There’s a lot to like about the new Teluga-language action-comedy “Waltair Veerayya”. Directed by Bobby Kolli, the movie takes some big swings and has an even bigger vision. There are bursts of good action, several compelling characters, and a spare laugh or two. And it leans heavy on its big star, Chiranjeevi, giving plenty of … Continue reading
REVIEW: “Missing” (2023)
I went into the new tech thriller “Missing” without doing any research whatsoever. What little I knew came from one trailer and a TV spot. From that small sample, I immediately likened “Missing” to a spiritual successor to the 2018 film “Searching”. The similarities were impossible to miss. So I guess it shouldn’t have come … Continue reading
REVIEW: “Corsage” (2022)
(CLICK HERE to read my full review in the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette) With “Corsage”, writer and director Marie Kreutzer has taken a scalpel to the standard biopic formula and made a witty, irreverent, and openly fictionalized take on the life of Empress Elisabeth of Austria (known more affectionately throughout Europe as Sissi). It’s a gutsy reimagining … Continue reading
REVIEW: “The Pale Blue Eye” (2022)
(CLICK HERE to read my full review in the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette) Christian Bale investigates a series of gruesome murders in 1830 Hudson Valley, New York in Scott Cooper’s “The Pale Blue Eye”, an adaptation of Louis Bayard’s 2003 novel of the same name. It’s a film based on some really good material, that takes place … Continue reading
First Glance: “Marlowe” (2023)
I’m a sucker for classic film noir, and the latest modern day film to venture into the mostly forgotten genre is Liam Neeson’s “Marlowe”. As the name makes obvious, the film is based on Raymond Chandler’s famous hard-boiled detective Philip Marlowe. It’s more directly inspired by the 2014 novel “The Black-Eyed Blonde” by Irish writer … Continue reading
REVIEW: “The Offering” (2023)
Jewish folklore meets horror’s demon possession sub-genre in director Oliver Park’s smart and sinister new chiller “The Offering”. Written by Hank Hoffman from a story he conceived with Jonathan Yunger, this surprisingly rich and devilishly spooky tale digs into themes of family, reconciliation, repentance, and sacrifice. At the same time, it fully embraces many elements … Continue reading