Articles written by the author
'Cold Blood' review: The hit man and the hottie
At this point, any hint would be welcome, considering the Delphic nature of the cabin-dwellers’ exchanges.
'All Is True' review: Regret is the thing, as Shakespeare comes home
With some movies, it’s best not to allow worries over historical accuracy to derail our enjoyment. And there’s plenty to enjoy in “All Is True,” Kenneth Branagh’s fondly poignant look at William Shakespeare’s final years.
'Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile' Review: Killing Me Softly
Leaning into his hotness with surprising dexterity, Zac Efron plays the notoriously charming serial killer Ted Bundy like someone who has always understood how to weaponize a pretty face. So the problem with the biopic “Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile” isn’t Efron (or that cumbersome title), but his director, Joe Berlinger. Working ostensibly from the viewpoint of Bundy’s longtime girlfriend, Liz Kendall (an excellent Lily Collins), Berlinger never fully commits. Instead, he appear...Pursued In a Wilted America
(Critic’s Pick)'Diane' Review: A Vibrant Tale of Love, Sisterhood and Decline
(Critic's Pick)'Maze' review: A prison break and a confidence game
(Critic’s Pick): “Maze” is, on its surface, an escape movie, but its true appeal lies elsewhere. Closely based on the 1983 mass breakout from the notorious Maze prison in Northern Ireland, Stephen Burke’s careful drama hits the familiar genre bases with almost soothing efficiency.
'Roll Red Roll' Review: A Horrifying Assault in a Small Ohio Town
“What did they do with that girl?,” an unseen male asks as the peaceful opening shots of the documentary “Roll Red Roll” reveal a quiet, darkening street lined with tidy family homes. The skin-crawling audio continues, others now joining a conversation pocked with callousness and nervous giggles: “She is so raped right now.”'Woman at War' review: Industrial blight as Icelandic fable
The movie’s heart and spine is Halla (Halldora Geirharosdottir), 50, a sunny choir director and fearless eco-activist.
'The Gospel of Eureka' Review: Christianity and Queerness Intersect in a Small Town
“The Gospel of Eureka” is only 75 minutes long, yet feels much longer. That is partly because this cheery documentary — about the uneasy alignment of LGBT life and avid Christianity in the town of Eureka Springs, Arkansas — refuses to grapple with its glaring contradictions. Mostly, though, it is because of the inordinate amount of screen time surrendered to a tiresome Passion play extravaganza. Watching people watch a stage is just lazy filmmaking, no matter how many donkeys, doves and bleat...'Donnybrook' review: Fighting for survival in the heartland
Even the announcement of the title, its stark black letters slammed against a blood-red background, feels like an assault.
'The Prodigy' Review: Evil genius, average horror
Miles might be a little devil, but it’s not the prince of darkness who’s messing with his head. Enter a lanky psychologist with a very particular set of skills (Colm Feore), none of which prepare him for those of his pint-size patient.
'King of Thieves' review: Michael Caine leads a crew of artful codgers
No less than the third film to be based on the 2015 Hatton Garden heist, in which four retired ex-cons masterminded what one prosecutor called “the largest burglary in English legal history,” “King of Thieves” is unabashed old-school entertainment.
'Pledge' Review: Don't Haze Me Because I'm Different
If you like your torture movies tight, twisty and decently executed, then “Pledge” is for you. There is nothing particularly innovative about its systematic abuse of three nerdy college freshmen seeking membership in any fraternity that will have them. But the director, Daniel Robbins, is willing to move beyond the tease of his setup to deliver a ringing indictment of popularity as the cheese in a deadly mousetrap.'The Upside' review: A billionaire and his buddy find reasons to be cheerful
A warm vibe between the two men goes a long way toward sweetening the sap and contrivances.
'Rust Creek' Review: A Woman Is Stranded in the Backwoods of Kentucky. What Could Go Wrong?
When horror movies head for the woods, their titles may vary — “I Spit on Your Grave,” “Wolf Creek” — but their central dynamic is too often the same: At some point, an attractively trembling woman will be forced to run like the dickens from a yokel who butchers his own meat.'The 20th Annual Animation Show of Shows' Review: A Charming, Safe Collection
In my view, at least, the best short-form animation — like the most memorable short stories — is daring in perspective and malleable in interpretation. And while the 15 short films on view in “The 20th Annual Animation Show of Shows” are mostly charming and invariably well-executed, only a handful push outside their carefully drawn lines.
