‘Despicable Me 4’ Review: Super Minions, Gru Jr, and a Cockroach Man Clear the Low-Quality Bar Set by this Hyperactive Franchise
Let this review serve as a warning to you, your friends, and your family: Despicable Me 4 is out, and the Minions have returned to... Read More
Reviews
‘MaXXXine’ Review: Ti West Builds a Detailed Playground of Sex and Violence for Mia Goth to Shine but Can’t Quite Seal the Deal
There is a lyric from the “Candle in the Wind” that came into my memory as the events of Ti West’s MaXXXine were unfolding; “Hollywood... Read More
‘A Quiet Place: Day One’ Review: Lupita Nyong’o Dodges Aliens with Her Cat While Looking for Pizza in Competent Yet Unremarkable Prequel
The A Quiet Place franchise is the poster child for enjoyably competent yet unremarkable studio horror. With the first two films spearheaded by John Krasinski,... Read More
Gentlemen Prefer Blondes: The Invention and Deconstruction of the Femme Fatale in ‘Double Indemnity’ (1944) and ‘Chinatown’ (1974) [Retrospective]
I. My Sister/My Daughter When I reflect on the films that truly shaped my taste, it’s impossible not to think of Double Indemnity and Chinatown.... Read More
‘Janet Planet’ Review: Annie Baker’s Mother-Daughter Dramedy Strikes the Perfect Balance of Humor and Melancholy
Shot in Amherst, Massachusetts, Janet Planet (2023) focuses on eleven-year-old Lacy (Zoe Ziegler) and her mother, Janet (Emmy winner Julianne Nicholson of Mare of Eastown,... Read More
20 Years Later, ‘Spider-Man 2’ is Still the Most Human Superhero Movie Ever Made [Retrospective]
In a recent red carpet interview, Sam Raimi was asked about the possibility of Spider-Man 4—that is, a continuation of Raimi’s own Spider-Man series with... Read More
The Enduring Horror of ‘Alien’ on its 45th Anniversary [Retrospective]
Forty-five years after Ridley Scott directed, and Dan O’Bannon and Ronald Schusett wrote Alien, it is still terrifying. With Escape from Alcatraz trailing close behind,... Read More
‘The Imaginary’ Review: Creative Anime World-Building Bumps Up Against an Often Too Frantic Energy
There are two worlds that we live in. One is driven by friendly creations and limitless possibilities that are only limited by a child’s imagination,... Read More
‘Inside Out 2’ Review: Riley is Growing Up but Pixar Plays it a Bit Too Safe in Solid Sequel
The prospect of a new Pixar film is always an exciting one for audiences and a daunting one for its creators. Before and since moving... Read More
‘House of the Dragon’ Season 2 Review: HBO’s Biggest Drama Brings Summer Heat with Blood-Soaked Targaryen Mayhem
When a Targaryen is born, the gods flip a coin. The two choices as it soars through the air are madness and greatness, a fine... Read More
How Judith Light Psychs Us Out in ‘The Terror: Devil in Silver’ and the Secret to Her Long-lasting Career [VIDEO INTERVIEW] 
2027 Oscar Predictions: BEST ACTRESS (May) 
Colman Domingo to Receive Variety Creative Conscience Award at 50th San Francisco International LGBTQ+ Film Festival (Frameline50) 
Interview: Ildikó Enyedi on Working with Tony Leung and Léa Seydoux and Her Triptych Storytelling in ‘Silent Friend’