Ah, a tale of a kid who feels like an outsider. It’s not exactly untapped territory for a movie, yet comedian Bo Burnham, in his assured debut as a writer-director, approaches this material with tones […]
People who lack emotions, ironically, can spur conflicted emotions in filmgoers. As Amanda (“Ready Player One’s” Olivia Cooke) says in “Thoroughbreds,” since she doesn’t feel emotions, she has to work harder to be good. As […]
The films of the “American Pie” trilogy open with Jim caught in an embarrassing – and to the audience, hilarious – sexual situation by his parents. Nearly two decades later, “Blockers” – which features three […]
First episode impressions (TV review): The MCU branches out to Freeform for “Cloak & Dagger.”
The idea of “summer movies” is already past its time, as “Black Panther” and “Avengers: Infinity War” prove that “summer” is now year-round in the movie business. Still, old habits die hard – such as […]
I was never involved in theater in school, but I learned to appreciate it during my years covering arts and entertainment for newspapers (even if my love of music, movies and TV was why I initially […]
“Lady Bird,” now available from Redbox, didn’t totally connect with me, and since the glowing theatrical reviews and awards are long since in, that statement says more about me than writer Greta Gerwig’s directorial debut. […]
“Everything Sucks!” (Netflix), the first season of which includes 10 half-hour episodes, starts off like a second-rate “Freaks and Geeks” but eventually strikes painfully accurate notes about first love and high school crushes. By the […]
John’s “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” Season 3 flashback review, johnvhansen.com, Nov. 28, 2011 NDSU Spectrum: TV review ‘Buffy’: The best show on television By JOHN HANSEN January 1999 “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” is attracting fans […]
“The Best Years” Season 1 (2007, The-N), episodes 1-10 – The summer’s most impressive new series, “The Best Years,” is enough to cure any doldrums. The hour-long drama airs on The-N, so it’s mostly ignored […]