A SWAT team agent joins a covert government assignment to take down a daunting drug lord in the painfully slow Sicario. Kate Macer (Emily Blunt) is a proud, practiced FBI agent. She represents everything that’s good about law enforcement; she’s dedicated to its principles and excels at delivering tangible results. When the stakes get raised, […]
Twin ten-year-old boys interrogate their mother after she returns home from major surgery in the highly manipulative Goodnight Mommy. Elias (Elias Schwarz) and his twin brother Lukas (Lukas Schwarz) are the sons of a local celebrity. Their mother (Susanne Wuest) is a well-known TV news personality and has just returned home from major cosmetic surgery. […]
A major catalyst that culminated in the first Gay Pride parade is re-created in the painfully awkward film Stonewall. The late 1960s marked an era of cultural upheaval in America. Socially ostracized groups of every type struggled to gain acceptance and equality, including the gay community of New York City. The epicenter of their efforts […]
A country trying to win the Cold War turns to an erratic chess prodigy as its would-be champion in the tepid drama Pawn Sacrifice. You cannot talk about chess history without invoking the name of Bobby Fischer. His famous triumph over then-World Champion Boris Spassky is the kind of story that embodies the phrase “stuff […]
In the early days of IMAX, you had to go to a science museum or other specialized installation to see the large-format films. Many of these presentations were made inside domes or other structures rather than on traditional movie screens. Over two decades later, most major theaters have an IMAX screen. The early draws were […]
An unpredictable Boston hood turns FBI informant with unexpected consequences in the violent, cartoonish drama Black Mass. A young gangster from “Southy” grows up seeing only one path for his life — crime. James “Whitey” Bulger (Johnny Depp) knows that power and intimidation are the key ingredients to expanding his influence and empire. He surrounds […]
Two young siblings spend a disturbing week with their estranged grandparents in the painfully sophomoric thriller The Visit. Single mom Paula Jamison (Kathryn Hahn) left home in a huff 15 years ago and never looked back. A decade-and-a-half later, Paula feels the guilt of raising two children with no knowledge of their own grandparents. She […]
A highly debated and mostly unaccepted theory to housebreak a dog is to rub its nose in the mess that it left behind to try to teach it not to do it there again. After seeing The Visit, the latest release from Philly’s own M. Night Shyamalan, I feel like the filmmaker is rubbing our […]
Movie critics often compare films to roller coasters. There are highs and lows as well as exciting parts and quiet moments. I’ve done it myself. Sometimes, that’s exactly what the experience in the theater feels like. Imagine if a ride took off and stayed at an intense speed for the duration. They exist. These speed-focused […]
The best horror-film villains can be resurrected from film to film and have those appearances somehow seem fresh depending on the filmmakers and plots. Although there were many bad entries in the Friday the 13th series, I always enjoyed seeing Jason Voorhees and his iconic hockey mask in the latest installment because he was the […]
A reclusive corporate tycoon is on the hunt for a genetically engineered super soldier in the erratic video game adaptation Hitman: Agent 47. The characters and concept behind this film come from a popular 15-year-old video game series. The success of such films often pales in comparison to the success of the games on which they’re based. […]
You’ve heard before that you should never judge a book by its cover. I just learned this week that I should also never judge a stoner by his long hair and flannel. I wasn’t sure what to expect with American Ultra. I only knew that it was about a guy who was lazily coasting through […]