Greta Gerwig deftly pays tribute to hometown Sacramento in “Lady Bird”
Remember all those petty arguments you had with your mom growing up? She’d get angry at you for something you’d swear you’re not guilty of, or maybe you’d be angry at her for something...
“The Salesman (Forushande)”
Folks, it’s Oscars season and we all know what that means. That’s right, “La La Land” unsurprisingly will outperform everything both foreign and domestic because the Academy loves itself some masturbatory congratulations. But aside...
“Get Out” packs a punch
He did it — Jordan Peele, one half of the brains behind the cult classic “Key and Peele” sketch comedy show, made a (damn good) horror film. “Get Out” is a daring feat that...
“Happy Death Day” is harmlessly OK
I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but 50 Cent’s chef d’oeuvre, “In Da Club,” plays truant in “Happy Death Day.” Tragic, but there’s a silver lining in this grievance: The film...
“The Florida Project” is a sanguine portrait of childhood
Sean Baker should be a recognizable name in the independent film circuit. His claim to fame, 2015’s “Tangerine,” is a comedy-drama shot entirely on iPhones about two trans sex workers in Los Angeles. Gimmick...
Everything is awesome with “The Lego Batman Movie”
In an age when each month’s obligatory superhero movie is a lot darker and grittier than one would really want, “The Lego Batman Movie” is both the superhero movie we deserve, and the one...
“John Wick: Chapter 2” offers action fans an original sequel
It seems that taking original films and creating stale sequels and reboots has become sort of a tradition in Hollywood; in fact, sitting through any set of movie trailers it seems like stale sequels...
“Fifty Shades Of Black” Falls Flat
If you’re at all familiar with the wildly popular book and movie “Fifty Shades of Grey ” by E.L. James, then you’ve most likely heard about the newest spoof, “Fifty Shades of Black.” The...
“Moonlight” is the best film of 2016
“What’s a faggot? Am I a faggot? How do I know?” Berry Jenkin’s “Moonlight,” based on Tarell Alvin McCraney’s play “In Moonlight Black Boys Look Blue,” is a beautiful contemplation on the excruciating and...
“Justice League”: It’s a bird, it’s a plane, it’s a mess!
The DC Extended Universe (DCEU) has had a rough time since its beginning. “Man of Steel” was an OK starting point; “Batman vs. Superman” was a bloated mess and a terrible idea; “Suicide Squad”...