A Real Pain is a real joy of a comedy that may be a little too sweet.
'Gladiator II' Fails to Entertain
Ridley Scott has tampered with Alien, won creatively big thanks to Denis Villeneuve directing Blade Runner 2049 instead of him, and has now released one of the most disappointing sequels I've seen in years. I guess that's some sort of accomplishment.
'Blitz' is More Hollow Than Harrowing
How is McQueen's return to the big screen? Disappointingly average.
'The Heretic' Poses Some Valid Questions About God
How do you make a film about Religion without offending anyone? You can't, but Heretic might be a safe way to go about it.
'Music by John Williams' Lands Most of the Notes
Is this one worth checking out? It depends. Do you like film scores and want to educate yourself on Hollywood's most prolific composer? Then this might be your movie. If you're not a score buff, unlike me, you'd probably get bored by this one. For my money, it did the job to inform and entertain, but nothing more.
'Here's' Another Boring Movie
Zemekis' latest outing, Here, is one of the most forgettable snooze-worthy films I've seen this year.
'September 5' is a Dry Look at a Terrifying Event.
Director Tim Fehlbaum could have taken some notes from Steven Spielberg. The man made The Post and Munich. Both films succeed in different ways in which this movie failed.
'The Girl with the Needle' is an Unflinching Look at a Controversial Topic
What starts as a slow burn has an explosive third act that will shock you.
'We Live in Time' 'is a Wonderfully Structured Tale of Love and Loss
We Live in Time is a beautiful reminder of how life is precious. To let it go to waste would be a terrible misfortune. Get your Kleenex ready for this tear-jerker.
'Piece by Piece' is More of a Commercial Than a Documentary
Piece by Piece is a movie more about the music than it is about the people behind the music. It's superficial storytelling made to inspire when, in reality, it bored me to exhaustion.
'The Apprentice' Witness the Birth of Roy Cohn's Frankenstein Monster
There are films about bad people who were never decent that can lead as an example in how to make a Trump movie. Films like There Will Be Blood paint a complicated portrait of a hateful man who wants to love his son but won't allow himself to. Only focussing on money. Give me something more like that!
'Joker: Folie à Deux' is a Nihilistic Unnecessary Sequel
Belittling the audience for liking something popular is counterproductive, lazy, cynical storytelling that should be canned before shot.
'The Outrun' Runs from any Original Take on Substance Abuse
The Outrun comes across as a run-of-the-mill tale of addiction with a rushed, abrupt ending on recovery.
'Saturday Night' is a Flawed, Fictional, Blast
Saturday Night is an exciting, outrageous look at the dysfunctional world of entertainment.
'Megalopolis' is an Engaging Dud
Megalopolis is audacious. It takes big swings but strikes out.
'A Different Man' Offers a Unique Perspective on Disfigurement
It's wonderful how this film doesn't define its characters by their appearance. A Different Man treats its subjects more than just victims. They're people with real flaws. Where we once felt bad for Edward, we're now conflicted with him.
Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story is a Look into Human Decency
I rarely get inspired. But this movie did the trick.
'The Substance' is a Brilliant High
It's not shocking or objectifying for the sake of getting a rise out of the audience. It's all meant to convey the inevitability of aging.
'Transformers One' Is a Fun Return to The Cartoons
Finally, a Transformers movie that gets it right.
'The 4:30 Movie' isn't Worth the Price of Admission
The movie needed someone in the writer's room to redraft Kevin Smith's screenplay so there could be something more to the film other than random character banter and an emotionless love story. Thankfully, the film's extremely short runtime makes the dull trip to the theater manageable.