Movie Reviews

In Brief: Argentinian writer/director Lucrecia Martel's feature debut is not exactly a feel-good story. It's a tense, transgressive tale of middle-class decay in a sultry South American setting, and the only thing Martel captures as acutely as the steamy backdrop is the moral dissipation of the families at her narrative's core. Anchored by a riveting performance from Graciela…

In Brief: After Connie and Carla (2004) failed to duplicate the freakish $244 million success of My Big Fat Greek Wedding (2002) — by about $236 million — Nia Vardolos more or less withdrew from the scene, only to return with My Life in Ruins (2009). Apparently, she thought it was closer in tone to…

The Story: A young man finds success as a telemarketer, only to be ensnared in the megalomaniacal machinations of an unhinged corporate fat cat. The Lowdown: A surrealist satire with an anarchic streak that defies description, as insightful as it is brutally funny.

The Story: A widower and traumatized war veteran raises his daughter on the fringes of society, surviving in densely forested parklands while trying to avoid the authorities. The Lowdown: A moving melodrama with a resonant emotional core that benefits from immaculate characterization and a beautiful backdrop.

The Story: The staff of the Hotel Transylvania takes a much-needed vacation, boarding a cruise ship run by an "entertainment for monsters" company headed by a captain who isn't quite what she seems. The Lowdown: Fun and idiosyncratic in its classic horror movie references, this sweet and raucous kids comedy is a worthy placeholder between…

The Story: An emotionally damaged mother reluctantly agrees to a long road trip with her dysfunctional, drug-dealing father. The Lowdown: An overlong, needlessly sentimental and generally unfunny attempt at a quirky family comedy.

The Story: A father must rescue his family from mercenaries in the flaming wreckage of the world's tallest building. The Lowdown: A derivative foreign market cash-grab that leaves audiences between The Rock and a hard place. If there's any justice in the world, a Chinese poster will mistranslate the title to the far more accurate "Sky's Crapper."

In Brief: When it was first released in 1967, Richard Burton’s film version of Marlowe’s The Tragical History of Doctor Faustus was pretty soundly trounced by the critics. And while from today’s perspective it’s not hard to see why, it is hard to understand how they didn’t at least recognize they were in the presence of…

The Story: Between the events of Captain America: Civil War and Avengers: Infinity War, current Ant-Man Scott Lang reteams with new Wasp Hope Van Dyne and original Ant-Man Hank Pym to rescue original Wasp Janet Van Dyne from the Quantum Realm. The Lowdown: A fun — and funny — superhero spectacle that tactfully avoids getting bogged down in mythology and epic…

The Story: A young woman must save her teen brother from violent civilians and government goons as the first experiment in temporary lawlessness gets underway. The Lowdown: A tepid prequel that contributes color — but not much else — to the popular politically minded torture porn franchise.

In Brief: Considering the recent recension of Saudi Arabia's ban on female drivers, it seems like a good time to revisit writer/director Haifaa Al-Mansour's Wadjda. The first feature film shot in Saudi Arabia, as well as the first to be directed by a woman, this story of a rebellious young Saudi girl trying to buy a bicycle easily…

In Brief: Easily the best-known work of Swedish silent-era auteur Victor Sjöström, 1921's The Phantom Carriage still packs a punch. Although most notable for its innovative special effects work, courtesy of cinematographer Julius Jaenzon (credited here under as “J. Julius”), The Phantom Carriage is no slouch in the narrative department. Jaenzon's use of double exposure perfectly captures the otherworldly, supernatural elements of…

The Story: The life story of superstar Whitney Houston, as told by her friends, family and music industry insiders. The Lowdown: A loving tribute to the late singer that never truly gets to the heart of who she really was, relying on the almost Rashomon-like memories of those closest to her.

The Story: The story of prominent street artist Jean-Michel Basquiat's early career is told from perspective of those who knew him. The Lowdown: A solid but slight documentary that provides breadth but not depth in its examination of an influential artist.

The Story: In early 20th-century Russia, an affluent family deals with desire and jealousy. The Lowdown: A beautifully shot and stylish film that suffers from a certain amount of unevenness in its acting.

The Story: A lovelorn man attempts to track down the love of his life after they're separated, but not everything is as it seems. The Lowdown: A chronically confused Coen brothers knockoff that starts out strong but fizzles fast.

The Story: A government agent is tasked with starting a war between Mexican drug cartels in the wake of a terrorist attack by kidnapping the daughter of one syndicate's scion and pinning it on the other. The Lowdown: An overwrought and unnecessary sequel lacking the ideological nuance of its predecessor.

The Story: An elderly street-ball legend comes out of obscurity to get his old team back together for a tournament. The Lowdown: A chintzy comedy with surprisingly assured performances and a kind center to it.

In Brief: Writer-actress Agnes Jaoui’s directorial debut is a deliciously funny and insightful comedy about people’s varied tastes and perceptions, especially perceptions of other people. There’s scarcely a false note in the film, which is impeccably photographed and directed in an unusual (for an essentially intimate film) yet intelligent use of wide-screen. The Taste of Others is…

In Brief: Clocking in at a tight 81 minutes, John Sturges' Bad Day at Black Rock (1954) is everything you don't expect from a John Sturges movie. It's taut, tense, and it doesn't dawdle. The film is an expression of the increasingly leftist slant that MGM had taken after Dore Schary had managed to oust…