Categories
2021 Action

The Marksman

The Doctor’s Diagnosis: C               Some people mark the passage of time by the changing of the seasons; from the first chill on an Autumn night that warns of the coming winter to the first sunny afternoon in Spring that brings promise of the long, hot days ahead. I instead mark the passage of time with […]

Categories
2021 Mystery Thriller

Fatale

The Doctor’s Diagnosis: B-               This is another case where I had never heard of a movie prior to heading to the theater to see it, but it was the only thing playing that I hadn’t seen and that seemed to make it my best option. Fortunately, while it’s nothing groundbreaking, there are far worse ways […]

Categories
2021 Drama Western

News of the World

              I love certain kinds of westerns, usually ones starring Clint Eastwood and/or directed by an Italian because you can always rely on the Italians to transform a mundane genre into an orgy of graphic violence. Unfortunately, News of the World does not come from that school of western thought. No, News of the World comes […]

Categories
2018 Crime Drama

Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri

                I don’t know much about Martin McDonagh (the writer/director of Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri), but I bet that he is a really, really big fan of Fargo. In terms of plot, this film doesn’t specifically have many similarities to Fargo, but it does try to emulate the tone and themes of that […]

Categories
2020 Drama Thriller

Promising Young Woman

               The trailers for Promising Young Woman promised a rape-revenge film and I figured that could go one of two ways. It could be an artsy feminist film or it could go the route of gritty exploitation, along the lines of something like I Spit on Your Grave or Ms. 45. If you’re familiar with […]

Categories
2020 Superhero

Wonder Woman 1984

               I finished 2020 by spending an afternoon at the movies and seeing a double feature of Promising Young Woman (review forthcoming) and Wonder Woman 1984, so I ended the year on a theme of strong women and fucking lies. In both cases, I did not get the film that was promised by the trailers. […]

Categories
2020 Best of Comedy Crime Drama Mystery

The Kid Detective

               If you’ve never heard of this movie, then you’re not alone. I had (very reluctantly) planned to see The War with Grandpa yesterday but I checked the theater listings desperately hoping to find something else to watch. Lo and behold, this was playing. I had never read a word about it, never saw a […]

Categories
2020 Comedy Drama Worst of

Kajillionaire

               It was slim pickings at the theater this week, leaving me choosing between Kajillionaire and a documentary about BTS. In retrospect, I made a poor choice and may been closer to the target audience for a movie about Korean pop music than this pile of pretentious nonsense. Writer/director Miranda July is a darling of […]

Categories
2020 Action

Vanguard

               Folks, this is the kind of bad movie that I can get behind. Vanguard is a delightful disaster. Although the action is disappointing for a movie starring Jackie Chan, the film is so inept that its almost charming. From the editing to the performances to the special effects (which I will dwell on shortly), […]

Categories
2020 Superhero Thriller

New Mutants

We finally made it here, America. We’ve all gone through some dark days, but I always knew this light remained shining, as dim as it may have seemed at times, at the end of the tunnel. Yes, you know what I’m talking about: The New Mutants has finally been released in theaters.                I have […]