‘Fiume o Morte!’ Documentary Is A Brilliantly Idiosyncratic Triumph

‘Fiume o Morte!’ Documentary Is A Brilliantly Idiosyncratic Triumph

By Alex McPherson Playful and excoriating in equal measure, director Igor Bezinović's documentary “Fiume o Morte!” (Fiume or Death!) examines the absurdity, horror, and sobering... Details
Dark Comedy-Thriller ‘How to Make a Killing’ Is Not Quite a Jackpot

Dark Comedy-Thriller ‘How to Make a Killing’ Is Not Quite a Jackpot

By Alex McPherson Far less lively than its premise promises, director John Patton Ford’s “How to Make a Killing” has a sturdy dramatic framework but... Details
‘Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die’ Is A Sci-Fi Action Comedy With Big Ideas and a Cynical Heart

‘Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die’ Is A Sci-Fi Action Comedy With Big Ideas and a Cynical Heart

By Alex McPherson Furious and scattershot, director Gore Verbinski’s madcap sci-fi parable “Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die” has numerous incisive ideas about humanity’s dependence... Details
Rachel McAdams Reigns Supreme in Sam Raimi’s Latest Slice of Madness ‘Send Help’

Rachel McAdams Reigns Supreme in Sam Raimi’s Latest Slice of Madness ‘Send Help’

By Alex McPherson At its best when fully leaning into uninhibited mayhem, director Sam Raimi’s “Send Help” is a knowingly loony, if broad, satire elevated... Details
Nia DaCosta Delivers a Worthy, Gonzo Follow-Up in ’28 Years Later: The Bone Temple’

Nia DaCosta Delivers a Worthy, Gonzo Follow-Up in ’28 Years Later: The Bone Temple’

By Alex McPherson Savage, heartfelt, and memorable, director Nia DaCosta’s “28 Years Later: The Bone Temple” carves its own gory yet defiantly hopeful path through... Details
Jennifer Lawrence is Outstanding in Harsh Character Study ‘Die My Love’

Jennifer Lawrence is Outstanding in Harsh Character Study ‘Die My Love’

By Alex McPherson An intensely gripping acting showcase for Jennifer Lawrence, director Lynne Ramsay’s “Die My Love” paints an existentially nightmarish picture of motherhood, conformity,... Details
Ensemble Astounds in Lanthimos’ Grim Doomscroll ‘Bugonia’

Ensemble Astounds in Lanthimos’ Grim Doomscroll ‘Bugonia’

By Alex McPherson A nail-biting exploration of the selfishness and deep-seated class enmity afflicting our doomed species, director Yorgos Lanthimos’ “Bugonia” grips from its opening... Details
Kathryn Bigelow’s Chilling ‘A House of Dynamite’ Is a Frightening Warning

Kathryn Bigelow’s Chilling ‘A House of Dynamite’ Is a Frightening Warning

By Alex McPherson A bleak and palm-sweating look at just how profoundly screwed we all are, director Kathryn Bigelow’s “A House of Dynamite” refuses to... Details
Benny Safdie Swings and Misses in ‘The Smashing Machine’

Benny Safdie Swings and Misses in ‘The Smashing Machine’

By Alex McPherson Plenty of punches are thrown but few connect in Benny Safdie’s solo directorial debut “The Smashing Machine,” an awards-hungry drama that sacrifices... Details
June Squibb And Erin Kellyman Excel In Scarlett Johansson’s Shaky Feature Debut ‘Eleanor the Great’

June Squibb And Erin Kellyman Excel In Scarlett Johansson’s Shaky Feature Debut ‘Eleanor the Great’

By Alex McPherson Even a top form June Squibb can’t quite save director Scarlett Johansson’s “Eleanor the Great,” a dramedy that can’t reconcile its disparate... Details