Music Is Focus In ‘Michael’ Biopic from Jackson Family Perspective

Music Is Focus In ‘Michael’ Biopic from Jackson Family Perspective

By Lynn Venhaus In contemporary biopics, well-known artists are usually presented in a typical template – rags to riches, bumpy roads and triumphs during a... Details
‘Kontinental ’25’ is a Wry Satire of Modern Living from Romania

‘Kontinental ’25’ is a Wry Satire of Modern Living from Romania

By Alex McPherson Sharp, spare, and icy to the touch, director Radu Jude’s latest indictment of modern society, “Kontinental ‘25” confronts complicity and learned helplessness... Details
The Rep’s Brain-Teasing ‘The Enigmatist’ Exhilarates and Entertains Like the Best Game Night Ever

The Rep’s Brain-Teasing ‘The Enigmatist’ Exhilarates and Entertains Like the Best Game Night Ever

By Lynn Venhaus Mesmerizing and masterful, “The Enigmatist” is a mind-blowing, brain-teasing, cleverly constructed blend of magic, puzzles, cryptology, and history. This indelible one-man show... Details
‘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
At Human Scale, Winter Opera’s ‘Roméo et Juliette’ Finds Its Emotional Power

At Human Scale, Winter Opera’s ‘Roméo et Juliette’ Finds Its Emotional Power

By CB Adams Opera succeeds when theater, singing, and orchestra move together. Winter Opera St. Louis brought those forces into satisfying alignment with Charles Gounod’s... 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
Glossy Cosplay, Icy Heat for a New Generation in ‘Wuthering Heights’

Glossy Cosplay, Icy Heat for a New Generation in ‘Wuthering Heights’

By Lynn Venhaus Visually stunning but emotionally empty, “Wuthering Heights” is an abomination for fans of the classic gothic romance, a disservice to Emily Bronte’s... Details
Sam Rockwell Tries to Save Us in ‘Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die’

Sam Rockwell Tries to Save Us in ‘Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die’

By Lynn Venhaus A science fiction action-adventure horror comedy are many genres to cram into one anti-artificial intelligence film, but Sam Rockwell’s bonkers’ performance makes... Details
Sharp Technical Elements Boost Suspense in Stray Dog’s ‘Deathtrap’

Sharp Technical Elements Boost Suspense in Stray Dog’s ‘Deathtrap’

By Lynn Venhaus Fans of whodunits who’ve never seen Ira Levin’s clever tale of murder and betrayal should have a good time in the cozy... Details