A Russian ballerina thrust into the world of spies, an American mole in the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) and a secret romance between agents on opposing sides — these are all the components that make a heart-pounding thriller filled with sex, murder, secrets and betrayal (e.g. “Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy” or “Casino Royale”). And while “Red Sparrow” has...
Remember the rumor that circulated middle school campuses nationwide that Marilyn Manson surgically removed his own ribs to fellate himself? I certainly do. Remember when Ed Norton was The Hulk? What about “Fight Club”? “Eyes Wide Shut”? Mark Perez, the writer behind “Game Night,” does, and he wants to make sure you do too.
“Game Night” is directed by...
Cells, high-school biology and protagonist Lena tell us, divide and proliferate, creating life as we know it through self-sustaining processes of growth.
But what the hell does it even mean to be alive?
I ask this mostly rhetorically, but also to invite you to consider. To be alive is to have cells, surely, so discount rocks, include fungi, coral,...
Shuri is a lot like most younger siblings: Her most defining feature is her spunk — she’s unwilling (or perhaps unable) to engage in conversation with her older brother without throwing in a joke at his expense — but give her a bit of time and the wisdom and compassion come through. “Just because something works,” she tells him...
“Peter Rabbit” is the second live-action film of 2018 about a British anthropomorphic animal in a blue jacket based on a series of children’s books — the other being “Paddington 2.” I haven’t seen “Paddington 2,” but I have seen “Peter Rabbit,” and it is easily my pick for best live-action film about a British anthropomorphic animal in a...
There’s something uniquely satisfying about films, especially in the horror genre, that market themselves as “inspired” by true events. What does that even mean? It’s become common knowledge at this point that some of the genre’s most beloved entries that adopted this marketing ploy stretched the definition of inspiration one mile too far: A tragic shooting-turned ghost story became...
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 she did. In the moment, the point of contention never seemed petty though, and oftentimes someone will say — or do — something they come...
One of the many humorous scenes to balance out the cruelty of forlorn hope that paints “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri” comes served by Penelope (Samara Weaving), the vacuous 19-year old girlfriend of Mildred Hayes’ (in a phenomenal display of stoicism from Frances McDormand) ex-husband, Charlie (John Hawkes). Charlie, quoting his partner half his age, tells Mildred, “violence only...
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” was actively painful; “Wonder Woman” was, well, wonderful, but it raised the question of whether it was part of a larger shift in DCEU movie...
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 (if it can even be called that; it’s shot better than most films shot on professional cameras) aside, it’s a story that plunges head-first into...