Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness Review
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Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness Review

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is Too Much, Too Little. For all the bombast and activity in this movie, the film feels strangely empty, a story in search of thematic meaning and spiritual resonance. This movie isn’t really about anything, while the first one, though smaller in scale, has more on its mind….

The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent Review
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The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent Review

In a world of superheroes, cinematic universes, sequels, prequels, sidequels, and reboots, Nicolas Cage is his own intellectual property. Constantly working, making an on-the-cheap genre film one month and a sensitive actor showcase the next, one cannot say that Cage hasn’t kept it interesting these 40 years since he burst on the film scene. He’s…

Ambulance Review
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Ambulance Review: One of Michael Bay’s Better Films

Critics (and I’ve been guilty of this myself) historically dismiss Michael Bay movies. The humor is lowbrow, the noise is cacophonic, the editing feels like the film reels (when they were shot on film) are being sliced up with a razor like a pile of cocaine on Scarface’s desk, and there are more explosions than…

The Batman HBO Max

The Batman Review

Matt Reeves’ The Batman is bold, operatic, and swings for the fences. It is huge in scope and goes as big as it needs to be to tell its story. This is not a subtle film, nor does it want to be. Reeves directs this film like it will be his one and only chance…

Jackass Forever Review
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Jackass Forever Review

As one does not simply walk into Mordor, one does not simply review Jackass Forever without context. These movies and television shows are the definition of “Not for everyone.” If there’s any story arc that links these films, it’s all that has happened offscreen. One of the members has passed away. Another was involved with…

Nightmare Alley Review
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Nightmare Alley Review

Like a fly in amber or one of the doomed creatures in the formaldehyde jars in Clem’s (Willem Dafoe) cabinet of curiosities, the sepia tones of Nightmare Alley force us to examine, dispassionately, the destruction of a man. Like the original 1947 film, we watch the spiritual and moral decay spread across the face of…

West Side Story Cast
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West Side Story Review: A Masterpiece

West Side Story is spectacular. Steven Spielberg’s long-awaited musical is one of his finest films, and with a career like Spielberg’s, that is saying something. It all feels so effortless – the dazzling dance sequences, the passionate vocal performances from the actors, the marvelous camerawork from Janusz Kaminski, and through it all, you can feel…

Licorice Pizza Review: The New Paul Thomas Anderson Film
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Licorice Pizza Review: The New Paul Thomas Anderson Film

As the young ones say, Licorice Pizza is a mood. Another phrase that applies: your mileage may vary. For some, especially those from the Valley area of Los Angeles, Licorice Pizza will be a warm blanket of nostalgia, evocative of its time and place, full of interesting but relatable characters from a specific era (in…

House of Gucci Review
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House of Gucci Review

There is a scene in House of Gucci where Patrizia Reggiani-Gucci (Lady Gaga) comes across a back alley vendor selling fake Gucci bags to unsuspecting housewives on the cheap. Married to Mauricio Gucci (Adam Driver), Patrizia has decided to take an active role in the Gucci family company to the consternation of the rest of…

Dune Review: Part One of Denis Villeneuve’s Epic
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Dune Review: Part One of Denis Villeneuve’s Epic

Dune (or Dune Part One as the opening credits assure us) is a towering cinematic achievement, with stunning visuals, confident direction, impressive art and sound design, a score that blasts you through the theater (or living room) wall, and performances that pull directly from Frank Herbert’s epic novel. However, Dune is also half a movie….

The Last Duel Review
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The Last Duel Review

The Last Duel is a film full of contradictions; indeed, the contradictions are the point. This is not the first time this kind of subject matter has been handled this way, with multiple perspectives and the ephemeral nature of truth. This isn’t even Ridley Scott’s first foray into French dueling stories; his first film, The…