Relic could be reductively described as “Hereditary” meets “Dark Water” with traces of “The Babadook.” The last reference might be due to this being a dour Australian horror involving an old-style house and maternal issues, but it’s a fine connection, nonetheless. While it also features small and sinister objects as well as strained family relationships,…
Remember the opening of John Carpenter’s “The Fog”? A salty old man tells a spooky story beside a campfire, perfectly setting the folkloric tone, and then Carpenter introduces his sinisterly serene seaside town like it’s a sleeping, snoring creature . . . Well, do not expect such magical mood-building with Mary, a damp fishnet of…
For some reason, 2019 seems to be the year of actors stepping into the director’s chair. Whether it is on limited circuits like Idris Elba’s “Yardie,” on streaming services like Amy Poehler’s “Wine Country,” or breaking out into the mainstream like Olivia Wilde’s delightful “Booksmart,” we are starting to witness an unusual spike in opportunities…
Write When You Get Work starts off with promise. The opening image is that of a young couple, rolling about on the beach, caught up in their own little sensual bubble. This is a good enough tease, where we are invited into their relationship but not bogged down with details, the movie excelling in the…
As Hurricane Irene pummels the east coast with heavy downpours and strong winds, massive evacuations are being held all over New York City. Thankfully, unlike the more privileged, who are grabbing their poodles and running for the hills, hardened Brooklynites (myself included) have been largely unaffected by the mayhem, continuing to fear only bills and…
Lightning McQueen: Mater, you ARE the bomb. Never have truer words been spoken in a movie, and never have I had the displeasure to pronounce a Pixar film a failure — until now. Cars 2, the sequel to the 2005 runaway animated hit “Cars,” misfires on so many cylinders, it becomes a huge lemon long…
The latest trailer for Cars 2 has arrived. In the Disney-Pixar follow-up to the oft-criticized “Cars,” Lightning McQueen and his cadre of friends from Radiator Springs travel the globe to compete in the first-ever World Grand Prix to determine the world’s fastest car. This time, however, it isn’t all about the egotistical McQueen getting a…
