Review: “Babylon”

“White elephants—the God of Hollywood wanted white elephants, and white elephants he got—eight of ‘em, plaster mammoths perched on mega-mushroom pedestals, lording it over the colossal court of Belshazzar, the pasteboard Babylon built beside the dusty tin-lizzie trail called Sunset Boulevard. …Belshazzar’s Feast beneath Egyptian blue skies, spread out under the blazing Southern California morning […]

Review: “The Suicide Squad”

The DC Extended Universe got off to a rough start—so much so that over the last year, we’ve seen Warner Brothers attempt to course correct the DCEU, not by investing in bringing new characters and stories to life, but by tinkering with their past failures. This past spring saw the release of Zack Snyder’s four […]

Review: “Birds of Prey”

4 out of 5 stars. Comic book movies can be dicey territory, but I think it’s safe to say that most people found the 2016 ensemble film “Suicide Squad” to be an unsatisfying mess. The best part of that movie, however, was that it gave us Margot Robbie’s portrayal of Harley Quinn. The character, who […]

Review: “Bombshell”

2.5 out of 5 stars. “Bombshell,” one of the first big movies to be based on some of the events that spurred the Me Too movement, is simultaneously shocking, and shockingly tame. Directed by Jay Roach, the film revolves around the sexual harassment scandal at Fox News, in which several women exposed CEO Roger Ailes, […]

Review: “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood”

4 out of 5 stars. In 1969, Hollywood was changing. The studio system was already long gone, television was at its height, and a new generation of filmmakers were emerging with a completely new way of telling stories on screen. This is the Hollywood that writer and director Quentin Tarantino grew up in, and this […]

Review: “Mary Queen of Scots”

2.5 out of 5 stars In “Mary Queen of Scots,” women rule. It’s the year 1561, and Elizabeth I (played by Margot Robbie) is the Queen of England. Her first cousin Mary Stuart (Saoirse Ronan) returns to Scotland and reclaims her throne after the death of her husband, the King of France. They both have […]

Review: “I, Tonya”

4 out of 5 stars. The 1994 Winter Olympics saw a record number of people tune in to watch the women’s figure skating competition, not for the sport itself, but for the drama surrounding U.S. skaters Tonya Harding and Nancy Kerrigan. It’s something that’s true even of director Craig Gillespie and screenwriter Steven Rogers’ version […]

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 […]