‘Keeper of Enchanted Rooms’ (2022) and the dreariness of coziness
Book club book report: There’s safety in magical cliches, but not in risky romance; the latter thread is the only reason to read the book.
Month: July 2025
‘Keeper of Enchanted Rooms’ (2022) and the dreariness of coziness
‘Simple Art of Murder’ (1950) has overly complex street-level mysteries
Sleuthing Sunday (Book review): Not as accessible as the Marlowe novels, this collection is worth reading for Chandler’s titular essay.
Prowling for an unsung Eighties slasher? Try ‘The Prowler’ (1981)
Frightening Friday (Movie review): Slathered with trope-building sequences and sub-Hitchcockian suspense, Zito’s film nonetheless has a shlocky pull.
‘Ballerina’ steps into ‘John Wick’s’ shoes for magnificent dance
Movie review: This “Wick”-verse film is made with just as much money and care, and it’s awesome to see Ana de Armas affirm her star status.
A high note about low people: ‘Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead’ (2007)
Throwback Thursday (Movie review): Sidney Lumet’s last film comes from a great screenplay by unheralded Kelly Masterson.
No sophomore slump for Philippous with ‘Bring Her Back’
Movie review: The brothers follow “Talk to Me” with an even more meticulously crafted film, although it trades scares for an overall unease.
In ‘One, Two, Three’ (1961), Wilder knows the ABC’s of good comedy
Wilder Wednesday (Movie review): Wilder shows “Some Like It Hot” was no fluke by delivering this exhausting but clever romp.