Saga starts with gritty, DIY action in ‘Mad Max’ (1979)
Five days of ‘Mad Max’ (Movie review): George Miller’s saga begins with amazing low-budget stunt work and the rise of a vigilante hero.
Movies
Saga starts with gritty, DIY action in ‘Mad Max’ (1979)
‘DeepStar Six’ (1989) doesn’t sink all the way to the bottom
Frightening Friday (Movie review): Though shallower than its 1989 competition, this effort from the “Friday the 13th” guy has some monster-horror pleasures.
‘Strange Darling’ (2024) plays with our expectations
Movie review: Willa Fitzgerald and Kyle Gallner give gritty performances in a story that keeps viewers on their toes.
This time, De Palma’s Hitchcock ‘Obsession’ (1976) doesn’t pay off
Throwback Thursday (Movie review): Sometimes a screenplay’s interesting ideas don’t coalesce into a compelling film. Such is the case in this “Vertigo” riff.
‘Sunset Boulevard’ (1950) an all-time great movie about movies
Wilder Wednesday (Movie review): And that’s just one of the themes in this study of a fallen celebrity without a genuine identity.
John’s top 10 movies of 2024
2024 movies: A remarkable number of filmmakers this year delved into metaphysical issues, appropriate for this weird time we live in.
You’ll go ‘Cuckoo’ trying to connect with this movie
Movie review: This is not phoned-in horror trash; it’s trying to be something cuckoo-bananas different. But it failed to make this viewer care.
‘Heretic’ a revelation of theological-discussion horror
Movie review: Three masterful performances and a razor-sharp screenplay from the “Boogeyman” guys (!) make this one of the year’s best horror films.
Beyond a reasonable doubt, ‘Juror #2’ isn’t half bad
Movie review: Although Eastwood’s film, perhaps accidentally, makes us want to throw the justice system in the garbage, a stellar Nicholas Hoult drives the suspense.
‘The Apartment’ (1960) is worth renting, maybe even owning
Wilder Wednesday (Movie review): The Oscars were right: Lemmon and MacLaine are delightful in this light-touch, heartfelt romantic dramedy.