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A-
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Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret.
(2023)
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JD Duran
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Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret. is really funny and wonderfully awkward at times, but it doesn't forgo sincerity either.
Posted May 17, 2023
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B
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Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3
(2023)
|
Ryan McQuade
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Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 3 was surprisingly emotional and has some nice finality for James Gunn.
Posted May 17, 2023
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B+
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BlackBerry
(2023)
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M.N. Miller
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Matt Johnson’s new abrasive comedy develops its infused caustic sting from Howerton, who captures Balsillie’s well-known hostile style in a way that moves the film’s story quickly.
Posted May 12, 2023
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A-
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Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret.
(2023)
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M.N. Miller
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Ms. Fortson’s wonderful performance is a heartfelt gem, just like this movie.
Posted May 12, 2023
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Halloween
(1978)
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Brian Rowe
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There's nothing like Carpenter's original...
Posted May 03, 2023
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Halloween II
(1981)
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Brian Rowe
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Curtis and Donald Pleasence reuniting at the end always fills me with joy, as does the explosive final scene that feels so beautifully definitive.
Posted May 03, 2023
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Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers
(1988)
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Brian Rowe
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Sure, the mask doesn’t look great, and some of the supporting characters are pretty one-note, but Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers remains one of the finest of the franchise’s many sequels, a nostalgic classic that will never get old.
Posted May 03, 2023
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Halloween H20: 20 Years Later
(1998)
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Brian Rowe
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Honestly, when it comes to the sequels, I prefer Laurie being Michael’s sister because it raises the stakes and heightens the emotion, especially when her life is on the line.
Posted May 03, 2023
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Halloween Kills
(2021)
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Brian Rowe
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...it also does a lot really well, and in many ways this is the most gloriously ambitious of all the sequels...
Posted May 03, 2023
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Halloween
(2018)
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Brian Rowe
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Ultimately the great attention paid to artistry and atmosphere can’t be denied.
Posted May 03, 2023
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Halloween III: Season of the Witch
(1982)
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Brian Rowe
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Lee Wallace’s directorial debut has some effective atmosphere, a solid cast led by the great Tom Atkins, and a fantastic final scene, but it’s also overlong and too slow at times.
Posted May 03, 2023
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Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers
(1995)
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Brian Rowe
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Here’s an installment in the Halloween franchise with two vastly different versions—and they’re both bad.
Posted May 03, 2023
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Halloween: Resurrection
(2002)
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Brian Rowe
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Here’s another entry that can be completely wiped from existence, and everybody would be better off.
Posted May 03, 2023
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Halloween 5: The Revenge of Michael Myers
(1989)
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Brian Rowe
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The ending of Halloween 4 is a chilling classic scene in the franchise that gets a severely underwhelming payoff in this fifth installment.
Posted May 03, 2023
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B+
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Finch
(2021)
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Brian Rowe
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Hanks proves once again why he has a tremendous eye for material, and why he is simply one of the best in the business.
Posted May 03, 2023
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C+
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Scream
(2022)
|
Brian Rowe
|
...like with almost every other reboot I’ve seen in the last few years, I wanted it to be so much more. It’s a passably entertaining but also constantly frustrating revisit to a franchise I adore...
Posted May 03, 2023
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B+
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The Unforgivable
(2021)
|
Brian Rowe
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This story of redemption, pain and regret could have been a maudlin slog with a lesser actress inhabiting Ruth Slater, but in the hands of Bullock, it’s simply a must-see.
Posted May 03, 2023
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Turbulence
(1997)
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Brian Rowe
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She’s better than Liotta, her character at least consistent and competent and up to the task of saving the day, but there’s an unfortunate flatness to her character throughout that gives Holly little room to play.
Posted May 03, 2023
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B
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Better Nate Than Ever
(2022)
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Brian Rowe
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It’s a breezy romp that many viewers likely will enjoy in the moment, but those kids who Federle made this movie for, who he wanted to celebrate both in his novel and in this movie? They’re going to cherish every single minute.
Posted May 03, 2023
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Selena
(1997)
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Brian Rowe
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Jennifer Lopez is a revelation in the film...
Posted May 03, 2023
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Vegas Vacation
(1997)
|
Brian Rowe
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Pleasant enough to play in the background of your living room while you’re busy doing other things, but this movie is a mostly forgettable trifle that, at best, simply reminds you of all the better films worth watching in the franchise.
Posted May 03, 2023
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Romy and Michele's High School Reunion
(1997)
|
Brian Rowe
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Along with the fantastic screenplay by Robin Schiff, Mirkin’s direction, and the extraordinary cast, the music plays a huge part in my love for this film.
Posted May 03, 2023
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The Lost World: Jurassic Park
(1997)
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Brian Rowe
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A film that has its moments, which includes some terrific action and visual effects, but overall remains one of Steven Spielberg’s most disappointing and disposable entertainments in a mostly impressive career.
Posted May 03, 2023
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In & Out
(1997)
|
Brian Rowe
|
It’s not anywhere near perfect, but there’s still a lot to like about In and Out...
Posted May 03, 2023
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Mimic
(1997)
|
Brian Rowe
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A rare del Toro misfire...
Posted May 03, 2023
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C+
|
Bullet Train
(2022)
|
Brian Rowe
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Bullet Train is a mixed bag, worth seeing for action fans, but maybe at a matinee screening or when it hits VOD. There’s a tighter and better 100-minute movie in that 126-minute high-energy extravaganza...
Posted May 03, 2023
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Air Force One
(1997)
|
Brian Rowe
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An entertaining thrill ride...
Posted May 03, 2023
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Face/Off
(1997)
|
Brian Rowe
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The movie more than just pure spectacle, the tremendous cast and engaging story putting Face/Off a couple of notches above your typical 1990s action fare.
Posted May 03, 2023
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All Quiet on the Western Front
(2022)
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Brian Rowe
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Its incredible craftsmanship and rock-solid performances, as well as a moving ending, make this one of the finest films of 2022.
Posted May 03, 2023
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I Know What You Did Last Summer
(1997)
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Brian Rowe
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I Know What You Did Last Summer is a welcome hit of nostalgia that still works better than it should, the amazing cast particularly elevating the material enough to still make it a worthwhile rewatch, especially in the weeks of October.
Posted May 03, 2023
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Alien Resurrection
(1997)
|
Brian Rowe
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Alien: Resurrection has its moments of weirdness and creativity, but it’s mostly just a throwaway film that didn’t need to be made.
Posted May 03, 2023
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A-
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Fair Play
(2023)
|
Brian Rowe
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Fair Play is a harrowing drama that features one mesmerizing scene after another.
Posted May 03, 2023
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Jackie Brown
(1997)
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Brian Rowe
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Jackie Brown is an outstanding drama, and is the film I believe to be Quentin Tarantino’s most lasting masterpiece.
Posted May 03, 2023
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|
D
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Infinity Pool
(2023)
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Brian Rowe
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A disappointing late January release that will likely come and go, and here’s hoping next time Brandon Cronenberg will use his talent for dazzling visual storytelling for something more involving on a narrative level.
Posted May 03, 2023
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C
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Magazine Dreams
(2023)
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Brian Rowe
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Magazine Dreams needed a few more passes at the screenplay stage to come up to the level its brilliant central performance deserves.
Posted May 03, 2023
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A-
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You Hurt My Feelings
(2023)
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Brian Rowe
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You Hurt My Feelings is as good as Enough Said, if not better, and I hope she makes more films with Louis-Dreyfus. The two have a kinship that works beautifully on a narrative level...
Posted May 03, 2023
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C+
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All Dirt Roads Taste of Salt
(2023)
|
Brian Rowe
|
I found myself admiring the ambition of the overall movie rather than surrendering myself to it.
Posted May 03, 2023
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|
D
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We Have a Ghost
(2023)
|
Brian Rowe
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Christopher Landon is a talented filmmaker, and I want to think this is a mere hiccup in what will continue to be an inspired career as a genre director.
Posted May 03, 2023
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C+
|
Palmer
(2021)
|
Brett Doze
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Palmer is a film that you come to for the heartfelt relationship and the strong work from the two lead actors, rather than the way it tries to take on deeper themes. It comes off as one of those films that isn’t as progressive as it tries to be...
Posted May 02, 2023
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D
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The Midnight Sky
(2020)
|
Brett Doze
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While the film isn’t a total loss based on these areas, the lack of a convincing narrative and a connection to the characters makes for a tough sit.
Posted May 02, 2023
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Sylvie's Love
(2020)
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Brett Doze
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At times, it can feel like this film is employing very familiar plot points for a romantic drama. However, it takes those narrative aspects and heightens them where so many others have not.
Posted May 02, 2023
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Sound of Metal
(2019)
|
Brett Doze
|
No film from 2020 grew on me more than Sound of Metal. It’s a film that I thoroughly enjoyed when I first saw it, and I’ve grown to absolutely love it as it refuses to leave my mind.
Posted May 02, 2023
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One Night in Miami
(2020)
|
Brett Doze
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It’s difficult for a film based on a play to avoid feeling stagey, especially a film that primarily takes place in one motel room and centers on just four characters. But Regina King directs the film with a true flair.
Posted May 02, 2023
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The Forty-Year-Old Version
(2020)
|
Brett Doze
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Radha Blank very well might be the entertainer of the year in my book, based on everything she does in this film.
Posted May 02, 2023
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Soul
(2020)
|
Brett Doze
|
Is it among the very best Pixar has to offer? No. Did it make me think and feel deeply the way that a Pixar film often does? Absolutely.
Posted May 02, 2023
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The Assistant
(2019)
|
Brett Doze
|
Sexual harassment in the workplace (in this case, a production company) is not shown explicitly. Rather, it is assessed through the anxieties of one young woman who works there, played brilliantly by Julia Garner.
Posted May 02, 2023
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Unpregnant
(2020)
|
Brett Doze
|
Haley Lu Richardson and Barbie Ferreira make an excellent team in this buddy film, which tackles the topic of abortion in a way that touches on the intricacies of choice while also making the process seem less daunting than other films.
Posted May 02, 2023
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B
|
Pelé
(2021)
|
Brett Doze
|
Once you get past the film’s refusal to dive into some of the pertinent areas the way it probably should, it is still a pleasurable experience as a gateway into learning more about Pelé and Brazil.
Posted May 02, 2023
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D
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Bliss
(2021)
|
Brett Doze
|
Though a cameo from Bill Nye certainly brought a brief smile to my face, the film overall left me with the opposite of bliss.
Posted May 02, 2023
|
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B+
|
A Quiet Place Part II
(2021)
|
Brett Doze
|
A Quiet Place Part II isn’t always as quiet as the title or the first film might suggest, but the more silent moments are the most impactful.
Posted May 02, 2023
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