THE UNFORGIVEABLE. Despite the occasional — frequent? — foray into forgettable, if not regrettable, studio pap, Sandra Bullock continues to build on a career as one of the hardest working, most dependable, most bankable stars in Hollywood. And, like fellow stalwart Halle Berry, she persists in doing so despite the active, often aggressive, always malignant […]
The Miniplex
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Family Power
THE POWER OF THE DOG. Montana, 1925: Brothers Phil (Benedict Cumberbatch) and George (Jesse Plemons) Burbank, heirs to and proprietors of a massive ranch holding, celebrate their 25th cattle drive together. Well, “celebrate” might be a bit strong. Phil, dominant, domineering and more than a little cruel, commands the respect of the cowhands and, though […]
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In the Fight
BRUISED. With a few exceptions, fight movies are the realm of men, with women on the periphery, inspiring, pleading and worrying, sometimes as emotional surrogates for taciturn male leads. Halle Berry’s directorial debut Bruised, in which she stars as a broken down MMA fighter, skips that route, though it treads some familiar ground, like struggle […]
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Jazzed in Space
COWBOY BEBOP. Anime has never been cooler in America or more cursed in Hollywood. Japan’s stylized animated export, with its high drama and old-school 2D art is enjoying its widest audience, with a flood of titles available on streaming services and Megan Thee Stallion casually rapping about watching anime. Sadly, as movie studios turn their […]
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Star Power
RED NOTICE. For the right project, it’s hard to imagine a better starting trio than Gal Gadot, Dwayne Johnson and Ryan Reynolds. They’ve got the sarcasm, charisma and sex appeal that one imagines audiences long for in movie stars. And as these three continue to work steadily in the spotlight, most of us are on […]
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The Hand You’re Dealt
THE HARDER THEY FALL. The Western, uniquely American in that it distills and blends far-flung influences into something distinctly flavored by its struggles and settings, is a most stubborn genre. It refuses to die but, by and large, it also refuses to adapt or evolve. There has been potential, since the earliest days, for Western […]
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Going Where the Fun Is
ANTLERS. If it feels like this movie has been a long time coming, you are not alone. When an actual release date appeared on the calendar, I assumed my eyes deceived me, believing it came out months, if not years ago. This is partially down to COVID fatigue, as are so many of my recent […]
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Favorite Spooky Movies that Still Have Bite
Halloween is just days away and if you’re like me, you’re wondering how you’ll pass the evening this year — ears tuned to the front door, bowl of semi-edible candy at the ready, childlike hopes that finally this year more than four children will venture into the dystopian no-man’s-land that lies beyond Lundbar Hills. As […]
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Unfair
THE STARLING. Fans of Melissa McCarthy will know that she does both comedy and drama. The Starling (on Netflix) is the latter, so if you were expecting to see her do things along the lines of talking through a mouthful of food, belly-flopping or adopting six dogs all at once, you’ll want to check out […]
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Culture
THERE’S SOMEONE INSIDE YOUR HOUSE. Is a slasher movie ever just a slasher movie? Probably not. Go back and watch a few of the genre’s prototypes from the ’70s and ’80s, and you’ll find — more easily with the distance afforded by time — some recurring themes and popular mores fairly leaping from their stories […]
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Back to the Source
THE GUILTY. I’ve long bridled at Hollywood remakes (I suppose we’re calling them reboots now) of recent international movies. For one, the practice speaks to the corporatized murder of imagination that has taken hold in the American cinema industry, whereby original screenplays are, by are large, passed over in favor of pre-existing properties. Secondly, it […]
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Impeachment’s Time Capsule
AMERICAN CRIME STORY: IMPEACHMENT. Just a few years can make one hell of a difference and 23 years can be like a lifetime — roughly the length of a generation. And from the 1998-1999 scandal-ridden impeachment of President Bill Clinton, it sure feels like a vast gulf from there to the present day. Airing on […]