Review: “Knives Out”

4 out of 5 stars. On the surface, “Knives Out” looks like your typical murder mystery. But it only takes a few minutes for it to become apparent that this film is anything but. Both an affectionate homage and a twist on well-known tropes, “Knives Out,” written and directed by Rian Johnson, is a wildly […]

Review: “The Irishman”

4.5 out of 5 stars. Everybody talking about “The Irishman” can’t seem to do so without bringing up its runtime, which at just shy of three and a half hours, is exceptionally long. But director Martin Scorsese doesn’t waste a second of it, delivering an epic crime movie that initially just seems clever and entertaining, […]

Review: “Frozen II”

3.5 out of 5 stars. You’d be hard-pressed to match the critical and commercial success of Walt Disney Animation’s 2013 film “Frozen.” Success isn’t even the right word; the movie, its characters, and its songs all became a worldwide phenomena, the likes of which Disney hadn’t seen in years. But with “Frozen II,” Disney attempts […]

Review: “Charlie’s Angels” (2019)

3 out of 5 stars. It’s always great to see more movies written, directed by, and starring women, particularly in genres that are generally male-dominated. But “Charlie’s Angels” is cringey from the opening scene, where it becomes apparent that the movie’s take on feminism is more pandering than empowering. This new “Charlie’s Angels” is both […]

Review: “Ford v Ferrari”

3.5 out of 5 stars A racing movie can be a hard sell for people who aren’t in to the sport. But “Ford v Ferrari” takes its subject and turns it into an underdog story with heroes who are easy to root for, that doesn’t get mired in technicalities. Based on a true story, this […]

Review: “Harriet”

4 out of 5 stars. Harriet Tubman is one of the most influential figures in American history, so it’s kind of wild that there had never been a feature film biopic made about her until now. But the simply titled “Harriet,” directed by Kasi Lemmons, is a fitting if formulaic ode to a great American […]

Review: “Last Christmas”

2.5 out of 5 stars. “Last Christmas, I gave you my heart, but the very next day, you gave it away.” We all know the words to “Last Christmas,” the iconic holiday favorite by Wham! And that knowledge just adds to the painful predictability of the movie “Last Christmas,” a sort of rom-com directed by […]

Review: “The Lighthouse”

3.5 out of 5 stars. In 1801, the policy was having a two man team of lighthouse keepers was changed after an incident at Smalls Lighthouse in Wales, when one keeper named Thomas died in an accident, leaving the other keeper, also named Thomas, alone to man the lighthouse, resulting in him going a little […]

Review: “Parasite”

5 out of 5 stars. In “Parasite,” the poor prey on the rich, but it turns out that there is always someone worse off than you. Writer and director Bong Joon-ho’s commentary on class—South Korea’s entry to the Academy Awards this year, and the first Korean film to win the Palm d’Or at Cannes—is a […]

Review: “Jojo Rabbit”

4.5 out of 5 stars. When Charlie Chaplin’s “The Great Dictator” was released in 1940, Adolf Hitler was at the height of his power. Chaplin’s film, which he wrote, directed, and starred in (playing a duel role that included Adenoid Hynkel, a parody of Hitler), concludes with a passionate speech advocating for humanity. Despite the […]