2018 Film Reviews
EXCELLENT (in order of preference throughout)
Damsel - The movie catches fire in unexpected ways and ends up being a marvelous reworking the Western blueprint in cinema. Terrific stuff. After marveling at it a second time, I'm going to put it on top of my list: the best film I've seen so far this year. (64)
The Rider - A powerful and intimate exploration of struggling after life’s promise seems passed. (Metacritic: 93.)
Lean on Pete - Not perhaps as flaws as The River, but a movie with the same heartfelt refusal to surrender to what seems like a life with nothing left to offer. (80)
American Animals - What starts off as merely clever and funny eventually shifts into a second gear that is a touching reminder of how people (esp. young people) realize it’s too late to avoid crossing a dangerous line. (66)
Isle of Dogs - Just about every scene in this delightful movie has freshness and charm. Highly recommended. (82)
VERY GOOD AND GOOD
The Death of Stalin - Often hysterical look at the madness of the Soviet regime in Stalin’s last days. (88)
A Quiet Place - A film with more genuine suspense and clever plotting that any horror film in ages. First-rate acting, script and direction. (82)
The Party - Smart, fast-paced, often funny look at personal interactions, political infighting and more in England. (73)
Under the Tree - Fewer laughs than in "dark comedy" in memory, but the tale of despair and revenge ends up remarkably absorbing. (77)
Let the Sunshine In - Slight in some ways, but Juliette Binoche is wonderfully convincing as a woman who desperate search for love unravels her. Also, a fine bit of double-talk by Gerard Depardieu. (80)
On Chesil Beach - Slow, but lovely, tender story of sexual repression in the early 1960s. (62)
The Incredibles 2 - Cute, but not as winning as the first Incredibles. (80)
AVERAGE OR (SOMETIMES) BELOW
Sorry to Bother You - Writer/director Boots Riley has an engaging, charismatic lead actor in Lakeith Stanfield, but he could have also used a top-notch co-writer to help separate the silly and predictable from this occasionally striking and ambitious look at racial relations, worker's rights and more in this uneven comedy/sci-fi drama. (81)
Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again - It's light as a feather, but a nice diversion. They did a lovely job celebrating the bounce and sweetness of Abba's music. (60)
Mission Impossible: Fallout - The helicopter segment is pretty sensational, but the film is no Dark Knight. It's more appealing than most comic book-ish movies, but not good enough to escape the weaknesses of the genre. Best seen as a comedy: Alec Baldwin as an overheated CIA connection. (86)
Sicario: Day of the Soldado - Capable script (by Taylor Sheridan of “Hell or High Water”), but the film about transporting humans across the U.S.-Mexican border fails to take full advantage of it. (61)
Beriuit - Jon Hamm proves he has what it takes to be effective on the big screen, but the espionage film feels like it has been told before and much better. (69)
The Commuter - Liam Neeson vehicle; pretty much what you expect, but nicely done. (56)
Submission - Tackles a timely topic—sexual misbehavior—but so conventionally that it doesn’t add to the national discussion. (52)
Double Lover - Marine Vacth lifts this strained effort at psychological suspense and identity slight-of-hand with her immense charisma, but, in the end,it’s still over-stained and at times laughable. (70)
AVOID
The King - You can see how this attempt to equate Elvis Presley’s story with the rise and fall of the American dream in the second half of the 20th Century seemed like a good idea on paper, but it fails on almost every level on the screen. (69)
Tully - No A’s for effort in Hollywood. There is lots of ambition here, but it can’t overcome an inherent dullness. Left the theater after 40 minutes. (75)
Ocean’s Eight - Sluggish, mechanical twist on the Ocean’s 11 series. The gimmick: a female gang. (61)
Goldstone - A film noir-ish movie from Australia that offers little invention or punch. (78)
You Were Never Really There - Slickly made, but unbearably strained statement of human depravity; both artificial and heavily borrowed. (84)
Outside-In - Unbearably dull and unconvincing tale of small-town anguish. (77)
Red Sparrow - Absolute disaster. (53)
Gemini - Overbaked attempt to make a low-grade mystery story arty and daring. Mostly artless and dull. (71)
The Great Silence**
Damsel - The movie catches fire in unexpected ways and ends up being a marvelous reworking the Western blueprint in cinema. Terrific stuff. After marveling at it a second time, I'm going to put it on top of my list: the best film I've seen so far this year. (64)
The Rider - A powerful and intimate exploration of struggling after life’s promise seems passed. (Metacritic: 93.)
Lean on Pete - Not perhaps as flaws as The River, but a movie with the same heartfelt refusal to surrender to what seems like a life with nothing left to offer. (80)
American Animals - What starts off as merely clever and funny eventually shifts into a second gear that is a touching reminder of how people (esp. young people) realize it’s too late to avoid crossing a dangerous line. (66)
Isle of Dogs - Just about every scene in this delightful movie has freshness and charm. Highly recommended. (82)
VERY GOOD AND GOOD
The Death of Stalin - Often hysterical look at the madness of the Soviet regime in Stalin’s last days. (88)
A Quiet Place - A film with more genuine suspense and clever plotting that any horror film in ages. First-rate acting, script and direction. (82)
The Party - Smart, fast-paced, often funny look at personal interactions, political infighting and more in England. (73)
Under the Tree - Fewer laughs than in "dark comedy" in memory, but the tale of despair and revenge ends up remarkably absorbing. (77)
Let the Sunshine In - Slight in some ways, but Juliette Binoche is wonderfully convincing as a woman who desperate search for love unravels her. Also, a fine bit of double-talk by Gerard Depardieu. (80)
On Chesil Beach - Slow, but lovely, tender story of sexual repression in the early 1960s. (62)
The Incredibles 2 - Cute, but not as winning as the first Incredibles. (80)
AVERAGE OR (SOMETIMES) BELOW
Sorry to Bother You - Writer/director Boots Riley has an engaging, charismatic lead actor in Lakeith Stanfield, but he could have also used a top-notch co-writer to help separate the silly and predictable from this occasionally striking and ambitious look at racial relations, worker's rights and more in this uneven comedy/sci-fi drama. (81)
Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again - It's light as a feather, but a nice diversion. They did a lovely job celebrating the bounce and sweetness of Abba's music. (60)
Mission Impossible: Fallout - The helicopter segment is pretty sensational, but the film is no Dark Knight. It's more appealing than most comic book-ish movies, but not good enough to escape the weaknesses of the genre. Best seen as a comedy: Alec Baldwin as an overheated CIA connection. (86)
Sicario: Day of the Soldado - Capable script (by Taylor Sheridan of “Hell or High Water”), but the film about transporting humans across the U.S.-Mexican border fails to take full advantage of it. (61)
Beriuit - Jon Hamm proves he has what it takes to be effective on the big screen, but the espionage film feels like it has been told before and much better. (69)
The Commuter - Liam Neeson vehicle; pretty much what you expect, but nicely done. (56)
Submission - Tackles a timely topic—sexual misbehavior—but so conventionally that it doesn’t add to the national discussion. (52)
Double Lover - Marine Vacth lifts this strained effort at psychological suspense and identity slight-of-hand with her immense charisma, but, in the end,it’s still over-stained and at times laughable. (70)
AVOID
The King - You can see how this attempt to equate Elvis Presley’s story with the rise and fall of the American dream in the second half of the 20th Century seemed like a good idea on paper, but it fails on almost every level on the screen. (69)
Tully - No A’s for effort in Hollywood. There is lots of ambition here, but it can’t overcome an inherent dullness. Left the theater after 40 minutes. (75)
Ocean’s Eight - Sluggish, mechanical twist on the Ocean’s 11 series. The gimmick: a female gang. (61)
Goldstone - A film noir-ish movie from Australia that offers little invention or punch. (78)
You Were Never Really There - Slickly made, but unbearably strained statement of human depravity; both artificial and heavily borrowed. (84)
Outside-In - Unbearably dull and unconvincing tale of small-town anguish. (77)
Red Sparrow - Absolute disaster. (53)
Gemini - Overbaked attempt to make a low-grade mystery story arty and daring. Mostly artless and dull. (71)
The Great Silence**
