Film Reviews
Gran Libro
The Book of Life celebrates Day of the Dead in style.KRISTIAN LIN
Hollywood doesn’t put out many movies about Latinos that are pitched toward a general audience, let alone ones that are aimed specifically at families. The last such films that Hispanics could hold up with pride to their non-...
Tank Busting
The World War II drama Fury is exhausting and not in a good way.KRISTIAN LIN
I rather liked David Ayer’s last film, the 2012 found-footage cop drama End of Watch. The financial success of that movie has allowed him to make Fury, a World War II film on a much bigger budget. Unhappily, the current movie...
Webb of Truths
The journalism drama Kill the Messenger misses its deadline by a decade or so.Kristian Lin
Through the first half of Kill the Messenger, I found myself thinking that this journalism drama would have blown me away if I’d seen it 15 years ago. And then I realized that I was wrong. This thing is too overheated and poo...
Contempt of Court
In being almost good, The Judge is infuriating.COLE WILLIAMS
When reviewing a movie called The Judge, there’s a temptation to use a really corny pun in the headline. “The Judge found guilty of mediocrity” or “The Judge sentenced to bad movie jail.” Stuff like that. Unless it’...
Amazing Amy
Gone Girl: Marriage is hell. Especially this one.Kristian Lin
By now, lots of ink has been spilled about how Ben Affleck’s years as a pop-culture punchline have suited him for the lead role in Gone Girl as a man who is demonized by the public and the media. The truth is, he probably did...
Kansas City Chief
A story of the Lost Boys of Sudan is reduced to pablum in The Good Lie.Kristian Lin
Reese Witherspoon bought the rights to Gone Girl and wanted to star in it until David Fincher convinced her otherwise. While staying on that film as a producer, she headlines another movie that comes out this week, The Good L...
Cheese and Eggs
The Boxtrolls: Is Laika Entertainment the new Pixar?Kristian Lin
Just in time for the start of autumn comes The Boxtrolls, the first good mainstream movie of the season or indeed in what feels like ages. Of course, this stop-motion film is made by the excellent animation studio Laika Enterta...
Suicide Siblings
SNL clowns turn serious in the depression dramedy The Skeleton Twins.Kristian Lin
Kristen Wiig became famous for her outrageously funny performances on Saturday Night Live, but she’s shown enough by now that we shouldn’t be surprised when she gives an excellent, subtle dramatic performance. The big shock...
Shiva the Destroyer
A talented cast is left stranded by the family gags in This Is Where I Leave You.Kristian Lin
When I read Jonathan Tropper’s novel This Is Where I Leave You, I wasn’t all that impressed with it, but I figured it could be made into a funny movie with a talented cast. Now the movie version is here, and a talented cast...
Goo Goo G’joob
Forget The Human Centipede! Kevin Smith’s Tusk is crazier yet.Kristian Lin
OK, I’ve seen some bizarre horror movies in my time, but Tusk is definitely the strangest one of all. I’ve seen scarier ones and I’ve seen funnier ones, but the next time some horror fan asks me what’s the sickest, most...