“Upgrade” has a great, if not entirely original, concept. It’s the future and there are automatically driven cars, computer monitors on every living room table and drones tracking criminal activity, flying through the night sky. The terribly named Grey Trace is a mechanic who hates the future he’s living in. He works on classic cars, […]
Film
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Handling Business
The latest in the Star Wars franchise: fun and forgettable
The fairly unheralded arrival of “Solo: A Star Wars Story,” is the first time I can remember when the release of a new Star Wars movie doesn’t feel like an event. The fact that we get a new one every year might have something to do with it, or it might have something to do […]
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Blockbuster Mania
What to put on your radar for the summer movie season
There’s really no such thing as the summer blockbuster anymore. If the movie appeals to mass audiences, people will see it regardless of the month it’s released. “Black Panther” is the ninth-highest grossing movie in history and it came out in February—normally the month studios dump their crappiest movies. It’s all blockbusters, all the time […]
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Saving Private Ryan
“Deadpool 2” murders the original
“Deadpool 2” is the “Saving Private Ryan” of superhero movies—but not because it’s a genre classic (although it is) and not because it deconstructs superhero movies (although it does). It’s because there are more severed heads and limbs than at the beaches of Normandy. The filmmakers couldn’t care less what offends people and assume that […]
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Lionized Subject
A perhaps too-positive portrayal of a Supreme Court Justice
There are three kinds of documentaries: those that lionize their subjects, those that attack their subjects, and those that attempt to provide a balanced, objective perspective. “RBG,” a cinematic biography of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, fits in the first category. If there’s a negative about Justice Ginsburg, you won’t find it in Julie […]
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The Good Kind of McCarthyism
“Life of the Party” balances heart with laughs
“Life of the Party” is not a cool movie. There’s so much schmaltzy heart that almost every conversation is either a pep-talk or a declaration of love, yet somehow, it works. The film coasts on Melissa McCarthy’s charm and a stacked cast of comedians including Gillian Jacobs, Maya Rudolph, Stephen Root, Julie Bowen, Matt Walsh […]
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May the Source be With You
Russian spies, true crime killers and the dearly departed In Pod We Trust: Bingeworthy
Last year, I watched so many movies, I barely had time to enjoy the so-called Golden Age of Television that exists right before our eyes. This year, I’m trying to slow down on all the excellent cinema and give some more focus to podcasts and some good TV. Of course, right when I decide to […]
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Queen Mom
“Tully” is a surprising gem
We take Charlize Theron for granted. I mean, sure, she’s been nominated for awards and is definitely on the Hollywood A-list, but her versatility should put her among greats including Daniel Day-Lewis, Meryl Streep and Joaquin Phoenix. If the U.S. had a queen, Theron could pencil in some time for crown fittings. Start by looking […]
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Mommy Dearest
Five complicated moms in cinema
I know lots of people have complicated relationships with their mothers, but mine has always been pretty laid back. The first time I was pulled over by a cop, she randomly drove by, hopping out of her car like it was on fire and getting all up in the cop’s face. Priceless. Regardless of your relationship […]
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Five Days in the Marvel Cinematic Universe
Do try this marathon at home
A theater in Portland was going to do a marathon of all the Marvel Cinematic Universe movies, leading into the opening of “The Avengers: Infinity War.” I was excited to sit in a theater for close to 42 hours straight and mainline Marvel while forgoing showers, decent food and the love of a good woman. The […]