Cleveland Plain Dealer

What could've been an exercise in despair and grief is instead uplifting and full of hope.

Posted Dec 22, 2021

The Matrix Resurrections (2021)

Instead of its own thing, The Matrix Resurrections plays more like an extended alternate ending to the original trilogy.

Posted Dec 21, 2021

Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021)

A thrilling and chaotic ride, the ultimate superhero team-up that will have fans freaking out over perhaps the most meta film in the history of cinema.

Posted Dec 15, 2021

West Side Story (2021)

Steven Spielberg's reimagining almost feels like you're watching West Side Story for the first time.

Posted Dec 7, 2021

House of Gucci (2021)

House of Gucci is a time, man.

Posted Nov 23, 2021

Ghostbusters: Afterlife (2021)

After all these years, bustin' still makes you feel good.

Posted Nov 18, 2021

Eternals (2021)

The franchise's most ambitious outing yet, a beautifully shot epic full of wonder and imagination.

Posted Nov 2, 2021

No Time To Die (2021)

More like a greatest hits checklist than a fully formed film.

Posted Oct 5, 2021

Dear Evan Hansen (2021)

'Dear Evan Hansen' has something relevant to say about the mental health issues that young people face. But the translation from stage to screen has made that message more convoluted and difficult to decipher.

Posted Sep 22, 2021

Respect (2021)

Compelling and mostly entertaining, thanks to Jennifer Hudson's captivating performance.

Posted Aug 10, 2021

Free Guy (2021)

One of the most inventive and engaging films of the year.

Posted Aug 5, 2021

Jungle Cruise (2021)

The filmmakers should've just taken the same approach I use at a sushi buffet. Less is more.

Posted Jul 27, 2021

Old (2021)

'Old' hits a lot like Shyamalan's previous work: a half-baked mystery in search of a movie.

Posted Jul 22, 2021

Space Jam: A New Legacy (2021)

Shinier and fancier, but also a confusing mess. You can't help but wonder, who asked for this?

Posted Jul 15, 2021

Black Widow (2021)

An engaging, action-packed spy thriller that combines the high energy of a Jason Bourne movie with the campy intrigue of a Roger Moore-era James Bond film.

Posted Jun 29, 2021

F9 (2021)

'F9' delivers everything you've come to expect from the most unlikely $5 billion movie franchise ever.

Posted Jun 22, 2021

In the Heights (2021)

A groundbreaking film that is a tribute to the best parts of America

Posted Jun 9, 2021

Cherry (2021)

'Cherry' is a gritty, sobering tale full of emotion, humanity and even humor.

Posted Feb 25, 2021

Tenet (2020)

...'Tenet' makes 'Inception' feel like a children's story. The film is magnificently and perhaps quite purposefully confusing.

Posted Jan 27, 2021

Aquaman (2018)

Literally a fish out of water movie, 'Aquaman' is a fun and ridiculous underwater ride...

Posted Jan 27, 2021

Star Wars: The Last Jedi (2017)

... simultaneously dark and funny with more twists and turns than a ride aboard the Millennium Falcon.

Posted Jan 27, 2021

Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018)

A high-speed heist movie that's more in the vein of the 'Fast and the Furious' series than 'Star Wars.'

Posted Jan 27, 2021

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)

A thrilling action movie superior to any of the prequels.

Posted Jan 27, 2021

Captain Marvel (2019)

[Captain Marvel] is a blast-- a rip roarin' thrill ride full of humor, heart and guilty-pleasure '90s nostalgia that flips the expectation of an origin story genre on its head.

Posted Jan 27, 2021

Crazy Rich Asians (2018)

[Crazy Rich Asians] represents a watershed moment in Hollywood, one that couldn't come at a more critical time as political forces seek to divide us, not unite us.

Posted Jan 27, 2021

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker (2019)

Is it worth the 42-year wait? No movie could live up to that expectation. Still, there are enough reminders of why you fell in love with 'Star Wars' in the first place to make you feel like a kid again

Posted Jan 27, 2021

Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019)

My Marvel fatigue was real going into a screening of 'Spider-Man: Far From Home.' Fortunately, it wore off early on.

Posted Jan 27, 2021

I See You (2019)

You can debate if the pieces of the puzzle actually fit in the end, but Adam Randall's sleight of hand direction and William Arcane's haunting score always keep the audience on the edge of their seats.

Posted Jan 27, 2021

Aladdin (2019)

The movie addresses the problematic aspects of the original to make it more modern and relatable.

Posted Jan 27, 2021

The Lion King (2019)

If you've been waiting for a beat-for-beat remake since Disney started this whole "reimagining" thing, then no worries! This movie ticks all the boxes.

Posted Jan 27, 2021

LEGO Star Wars Holiday Special (2020)

'The LEGO Star Wars Holiday Special' doesn't feature anybody who has ever appeared on 'The Love Boat.' That, my fellow Star Wars fans, is perhaps the best Life Day gift of all.

Posted Jan 27, 2021

Extraction (2020)

'Extraction' is indeed full of shootouts, fight sequences and chase scenes. The body count is relentless. But amid all of the action, the relationship between fathers and sons is at the heart of the film.

Posted Jan 27, 2021

Mulan (2020)

With its heroic story, intense action and sweeping scenery, 'Mulan' is an unexpected epic-- the kind of escapism all of us could use right now.

Posted Jan 26, 2021

Unhinged (2020)

If there's an underlying message other than 'don't be rude to other drivers because they might be having a worse day than you,' I missed it.

Posted Jan 26, 2021

The Marksman (2021)

Your heart, inevitably and sneakily, will eventually begin to swell -- perhaps not in a "Finding Nemo" kind of way but swell nonetheless.

Posted Jan 26, 2021

All the Way (2016)

Chris Ball

Jay Roach, who directed all three Austin Powers films and Cranston in Trumbo, makes this 2016 HBO political drama relevant to today.

Posted Oct 7, 2020

Sholem Aleichem: Laughing in the Darkness (2011)

Clint O'Connor

Dorman's documentary reveals how one man's prolific writings could have such a profound effect on both assessing and advancing a language and a culture.

Posted Sep 23, 2020

I See You (2019)

Posted Jun 11, 2020

Wendy (2020)

Melodie Smith

For all the Zeitlins' noble intentions to make a contemplative art piece that says something important about aging and loss of innocence, Wendy is a joyless, hopeless, pointless mess.

Posted Mar 12, 2020

Greed (2020)

It's just that Winterbottom is too caught up in hammering home his point than making a movie that could make its point more slyly and thus powerfully.

Posted Mar 4, 2020

Emma. (2020)

Emma. is a delightful romp in which nothing really bad is ever threatened, but the skilled director and cast make the vagaries of young love and social class thrilling.

Posted Mar 3, 2020

B-

Onward (2020)

It really is a fun movie, even if the theme might be a little weird for the very young to grasp.

Posted Mar 2, 2020

A German Youth (Une jeunesse Allemande) (2019)

John Petkovic

It's a compelling portrait that masterfully tracks down and assembles footage to document the radicalization of youth in a seemingly stable society on the verge of teetering into oblivion.

Posted Feb 21, 2020

C-

The Call of the Wild (2020)

The Call of the Wild is a classic because London's ability to describe the harsh reality of life in the Yukon during the Klondike gold rush in vivid, unblemished terms. This telling is better retitled "The Call of the Mild."

Posted Feb 18, 2020

A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood (2019)

Hanks delivers a powerful performance as Rogers. He wears the cardigan and canvas boat sneakers as if he were born into them, and speaks with Rogers' trademark guileless transparency without even a hint of parody.

Posted Feb 13, 2020

Sonic the Hedgehog (2020)

It's got quite a bit of the pizzazz that made the video game... such a global smash. But it's the innocence and personality that actor Ben Schwartz is able to impart in the character that makes Sonic so sweet.

Posted Feb 13, 2020

Downhill (2020)

With two of the greatest comic actors of our time as leads, Downhill seemed destined to trump the original. Would you believe, despite this talent, it's much, much less funny?

Posted Feb 10, 2020

The Rhythm Section (2020)

Melodie Smith

The filmmakers got ahead of themselves, envisioning big box office and endless sequels, when they should've focused on getting the first movie right instead.

Posted Jan 29, 2020

B-

The Gentlemen (2020)

It's a little too quick to be tidy, like sweeping the dust under the rug instead of out the door. And yet, it's a 100 percent enjoyable movie, not too long and because of Ritchie's penchant for quick cuts, no time to be bored.

Posted Jan 24, 2020

Present.Perfect. (2019)