes that make up the film. In doing so, the studio…

The Story: Deadpool returns, this time going up against a time-traveling commando to protect an obnoxious teenage mutant. The Lowdown: Somehow sillier and yet more socially conscious than its predecessor, this cynically minded sequel earns its R rating by delivering more of the raunchy metahumor that made the original such a surprise hit.

The Story: After killing a white man in self-defense, an aboriginal man flees into the Australian outback. The Lowdown: A stark, often brutal movie that doesn't rely on shock and ugliness, but humanity instead.

The Story: An injured rodeo rider must decide whether or not he'll risk his life by getting back in the ring. The Lowdown: A deconstructionist docudrama staring nonprofessional actors effectively playing themselves that takes aim at the mythos of machismo established in classic cowboy cinema.

The Story: A look at the illustrious career and indelible legacy of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. The Lowdown: A fawning and occasionally superficial documentary, the shortcomings of which are largely overcome by the significance and appeal of its subject.

The Story: A middle-age Parisian painter looks for love in all the wrong places. The Lowdown: An unconventionally structured deconstructionist rom-com that packs an emotional punch but no catharsis.

The Story: When four "friends of a certain age" read the 50 Shades trilogy as part of their monthly book club, they're inspired to make some changes in their love lives. The Lowdown: The first entry in the 50 Shades Extended Cinematic Universe brings nothing new to the table or the genre but sets up…

In Brief: It has been said that Yasujirô Ozu’s films are all the same, and while that’s a thematically valid point, it’s not technically true. Nowhere is this more obvious than in his final film, An Autumn Afternoon (1962), which is essentially a reworking of his 1949 film Late Spring. They have similar plots, the same star…

In Brief: Potentially Billy Wilder's most cynical comedy (if far from his most cynical film), The Apartment (1960) dealt with material that was particularly daring in its era. That the film still packs ample dramatic weight and resonance nearly six decades later is a testament not only to Wilder's directorial prowess, but also to the emotional honesty of…

The Story: The estranged daughter of an Orthodox rabbi returns home for her father's funeral, only to be confronted with the harsh judgment of her community over an illicit love affair from the past that may not be as defunct as she thinks. The Lowdown: A methodically paced and carefully constructed character study of two women in love but separated…

The Story: A small Hungarian hamlet is gripped by paranoia in the immediate aftermath of World War II when a pair of Jews return to the village, possibly to reclaim their property from the people who exploited it in their absence. The Lowdown: A moving morality play on a shoestring budget with an unfortunately timely message.

The Story: An intimate look at the life and legacy of legendary violinist Itzhak Perlman. The Lowdown: A concise and adroitly directed documentary delving more into the personality of Perlman than the details of his career.

The Story: A portrait of model, actress and musician Grace Jones. The Lowdown: Despite some entertaining musical performances, the film suffers from a lack of focus and real cinematic artistry.