The R.L. Stine-based trilogy wraps up with this olden-times conclusion to the gory goings-on in Shadyside and Sunnyvale, and, it turns out, they saved the best for last. The satisfactory final chapter brings everyone from the first two films back together for a helluva ride. It’s still cartoonishly violent and […]
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Roadrunner: A Film About Anthony Bourdain
He was probably the world’s foremost culinary expert at the time of his 2018 suicide, but Anthony Bourdain was also equally as troubled. Director Morgan Neville (Won’t You Be My Neighbor?) doesn’t pull any punches (and neither do his interviewees) when painting a vivid picture of the man who single-handedly […]
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Escape Room: Tournament of Champions
Back in 2019, the original came out of nowhere to earn $150 million on a $9 million budget. Cue the sequel! And adhere to the mantra of not fixing what ain’t broken! Taylor Russell and Logan Miller reprise their roles for this one, which sees them (along with some fresh […]
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Pig
Nicolas Cage returns to his Oscar-winning ‘Leaving Las Vegas’ days with a beautifully understated performance about a chef-turned-recluse whose truffle pig is stolen. It’s an off-the-wall concept, sure, but so is the fact that Cage turns in subtle, nuanced work as a man out for justice. Exquisitely shot and acted, […]
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Gunpowder Milkshake
Though it would be easy to write this off as a female-centric version of ‘John Wick’, there’s actually quite a bit more going on. Karen Gillan stars as a young woman thrust into the assassin business by her mother (Lena Headey). When the crap hits the fan, mom’s old gang […]
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Fear Street Part Two: 1978
The RL Stine-based trilogy continues—this time homaging heavily on the late-70s trope of slasher flicks set at summer camps. Stranger Things’ Sadie Sink leads the way in the cartoonishly gory bloodfest that does for classic rock what Fear Street Part One: 1994 did for 90s tunes. If you halfway enjoyed […]
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Black Widow
Picking up immediately after the events of Captain America: Civil War, this Cate Shortland-helmed origin story fits nicely in the MCU as an inspired blend of action and comedy (think Ragnarok). Scarlett Johanssen is excellent as always, and Florence Pugh fits in perfectly as her “sister”, stealing the show much […]
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Closed for Storm
The documentary chronicling the rise and fall of Six Flags New Orleans may have a low-budget, amateury tinge, but that doesn’t detract from the fascinating story behind the long-abandoned theme park. The devastating impact of Hurricane Katrina may have been the most obvious reason it closed, but Jake Williams’ insightful […]
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Summer of Soul (…Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised)
Questlove helms this outstanding documentary about the pretty-much-forgotten Harlem summer concert series in 1969. Beautifully set alongside the goings-on (political and otherwise) at the time, it’s a showcase for game-changing talent, including Stevie Wonder, Sly and the Family Stone, Nina Simone, and many, many more. Come for the fantastic music, […]
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The Tomorrow War
Chris Pratt and Yvonne Strahovski lead the way in this sci-fi actioner helmed by The Lego Batman Movie’s Chris McKay. Pratt stars as an Army vet called back into duty and sent to the future to battle a race of aliens. The action is slick, the tension is ramped up, […]
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