“Jack Ryan” Relies Too Heavily On Worn Out Post-9/11 Stereotypes
Bordering on parody, this new take on Tom Clancy’s classic character is a clunky, predictable mess.
“Pushkin” Triumphantly Brings Legendary Russian Poet To Life
Playwright Jonathan Leaf masterfully weaves intrigue and drama into this early 19th century historical tale.
‘Phantom Thread’ Is a Disturbing Oscar Nominee
‘Phantom Thread’ has played to such rave reviews that I am loathe to dissent, but I found the main characters so morally repellent that I could not enjoy myself despite the movie’s production qualities.
Oscar Nominee ‘The Insult’ Is Intense and Thrilling
‘The Insult’ is ably directed by Ziad Doueiri, who has a fine sense of tension and human drama.
‘The Crown’ Season 2 Takes a Darker Turn
As Season 2 of ‘The Crown’ comes to a close, even the Royal Family’s clipped aristocratic accents begin to chafe—and when you begin to lose sympathy for the main characters in the series, you also understand that something has perhaps gone terribly wrong.
‘The Shape of Water’ – A Fragile Fairy Tale Saved by Director’s Craft
In the hands of director Guillermo del Toro, formulaic and sometimes silly material in ‘The Shape of Water’ becomes a delight and sets us cheering for the 13-fold Oscar nominee.
‘I, Tonya’ Suffers Like Its Subject from Abuse
The ‘I, Tonya’ biopic of figure skating star Tonya Harding leaves truth of her involvement in attack on rival Nancy Kerrigan in doubt. Allison Janney plays Tonya’s mother, she is superb and nominated for an Oscar.
‘Justice League’ Does Justice to No One
Everything in ‘Justice League’ is so formulaic that you’ll sit through the movie and then almost forget it. Good acting and action are wasted here.
The Glamour of It All: Rediscovering Three Women Writers
One wonders what Hellman, Lee, or Didion would think of Lena Dunham’s “Girls,” and the fashionable young Brooklynites it portrays– liberated women who grew up in a “post-feminist” era. They probably wouldn’t be impressed.
Two Important Films Chronicle the Armenian Genocide
Terry George’s epic ‘The Promise’ depicts the horrors of the Armenian Genocide. Joe Berlinger’s ‘Intent to Destroy’ documents its cover-up by Turkey.