"Bad Times at the El Royale" is a neo-noir movie thriller about seven strangers staying at an old motel near Lake Tahoe. They all have secrets and things get complicated when they interact. Producer-director-screenwriter Drew Goddard ("Cabin in the Woods" 2012) kept the two hour and [..]
The Old Man and the Gun (2018)
Four Oscar winners star in the delightful comedy-drama film "The Old Man and the Gun." Robert Redford plays a senior citizen bank robber who charms his victims, Casey Affleck portrays the police detective hot on his trail, Keith Carradine is the police captain, and Sissy Spacek is [..]
The Nutcracker and the Four Realms (2018)
"The Nutcracker and the Four Realms" is a Christmas fantasy film about a young girl who goes in search of a key to an egg-shaped box she received as a Christmas present. The movie is beautifully filmed with lush holiday decorations and stunning snowy scenery but has [..]
The Catcher Was a Spy (2018)
The story of a major league baseball player who was a spy in Europe during World War II is the subject of "The Catcher Was a Spy." Moe Berg was catcher with the Dodgers (then the Brooklyn Robins), White Sox, Indians, Senators, and Red Sox from 1923 [..]
First Man (2018)
Executive producer Steven Spielberg and producer-director Damien Chazelle ("La La Land" 2016) take a look at the life of astronaut Neil Armstrong in "First Man." This movie has a dull feel to it, with no energy in the screenplay written by Josh Singer and underwhelming performances by [..]
Unbroken: Path to Redemption (2018)
"Unbroken: Path to Redemption" continues the story of Louis Zamperini that began in the 2014 film "Unbroken." Producer Matthew Baer (of the first "Unbroken") and director Harold Cronk ("God's Not Dead" 2014) instilled this sequel with outstanding production values including period sets and costumes, good acting, and [..]
Fahrenheit 451 (2018)
Director Ramin Bahrani ("Chop Shop" 2007) created an obnoxious and shallow movie about a possible dystopian future of America in "Fahrenheit 451." The burning of books by an unnamed dictatorship established in the U. S. after a second civil war was depicted in the terrible screenplay penned [..]
The Front Runner (2018)
Director Jason Reitman ("Tully" 2018) put together a film that takes a look at the rise and fall of Democratic presidential candidate Gary Hart in 1988. "The Front Runner" is a superficial work, not quite a documentary but not great storytelling either. Reitman was also one [..]
My Dinner With Herve (2018)
The last few days of the life of actor Herve Villechaize of "Fantasy Island" fame are vividly depicted in "My Dinner With Herve." Impressive performances by Peter Dinklage as Villechaize and Jamie Dornan as a journalist who interviewed him at dinner convincingly transforms this movie from a [..]
Stan and Ollie (2018)
Scottish director Jon S. Baird ("Cass" 2008) gives us a behind-the-scenes look at the friendship of Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy in "Stan and Ollie." The story is set in a 1953 music hall tour of Britain and Ireland, which was their final collaboration. The well [..]