Review: “Shiva Baby”

“Shiva Baby” may be billed as a comedy, but the story that unfolds on screen plays out more like a horror film than anything else. Writer/director Emma Seligman’s debut feature is almost unbearably tense and uncomfortable, but also riotously funny, all while conveying a deep understanding of her main character, a young woman whose life […]

Review: “Nobody”

It’s hard to believe that Hutch Mansell is the sort of guy who could kill you with his bare hands if he wanted to. Firstly, because he’s such a mild-mannered guy with a seemingly monotonous life, as a montage of his day-to-day activities at the start of the film “Nobody” demonstrates. He’s married with two […]

Review: “Godzilla vs. Kong”

A fairly common reaction to Legendary Pictures’ “MonsterVerse” since it kicked off with 2014’s “Godzilla” has been “less humans, more monsters.” If you reside in that camp, then you’ll be pleased to hear that the franchise’s fourth installment, “Godzilla vs. Kong,” delivers squarely on what its title promises. Set after 2019’s “Godzilla: King of the […]

Review: “The Father”

One of the hardest yet most inevitable things in life is for the child become the parent. Most stories portray this challenge through the eyes of the child, but in “The Father,” the titular figure is the focus. Writer and director Florian Zeller bends and shapes reality around Anthony (Anthony Hopkins), an elderly man suffering […]

Streaming Movie Reviews, March

March is here, and with the changing season we’re already seeing a turn toward big movie releases- so far this month we’ve seen the long-awaited sequel to the Eddie Murphy classic “Coming to America,” and the Russo Brothers reteaming with star Tom Holland for “Cherry.” Disney Animation’s newest feature, “Raya and the Last Dragon,” is […]

Streaming Movie Reviews: February, Part 3

Here are my last lingering reviews of winter releases before we finally move on to the spring! Keep scrolling for short reviews of “The United States vs. Billie Holiday (for which star Andra Day recently won a Golden Globe), “Palmer,” “Flora & Ulysses,” and “The Map of Tiny Perfect Things.” “PALMER” (Apple TV Plus) It […]

Streaming Movie Reviews: February, Part 2

Here are a few more mini reviews for some recent streaming movies: the wicked satire “I Care A Lot” (for which Rosamund Pike recently won a Golden Globe), and two sci-fi films: “Bliss” and “Space Sweepers.” “I CARE A LOT” (Netflix) It can be difficult to become invested in a movie with no likeable characters, […]

Streaming Movie Reviews: February, Part 1

We’re a week into March, the “Malcolm & Marie” discourse has long since faded away, but I’m finally back with a round of mini reviews for movies released on streaming services in February (and also some from January, because it’s been that kind of year). “MALCOLM & MARIE” (Netflix) I have to say, there is […]

Review: “Raya and the Last Dragon”

When we first meet Raya, she is alone—alone, with the exception of her giant roly poly friend, Tuk Tuk. This image of a lone warrior traveling through a desolate landscape on a quest is an iconic one (the familiarity of which the Raya immediately acknowledges), but the endgame is not that Raya remains a mysterious […]

Review: “Test Pattern”

What begins as a light romance quickly turns into a nightmare in “Test Pattern,” the debut film from writer and director Shatara Michelle Ford. While in recent years the #MeToo movement has created more widespread awareness of sexual harassment and abuse that women regularly face and has encouraged support for women who speak up, the […]