‘Hoffa’ (1992) chronicles striking rise of union boss

February 3, 2020April 24, 2022 John Hansen David Mamet

Mamet Monday (Movie review): Strong work from lead actor Jack Nicholson and director/actor Danny DeVito drive this compelling docu-drama.

Preston & Child’s ‘Old Bones’ is gripping, creepy

January 24, 2020April 30, 2023 John Hansen Books

Book review: Nora, Corrie and cannibalism star in Preston & Child’s gripping and creepy novel.

PKD goes ‘Puttering About in a Small Land’ (1985) to observe human nature

January 21, 2020April 30, 2023 John Hansen Books

PKD flashback (Book review): Some of Dick’s best observations about human behavior happened early in his writing career.

John’s top 10 movies of 2019

December 31, 2019August 18, 2021 John Hansen Batman/Gotham

2019 movies: Superheroes continued to dominate in 2019, but we also got prime slices of action, comedy, history and horror.

It’s the Sixties, man, in ‘Marvelous Mrs. Maisel’ Season 3

December 11, 2019April 24, 2023 John Hansen Comedy (Stand-up)

TV review:“Marvelous Mrs. Maisel’s” third season discovers subtlety to go with its usual bombast.

Tarantino loves, lampoons motion picture industry in luscious ‘Once Upon a Time … in Hollywood’ (Movie review)

December 11, 2019May 2, 2021 John Hansen Movies

Quentin Tarantino low-key makes fun of 1969-era movie- and TV-making in “Once Upon a Time … in Hollywood.” But the production design by Barbara Ling and cinematography by Robert Richardson are as lush as “La […]

‘Blinded by the Light’s’ Pakistani family drama awkwardly mixes with Springsteen tunes (Movie review)

November 29, 2019May 2, 2021 John Hansen Movies

I love the way Javed (Viveik Kalra) loves Bruce Springsteen in “Blinded by the Light.” The Pakistani-British youth sings and dances in the street once he gets the Boss bug. He smiles when listening to […]