Review: “Crazy Rich Asians”

4 out of 5 stars. “Crazy Rich Asians” is the first film produced by a Hollywood studio to boast an all-Asian principal cast in 25 years. They are a minority who are often either grossly under-represented, or poorly represented, in major American films. And while “Crazy Rich Asians,” which is based on the novel of […]

Review: “On Chesil Beach”

3 out of 5 stars. “On Chesil Beach” is a 2007 novel (novella, really, as it comes in at under 200 pages) by celebrated author Ian McEwan that intimately examines the relationship between a young couple up to and including their wedding night. It does this so intimately, in fact, that it’s hard to imagine […]

Review: “A Wrinkle in Time”

2.5 out of 5 stars. Minor spoilers ahead for those unfamiliar with the story. I first read Madeleine L’Engle’s classic novel “A Wrinkle in Time” when I was in elementary school. I remember not being especially thrilled by it, but decided last year, in anticipation of Disney and Ava DuVernay’s film adaptation, it was time […]

Review: “Murder on the Orient Express” (2017)

3.5 out of 5 stars. The question, “Was this movie really necessary?” is one that accompanies most remakes these days—and as remakes of classic films are occurring more often than not these days, it’s one that is frequently tossed around by critics and moviegoers alike. It’s a large part of the discussion surrounding Kenneth Branagh’s […]

Review: “Goodbye Christopher Robin”

2.5 out of 5 stars. A.A. Milne’s Winnie-the-Pooh books are among the most beloved children’s tales of all time, which might be a big reason why the real story behind them is such a downer. Director Simon Curtis’ film “Goodbye Christopher Robin” details the creation of the famous bear, and explores its impact not on […]

Review: “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them”

4 out of 5 stars. 2016 is shaping up the be the year of Harry Potter: five years after the last movie came out (and almost ten since the last book), we’ve gotten not only a play and published script of an all new story following those characters, but a new spinoff film as well. […]

Review: “Inferno”

2 out of 5 stars. Dan Brown’s Robert Langdon novels aren’t particularly good, and neither were their film adaptations. So when I say that “Inferno”—the third film based on the third novel in Brown’s series—is better than “Angels and Demons” and about on par with “The Da Vinci Code,” that’s not a compliment. Ron Howard […]

Review: “The Girl on the Train”

1.5 out of 5 stars. It can be difficult to erase a book’s influence from your mind when watching its film adaptation, but let’s real: some stories, no matter how great they are, just don’t work in film form. Case in point: Paula Hawkins’ bestselling thriller “The Girl on the Train.” Directed by Tate Taylor, […]