I don’t use drugs, but as I watched The Nowhere Inn, I kept asking myself, “Am I high?” What’s going on? Is this a midnight movie from 1979?
Read More‘Goliath’ Final Season | Billy Bob’s Farewell 3 ½ out of 4 Stars
He’s taken down more bad guys than a Marvel superhero; all while chain-smoking butts and making bad decisions.
Read MoreReview: ‘Midnight Mass’ More Thoughtful Than Your Average Horror Series
It takes a long time to get where it’s going, but ultimately delivers a thoughtful, deeply felt narrative that has its share of blood and a couple of scares.
Read MoreReview: ‘Turning Point: 9/11 and the War on Terror
Kids entering college this month weren’t even born before September 11, 2001. This series goes beyond those horrific images that may be their only reference.
Read MoreReview” ‘Death Drop Gorgeous’ | Killer Camp or Comedic Drag?
The good news for Horror fans? There are some great over-the-top, so graphic as to be comical – but inventive, creatively admirable kills.
Read MoreReview: ‘The Sparks Brothers’| Perfect Doc for Music Nerds
I am from the generation who sat on the floor, wearing headphones the size of cinder blocks, reading all the liner notes. Why don’t I remember Sparks?
Read MoreReview: ‘The Madness Inside Me’ | Twisty Thriller
It looks at first like a run-of-the-mill revenge flick, but twisty plot points keep this genre film intriguing, if not always credible.
Read MoreReview: ‘ROADRUNNER: A Film About Anthony Bourdain’
Mixed Emotions: It isn’t 100% the film I wanted it to be, but it is 100% watchable the whole time. And it is moving
Read More‘My Childhood, My Country: 20 Years in Afghanistan’ | Powerful and Touching
He says today that he has never had a happy life and, in the same breath, that he is ever hopeful that his country will somehow pull through.
Read MoreReview: ‘When I’m a Moth’|Fictionalized Hillary Tale a Snoozer
These people have balls. Huge balls. They have wrought a film that is one long, steady, navel -gaze. I just checked my own bellybutton, just as a reflex
Read MoreReview: ‘The Colony’ | So-So Sci-Fi | 2 ½ out of 4 Stars
Cool looking and great production values, but never quite gets our full emotional involvement, But I’m not mad at it.
Read MoreReview: Not All The Clouds Are Happy in New Bob Ross Documentary
I was afraid that the film was going to end up revealing that Ross wasn’t the mensch he seemed to be, but, no- he really was a good dude.
Read MoreReview: ‘Buddha Mountain’| 3 ½ out of 4 Stars
Something told me from the start that this would be a film worth watching. I love it when that feeling is realized.
Read MoreReview: ‘Homeroom’ Follows High Schoolers in a Tumultuous Year
Those who think that Millennial/Generation Z kids are empty vessels more interested in TikTok than social issues will be surprised
Read MoreMovie Review: “Habit” Tries for Tarantino, Ends Up with Nun
The audience probably is Tik-Tokers, so it’s possible that the short run time and superficial flash will land some fans among a very specific demographic.
Read MoreReview:’In the Same Breath’|Intense, Emotional Wuhan Origins
The story is powerful and infuriating. The storytelling is skillful, artful and humane.
Read MoreReview: ‘Misha and the Wolves’| Riveting Doc Gets to the Truth of the Story
Some stories too good to be true. But, oh, how we want to believe what we want to believe. We are living in a time where that has never been more apparent.
Read More‘Untold’ Episode 1: A Deep Dive into an Ugly Night
I have always maintained that the subject matter of a great doc is not the most important element. Nope, it’s not the story as much as it’s the storytelling.
Read MoreReview:“Shiny_Flakes: The Teenage Drug Lord” A Slick True Crime Doc
Blends elements of True Crime, DIY, and the rise and fall of a businessman who got too cocky – all into one 90 minute feature.
Read MoreReview: ‘Myth and Mogul: John DeLorean’ | Riveting, Cautionary Docuseries
If you remember bits and pieces from the early 80s, you’ll still find new discoveries within the previously unseen footage.
Read MoreReview: ‘Tattoo Redo’ | When a Cover-Up Is a Life-Changer
Yes, it is especially interesting to folks with tattoos, but what makes the show watchable is the viewer’s empathy with the participants.
Read MoreReview: ‘Midnight in the Switchgrass’ | 2 ½ out of 4 Stars
The poster is misleading, but this genre potboiler gives you what you expect
Read MoreHorror Review: ‘Animosity’ | Why Can’t We Be Friends?
We have some decent kindling for a film that never quite catches fire.
Read MoreReview: ‘Woodstock 99: Peace, Love, and Rage’ | 3 ½ out of 4 Stars
By the end of the weekend, there had been sexual assualts, fires, and ragey white frat bros gone wild
Read MoreHorror Review: ‘Kandisha’ Goes Easy on the Scares
We’d rather see a movie about these three running into frightening turns while out tagging.
Read MoreReview: ‘Jolt’ | A Butt-Kicking Beckinsale Bashes Bad Guys
Babies will be tossed (unharmed), cars will be crashed, asses will be kicked
Read MoreHorror Review: ‘The Nest’ | 1 out of 4 Stars
I don’t drink, but as I struggled through the purported horror flick, The Nest, I kept thinking that it might be the perfect movie to watch drunk.
Read More‘Fear Street’ Trilogy Review: Are You the Target Audience?
I think it is for those who already know what they’re looking for. “Outsiders” who don’t know the Stine stories or like mild slasher flicks may take a pass.
Read MoreReview: ‘Die in a Gunfight’ | Bullets and Some Smiles
A mixed bag from me. 2 out of 4 Stars. It could’ve been a lot worse, I wish it’d been a lot better.
Read MoreReview: ‘The Boys in Red Hats’ | What is the Whole Truth?
Schroder has made a thoughtful, fair, and more complete look at the video and that day and the days after.
Read MoreReview: ‘Pig’ | Return to Nuanced Acting by Nicolas Cage in A Wonderful Film
Have the days of the overwrought, frenzied, bark at the moon performances by Nicolas Cage come to an end?
Read MoreReview:’Elize Matsunaga:Once Upon A Crime’ A Rare Miss from Netflix
What would have made for an engrossing 90 minute feature, has been stretched thin into a four-part series that treads the same ground over and over again
Read MoreTrue Crime Review: ‘Heist’ Makes You Root for the Crooks
Ever find yourself kinda rooting for the bad guy in a story? You know he’s done something wrong and you know the cops are just doing their jobs, but…still.
Read MoreReview: Luxe Listings Sydney| Real Estate Reality Down Under
if you think of this as a modern day Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous, then you’ll like it as escapism and breezily daydream your way through the series.
Read MoreReview: ‘Son’ | Is it Horror or a Thriller?
If the female lead is imagining everything, it’s a psychological thriller. If she’s not, it’s more of a mild horror thriller. Either way…blood
Read MoreTrue Crime Review: ‘Sophie: A Murder in West Cork’ Fascinates and Frustrates
The series is populated with cops and journalists and local citizens who recount that period with clarity and charming accents.
Read MoreMovie Review: ‘Unchained’ | Lock it Up, Lock it Up…
The only fight scenes are poorly choreographed to hide the lack of experience of the actors.You have seen better fight sequences in SNL sketches any given week.
Read MoreDocumentary Review: ‘The Legend of the Underground’
There are heartbreaking tales but there are also many scenes of levity: dancing, gossiping, even a “catwalk class” that will bring a broad smile to the viewer.
Read MoreReview: ‘Boss Baby: Family Business’ 2 ½ Stars
It’s never gonna not be cool to hear Jeff Goldblum’s voice coming out of an animated baby’s mouth. Is it worth sitting through a chaotic, loud, relentless movie
Read MoreReview: ‘Lydia Lunch: The War is Never Over’ Plumbs Pioneer’s Past
Get ready to have your face melted off by her brutal honesty and larger-than-life persona.
Read MoreDisney’s ‘Luca’ | Change Your Pixar Expectations and You’ll Delight In It
And I say: “So what?” PIxar is under no obligation to follow a formula, other than to tell a good story with heart, if no panache. ‘Luca’ has heart
Read MoreReview: ‘Angel’ Pairs Star-Crossed Lovers In Exotic Locale
A film that gets great mileage from its atmosphere and understated performances, even if its artsy flourishes keep it from appealing to wider audiences
Read MoreReview: ‘Werewolves Within’ | You’ll Howl with Laughter
Forget the title, this is about a pack of hilarious eccentrics and their clumsy quest to solve murders.
Read MoreReview: ‘Caveat’ Brings the Creepy | 3 Stars
Sometimes yelling at the screen from your armchair means the characters are doing something stupid. Not always.
Read More‘LFG’ Thrills and Infuriates With Behind the Scenes Story of Women’s Soccer Team
This is a story of women getting cheated by their bosses and deciding to go after the bastards, at risk to their own careers.
Read MoreReview: ‘An Unquiet Grave’ Moves From Horror Filmfests to Streaming
A simple story told in a simple way, An Unquiet Grave is a clunky title for a rather elegant, if occasionally slow, supernatural thriller.
Read More‘Take Back’: Kick-A** Woman vs Rubbery-Faced Mickey Rourke
Hollywood has done something rare and welcome: An African-American female over the age of 40 is the lead in an action film!
Read MoreListen to New Songs and New Guitar from Alex Lifeson of RUSH
On his two new songs which he wrote and plays everything except bass (Andy Curran does that), Lifeson has broadened his sonic identity.
Read MoreNew Music from Styx and Dennis DeYoung. Who’s Done Better Since Split?
The guy who made the best Styx songs, yet also arguably ruined the band, is still creating. His former bandmates are, too.
Read MoreGeorge A. Romero’s ‘The Amusement Park’ | Horror or History?
Almost predictably, Romero delivered an unacceptable product to the Lutheran Society and the film went unseen. It was “too disturbing,” they said. Too weird.
Read MoreReview: Animated ‘Wish Dragon’ Delights and Surprises.
Despite blatant borrowing from other films, Wish Dragon emerges with its own identity – it’s delightful.
Read More‘Loki’ | Series is Sharp, Funny, Even If You’re Not A Comic Nerd
Rewards full-fledged comic nerds without punishing the casual viewer who either didn’t see or doesn’t remember Avengers: Endgame (meekly raises hand).
Read MoreTrue Crime Doc Review: ‘Nail Bomber: Manhunt’ | 3 Stars
I recommend watching the film with as little advance knowledge as possible. Why? Because the doc plays as a murder mystery.
Read MoreReview: ‘Spirit Untamed’ Saddles Up For Big Screen Release
The animation is gorgeous, if not groundbreaking, the story is genial. I like the single Dad angle, which we don’t see enough of in films for younger viewers.
Read MoreHorror Review: ‘Digging to Death’ | How Deep Is It?
Would’ve been an amazing 30 minute episode of an anthology series.
Read MoreReview: ‘Super Frenchie’| A Death Defying, Breathtaking Doc
These are the guys you knew in high school who would jump off of bridges and ride on the tops of cars down the highway. Only with incredible film footage.
Read More‘The Sound of Identity’ | Transgender Opera Diva Makes History
You can’t have a good documentary without fascinating people in it. This is a good doc.
Read More‘High on the Hog’ Feeds Your Soul With Both Food and History
If it looks like the kind of series you’d like, you’re right. If it looks like the kind of thing you aren’t interested in, give it a chance.You won’t regret it.
Read MoreCarmine Appice and Vinny Appice With Backstage Stories on Their Show
You’d be forgiven if you thought it was the title of an Adult Film, but, no – Hangin’ & Bangin’ is a talk show hosted by Rock brothers Carmine & Vinny Appice.
Read More‘Cruella’ is Spot On! Spoiler-Free Review
This feels like the movie that will bring us back after our long time away from the cinema. For that reason, alone, I feel very affectionately toward Cruella.
Read MoreHorror Review: ‘100 Candles’ | Is it a Blow Out?
You like scary movies, but not too scary?
Read MoreReview: ‘The Dark Hobby’ | Are the Fish in Your Aquarium Victims of Animal Cruelty?
might just make you think twice before buying your next fish, or even getting an aquarium in the first place.
Read MoreReview: ‘Solos’ Engages Your Heart and Imagination for Seven Great Episodes
If you want to get into something bite-sized that you can either binge or watch when you don’t feel like getting into a long haul, Solos is a great choice
Read MoreTV Review ‘1971: The Year That Music Changed Everything’
through its sheer length, eight episodes worth, it also offers a deeper dive than what you may have seen before.
Read MoreFilm Review: ‘Enfant Terrible’ Gives Art House Fans the Story of a Genius
There is no question that cinephiles and those more familiar with Fassbinder’s work than I, will find a lot to attract them.
Read More‘The Crime of the Century’ | Infuriating, Fist-Shaking Facts About Big Pharma
Gibney has taken on Scientology, Silicon Valley and Wikileaks. Taking on Big Pharma ends up being another behemoth he goes after with fury and facts.
Read MoreReview: Knots: A Forced Marriage Story Shocks and Surprises
I had no idea that 46 states in America still allow some form of child marriage and that forced marriages are as common as they are.
Read More‘Undergods’ Review: You’ve Never Seen This Movie Before.
Where are we? When is this? What will happen next? The fact that those questions roll around in your head is one of the reasons to recommend Undergods.
Read More‘The Sons of Sam’ Docuseries Makes Case For Multiple Killers
I am so hooked on True Crime docs that it’s basically the main thing I use my streaming services for. The genre has just gotten so damn good.
Read MorePeter Frampton Back in the News with Guitar, Memoir and Album
What I did not know until today, is that the guitar on millions of album covers disappeared. Everyone assumed that it was destroyed in a cargo plane crash
Read MoreReview: ‘Tu Me Manques’ Offers Fresh Take In LGBTQ-Themed Film
Having this cast and setting gives it a fresh context and makes it a watchable experience for anyone.
Read More’22 vs Earth’ | A Short, Cute Companion to Disney’s ‘Soul’.
This 6 minute short is set before the events of “SOUL” and brings back Tina Fey
Read MoreReview: ‘Berlin Alexanderplatz’ Gives Art Film Lovers Something Old, Something New
The less you know about the 1929 book, the more you’ll enjoy this new reimagining, with an African illegal immigrant as the lead character.
Read More‘The Mitchells vs. The Machines’ Hilarity with an Edge And A Heart
What is fresh and different is the degree of irreverence, the striking artwork, the snappy dialogue.
Read MoreHorror Film Review: ‘Separation’ | 2 ½ out of 4 Stars |
The whodunnit piece comes a bit too late in the slow build up to it, but I liked that bit of the story, as I am not usually a supernatural fan
Read More‘Lucy the Human Chimp’ Evokes Smiles, Tears | 3 ½ Stars
I still don’t think I’m a nature doc fan – I’m a great storytelling fan, and here we are.
Read MoreThe 5 Minutes That Changed My Musical Life Forever
A student made his way to the center of the stage. We instantly recognized him, he was one of the “special ed” kids. What’s he doing here?
Read MoreReview: The Secrets of the Whales | It’s A Lot of Fin
proves that a viewer can still say “wow” and “oh, my God!” while witnessing wondrous images, even on a screen as small as an iPhone
Read MoreReview: ‘Vanquish’ | Looks Like Miami Vice, Feels Like A DVD
Here, I should probably stop and say that Vanquish is not a great film.
Read MoreReview: ‘Our Towns’ Shows A Divided Country at Its Best
You could argue that their cinematography is so breathtaking, so complete, that you could have made this doc without narration or a host.
Read MoreReview: Excellent ‘Brewmance’ Not Just for Beer Bros
I will almost certainly never taste the beers mentioned in the story, but I feel like I have a stake in the brewers
Read MoreReview: Unflinching ‘Slalom’ Dramatizes Assault in the World of Skiing
shockingly sudden and predestined by all the other physically intimate stepping stones that have preceded it.
Read More‘Dolly Parton: A MusiCares Tribute’ Makes Your Ears Feel So Good.
this concert film is the kind of thing you can listen to without necessarily watching it. You can also enjoy it more than once.
Read More‘This is a Robbery’ | Crime Docuseries Digs Deep Into Mystery
The series becomes more than a whodunnit, it also serves as a “where are they now?” mystery.
Read MoreThis Expat in Indonesia Has The World On A String
He has a perpetual twinkle in his eye. A slight smile denoting empathy and a vibe of goodwill.
Read MoreReview: ‘Worn Stories’ Weaves Tales and Spins Yarns That Are Fascinating
clothing is just a clever device to get us through the door and into the lives of a fascinating array of people.
Read MoreGroomed: The Movie | Important and Enlightening
For Gwen, a bit of undercover work is done, as she hires a detective to track down her abuser
Read MoreAfter the Death of Albert Lima – Riveting True Crime Doc That Also Makes You Snicker
Lima’s murder was solved rather quickly. The problem was getting the killer convicted and put in prison.
Read MoreOscar Nominees: Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom Wins This One. Bet On It
If you are a betting person who plays the office Oscar pool, the surest bet of the night is that the late Chadwick Boseman will win
Read MoreThe Falcon and the Winter Soldier Episode 2: A Rockstar and the Villain Get Into the Mix.
there’s also something kind of “I know I’m a Rockstar” vibe to him. Oh, and make no mistake, he is a rockstar.
Read MoreReview: ‘My Beautiful Stutter’ Says Important Things Beautifully
moving triumphs and stories that are heartbreaking, but an undercurrent of hope runs throughout
Read MoreTom Petty: New Film, New Music Coming and New Signature Gibson Guitar
doesn’t include anything that wasn’t from that period in 94 when Petty felt he was making the best album of his career.
Read MoreReview: Allen v Farrow Docuseries | Who Do You Believe?
you can’t, as a viewer, feel anything but pity or anger or sadness for most of it.
Read MoreDaniel Lanois Drops Stunning Mix of Gospel, Chill and Lo-Fi on New Album. Listen Here:
The trick that Lanois has pulled off is to take all of those recognizable genres and fuse them into something you have not heard before.
Read MoreNew Solo Album from Guns N’ Roses Alum Gilby Clarke Has Great Classic Rock Vibe
His forthcoming album ‘The Gospel Truth’ is a super solid, head-bopping rocker. The songs are catchy
Read MoreThe Falcon and the Winter Soldier: Worth The Wait
After Covid delays and production shutdowns, this series comes to Disney+ looking like a million bucks, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier was worth the wait. You expect the first episode of a 6-part series to have a lot of exposition, and of course, there’s some setting up to do,…
Read MoreReview: ‘Tina’ New Footage Revives Old Story
After the autobiography I, Tina and then the 1993 Oscar nominated film What’s Love Got to Do with It and,most recently, the Broadway Musical Tina: The Tina Turner Musical, is there anything left unsaid about Tina Turner’s life at this point? Not much, as it turns out, and yet the…
Read MoreReview: “A Lot Can Happen in the Middle of Nowhere’ Has Amazing Behind-The-Scenes Stories from ‘Fargo’
Twenty-five years ago, my fellow film critics and I assembled in the very small, but well appointed screening room inside the notorious 666 5th Avenue building in New York City. By the time the lights came up after the showing of Fargo, there was mostly stunned silence (the same group…
Read MoreSuper Controversial Anti-Vietnam War Doc Re-Released
Jane Fonda presents as a benign 83 year old lady, beloved in certain circles and recently feted at the Golden Globes. But 50 years ago
Read MoreReview: Geoff Tate Brings Classic Queensrÿche Sound to Sweet Oblivion
When I interviewed Geoff Tate of Queensrÿche in late 1984, he had just come offstage, having opened for Ronnie James Dio. Covered in sweat and breathing like a chainsmoker who’s just climbed 10 flights of stairs, Tate was otherwise calm and collected. You wouldn’t have guessed that he had just…
Read MoreReview: ‘400 Bullets’ Brings One Helluva Knife to This Gunfight
I try to go into a movie knowing as little as possible, but I’m so glad that I decided to read a bit about 400 Bullets before watching – just a tiny bit of background about the film’s hero made it more enjoyable, put more at stake for the viewer.…
Read MoreReview: Disney’s Raya and the Last Dragon. Gorgeous, But Too Complex?
Disney’s first Southeast Asian themed film is otherwise an amalgamation of their greatest hits: odd couple on the road, searching for a missing (fill in the blank) while learning life lessons along the way. Of course, the story is deeper than that, perhaps too deep, but you get the idea.…
Read MorePunk Pioneer Johnny Thunders with Release From Beyond the Grave
Johnny Thunders is a true punk rock legend. He shot to stardom as a founding member of the iconic NEW YORK DOLLS. After a stint with the Dolls he then went on to form his own band Johnny Thunders & the Heartbreakers. Thunders sadly lost his life in 1991 aged…
Read MoreThings I Never Thought I’d Say: QUEEN Have A New Video Game Out
Here’s something teenage Queen fan me never imagined he’d write someday: there’s a new mobile video game that features the sights and sounds of, yes, Queen. I also never thought the video game avatars would be so cute and have that Funko Pop appearance. I guess if you live long…
Read More‘Ski Bum: The Warren Miller Story’ – Chilly Thrills, High Adventures
Long before there was such a thing as ESPN – heck, long before cable TV or sports being branded as “eXtreme,” filmmaker Warren Miller was making sports documentaries from the ski slopes of this country and around the world. Even if you were a kid growing up in Texas, probably…
Read MoreVanilla Fudge Drop Remastered Version of Zeppelin’s ‘Rock and Roll’
I love me some Hammond B-3 organ, I love keys – but 60s rock organ has never appealed to me. Doors, Uriah Heep, Deep Purple – all bands whose music kinda lost me with too much of that kind of organ at the top of the mix. I have to…
Read MoreReview: ‘Biggie: I Got A Story to Tell’ Has A Lot You Know, But Some You Don’t
Those most interested in the material will already know most of his story, but the new documentary ‘Biggie: I Got A Story To Tell’ dishes out numerous revelations for those who only know the hits and the fact that he was gunned down at the age of 24, about 6…
Read MoreReview: ‘The Sinner’ Season 3. Weird in a Good Way.
Originally planned as an 8 part mini-series on the USA Network, ‘The Sinner’ turned into something much more- a satisfying anthology mystery series with well-written, offbeat stories and Bill Pullman, playing Detective Harry Ambrose, always at the core. Pullam is what I call “Good Weird,” and the show, like the…
Read MoreOscar Nominee Review: ‘The Father’ Anthony Hopkins and Olivia Colman Shine
You don’t expect a film about a character with dementia to be haunting, but there are moments in ‘The Father’ that literally gave me chills. It’s not because this is a horror film, it’s because the movie tells parts of its story through the point of view of the character,…
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