Kino Lorber Mini Reviews

In January I had the opportunity to catch up on some of Kino Lorber’s 2020 releases in time for awards season, and wow, some of these films really knocked me out. A few of these were among the best films I watched from last year, so I wanted to take the opportunity to briefly review […]

Review: “Standing Up, Falling Down”

Sometimes, a cast’s chemistry is the main thing driving a movie forward, and such is the case with “Standing Up, Falling Down,” a familiar story made memorable and entertaining by a sharp script and the lead performances from Billy Crystal and Ben Schwartz. Directed by Matt Ratner, “Standing Up, Falling, Down” opens with Scott (Schwartz) […]

Review: “Kindred”

“Kindred” is a horror movie that isn’t scary in a very obvious way. Rather, there’s a feeling of unease that permeates the film and gets under your skin, staying there long after the credits roll. Director and co-writer Joe Marcantonio’s debut feature may draw comparisons to other films such as “Rosemary’s Baby,” but he takes […]

Review: “The Dissident”

On October 2, 2018, Washington Post journalist and Saudi dissident Jamal Khashoggi entered the Saudi consulate in Istanbul and never left. Over two years later, Khashoggi’s loved ones are still seeking justice for his murder, a premeditated crime committed by Saudi officials—and largely believed to have been ordered by Saudi Arabia’s crown prince Mohammed bin […]

Review: “Never Rarely Sometimes Always”

Imagine being faced with a medical crisis with no one to turn to for help. It’s a sad reality for so many Americans, and especially for women trying to obtain an abortion. Writer and director Eliza Hittman portrays this struggle in her devastating film “Never Rarely Sometimes Always,” which follows Autumn Callahan (Sidney Flanigan), a […]

Streaming Movie Reviews: December, Part 3

Here’s the last round of my mini-reviews for December (coming to you almost halfway through January, I know I know). Read on for reviews of “The Midnight Sky,” “Safety,” “I’m Your Woman,” “We Can Be Heroes,” and “The Bee Gees: How Can You Mend a Broken Heart.” “THE MIDNIGHT SKY” (Netflix) There is little hope […]

Review: “The Croods: A New Age”

I’m not sure why I expected “The Croods: A New Age” to be at least a little bit more than, well, crude. It’s been a minute since I’ve seen its 2013 predecessor, but I do remember being pleasantly surprised by it. And there are some things to love in its new sequel, but it’s largely […]

Streaming Movie Reviews: December, Part 2

Here’s part two of my mini reviews for movies released on streaming services this past December, featuring “A California Christmas, “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom,” “Sylvie’s Love,” and the final three films in Steve McQueen’s “Small Axe” anthology. “A CALIFORNIA CHRISTMAS” (Netflix) Maybe I’d feel a little bit warmer toward this film if it hadn’t misled […]

Best Movies of 2020

I’m not going to lie—I almost didn’t make a top ten list of my favorite films released in 2020. It was a weird year with a lot of movies that I enjoyed but wasn’t frequently blown away by, not to mention the fact that I have a pile of films I haven’t gotten to watch […]

Review: “Fatale”

We all have our guilty movie pleasures, and cheesy, ridiculous thrillers certainly check that box for many people. But while “Fatale,” a new thriller from director Deon Taylor and writer David Loughery (the pair who also helmed 2019’s “The Intruder”), does the bare minimum to hold the audience’s attention, it doesn’t commit to the genre […]