Uneasy Laughs and Quiet Despair
Nadia Conners makes a bold, if uneven, debut with The Uninvited, a comedy-drama that blends social satire with emotional excavation. Known previously for her documentary work, Conners steps into narrative territory with an ensemble cast of seasoned performers, including Elizabeth…
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A Slick, High-Stakes Thriller with a Beating Heart
In Drop, director Christopher Landon (Happy Death Day, Freaky) trades supernatural body-swaps for a grounded, nerve-shredding thriller set in a single, sleek high-rise restaurant. Working from a taut script by Jillian Jacobs and Chris Roach, Landon crafts a tightly wound…
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A Unique Animated Take on Christ’s Life
Seong-ho Jang’s The King of Kings is an ambitious animated film that seeks to combine biblical storytelling with literary nostalgia. Loosely inspired by The Life of Our Lord, a lesser-known religious work by Charles Dickens written for his children, the…
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I’m Begging for the End of These Mockumentaries!
Sometimes, with police procedurals, it's a good idea to switch things up with the format. These shows can tend to be a bit formulaic and a change of pace is warranted. The Rookie has done this throughout its run, with…
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Viola Davis Anchors an Uneven Thriller
In this G20 movie review we’re discussing an action-thriller with the makings of a geopolitical Die Hard, director Patricia Riggen places Oscar-winner Viola Davis front and center as a U.S. president forced to return to her military roots when terrorists…
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I Was Captivated By Deliberately-Paced Drama About Grief In NYC’s Chinese Community
My favorite thought-provoking dramas offer a rich story and characters to analyze, using their methodical pacing to deliver a memorable experience. While Blue Sun Palace does this to an extent, the movie's story and characters feel more like vehicles for…
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Rami Malek Anchors a Slick but Uneven Spy Thriller
In James Hawes’ The Amateur, a cerebral cryptographer transforms into a grief-stricken vigilante, setting off a bloody chain of retribution within the covert corridors of the CIA. Based on Robert Littell’s 1981 novel—previously adapted the same year into a Canadian…
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No, It’s Not ‘Bunheads’ 2.0 — but You’re Still Going to Love It
Ballet is a fascinating sport. Sitting at the intersection of athleticism and art, it’s one of the most difficult and demanding disciplines — made even more complicated by the fact that the whole point is to make it look effortless.…
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Sinners Review – Music, Monsters, and Finger Licking Cultural Flavor
Sinners, directed by Ryan Coogler, is a bold and genre-blending Southern Gothic horror film that follows twin brothers returning home from World War I. As they attempt to rebuild their lives in the Jim Crow South, the past—both personal and…
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Everyone Crashes Out, but At Least the Music Slaps
Editor's note: The recap below contains spoilers for Andor Season 2 Episode 3. Andor Season 2 is breaking with convention in a lot of ways. Not only are we getting three-episode drops each week, but those episodes span a single…
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The Worst Star Wars Couple You Know Just Made It Official
Editor's Note: The recap below contains spoilers for Andor Season 2 Episode 2. It may be daunting to watch three nearly hour-long episodes of Andor at once, but the three-episode rollout means audiences don’t have to wait an entire week…
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The Empire’s Propaganda Machine Works Hard, but Cassian Works Harder
Editor's note: The below recap contains spoilers for Andor Season 2 Episode 1. Andor Season 2 opens in the year 4 BBY — starting the countdown to the devastating and inescapable events of Rogue One. While only a single year…
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