29 Dec 2019

Forward-and-Backward Marches: “Little Women,” “Uncut Gems,” and “Spies in Disguise”

By Mike Schulz

There are certain things you expect from any film or television version of Little Women: coltish enthusiasm courtesy of Jo; homespun wisdom courtesy of Marmee; buckets of tears, our tears, courtesy of Beth thanking Mr. Laurence for the piano and eventually succumbing to terminal illness. (I'm presuming that plot points from a 150-year-old novel can't possibly qualify as spoilers.) One thing you don't expect, however, is the unexpected, which turns out to be what writer/director Greta Gerwig's glorious, exceedingly original take on Louisa May Alcott delivers in spades.

22 Dec 2019

A Game of Cat and Mos: “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker” and “Cats”

By Mike Schulz

'Tis the season of forgiveness, so I hope I'll be pardoned for this combined review that'll likely annoy two distinct sets of readers: Star Wars fans who couldn't care less about a furry stage sensation from the 1980s, and movie fans of all types who've been relishing the vicious, snarky take-downs of this year's (this decade's? this century's?) biggest movie fiasco and don't want one interrupted by any mention of Star Wars. Try as I might, though, I can't separate the experiences of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker and Cats quite as simply as I'd like – partly because I saw the two within mere minutes of each other, and partly because, when all was said and done, I had a better time at Cats. I'm guessing there will now be a few additional sets of readers whom I'll have to ask for forgiveness.

22 Dec 2019

Fox Force Three: “Bombshell,” “The Two Popes,” and “The Aeronauts”

By Mike Schulz

Sexual-harassment dramas aren't designed to be fun. Try telling that to my expression, however, as I grinned and occasionally giggled throughout Bombshell, director Jay Roach's and screenwriter Charles Randolph's fictionalized account of how longtime Fox News chairman and chief executive Roger Ailes was eventually brought down by his, and his network's, systemic mistreatment of women.

15 Dec 2019

Olympic Mettle: “Richard Jewell,” “Black Christmas,” and “Jumanji: The Next Level”

By Mike Schulz

The best thing about Clint Eastwood's new bio-drama Richard Jewell is, thankfully, Richard Jewell himself, or at least the version of him as played, in a sensational breakthrough performance, by Paul Walter Hauser.

08 Dec 2019

Divorce, American Style: “Marriage Story” and “Playmobil: The Movie”

By Mike Schulz

I loved Netflix's Marriage Story, and a day after seeing it, eagerly returned to writer/director Noah Baumbach's dramatic comedy for a second go-around. My verdict? It's a great movie. Just not an extraordinary one. And maybe, when all is said and done, not even a great one – merely, or rather “merely,” greatly entertaining.

08 Dec 2019

Barely Living through Chemistry: “Dark Waters,” “Honey Boy,” and “Waves”

By Mike Schulz

At one point in Todd Haynes' Dark Waters, the heroic attorney played by Mark Ruffalo finds himself in a traffic jam, and as he surveys the gridlock through his windshield, he notices a single red balloon floating above the stopped cars. And we all know what that portends, right? A-a-a-a-aa!!! It's Pennywise! Hide the children!

01 Dec 2019

Blades of Glory: “Knives Out” and “Queen & Slim”

By Mike Schulz

Knives Out, the star-studded comic whodunit by writer/director Rian Johnson, debuted the day before Thanksgiving, and for just over two hours, the film is what every Thanksgiving spread strives to be: loaded with familiar elements (some presented in delectable new ways), utterly delicious, and enormously satisfying.

01 Dec 2019

House Painting: “The Irishman” and “The Report”

By Mike Schulz

Considering that I was able to watch Martin Scorsese's new gangster epic from the comfort of my couch – and after a full plate of Thanksgiving leftovers, no less – the personal astonishment of Netflix's The Irishman wasn't that I made it through all three-and-a-half hours in one sitting. It was that, with only a couple hours' break, I then proceeded to watch all three-and-a-half hours again.

24 Nov 2019

Ice Ice Baby: “Frozen II,” “A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood,” and “21 Bridges”

By Mike Schulz

Thanks to the Roman numeral helpfully attached to its title, audiences should have a fair idea of what to expect from Disney's latest animated musical: It's Frozen, but ya know … twice! Twice the peril! Twice the naïveté from sentient snowman Olaf! Twice the number of screamy power ballads for Idina Menzel to perform at the Oscars! But for all of its considerable pleasures, Frozen II is also more often Frozen Too – as in too formulaic, too unnecessary, and, for its target kiddie crowd and at least one grown-up, perhaps too confusing.

17 Nov 2019

Le Mans and Les Machines: “Ford v Ferrari,” “The Good Liar,” and “Charlie's Angels”

By Mike Schulz

Director James Mangold's new professional-racing drama Ford v Ferrari, however, feels like Ron Howard's 2013 Rush done right: similarly enthralling on the racetrack, but with the added benefits of a more involving narrative, first-rate star turns by Matt Damon and Christian Bale, and – something Rush really lacked – a bunch of topnotch supporting portrayals.

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