Reviews

“John Wick: Chapter Two” is the sequel to the 2014 surprise hit about legendary hitman John Wick (Keanu Reeves) — nicknamed “The Boogeyman” — who comes out of retirement to

Disney reworked the classic animated “Beauty and the Beast” (1991) into a live action version and came up with an enchanting edition that — to date — has been one

“La La Land” was the exhilarating widescreen musical that set hearts thumping in the latter part of 2016, just in time to ameliorate (somewhat) a presidential election that tore the

In a year of political incorrectness, “Hidden Figures” has to be the most politically correct film of the year. Based on a true story and adapted from the book by

“Lion” is a superbly directed and acted film that got great reviews but just didn’t find the audience it deserved. Based on a true story, the film follows five-year-old Indian

The first of the Star Wars stand-alone films. Since almost everyone in the known universe has seen “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story” (except for the Trumps and the Putins,

“Elle” is one of the most deliciously wicked and nasty films of the year, featuring a terrifically convoluted scenario, great performances (including a tour-de-force turn by Isabelle Huppert, who received

“Passengers,” a sci-fi yarn about an interstellar spaceship on a 90 year mission to a distant planet that malfunctions and wakes one of its hibernating passengers too early, is a

As far as alien arrival films go, this has to be one of the tamest ever. No cities destroyed. No humans pulverized. No flying saucer attacks. Instead, we get an

Christian Wolff (Ben Affleck) is a math savant with more affinity for numbers than people. Behind the cover of a small-town CPA office, he works as a freelance accountant for

“Indignation” is filmic storytelling at its best. It doesn’t hurt that the film is based on a 2008 novel of the same name by Phillip Roth (“Goodbye, Columbus”), or that

“Bad Moms” is one of the better comedies of the year, a film that doesn’t take itself, or its topic — overworked moms rebelling against the constraints of modern “helicopter”

A shining gem amongst all the drek of this year’s remakes and reimaginings. Woody Allen’s latest bout of nostalgia — a witty, literate, loving, good natured and bittersweet look at

The third — and last entry –in the highly creative “Purge” trilogy, which began in 2013 with Ethan Hawke and Lena Headey’s wealthy family being attacked by purgers on the

“A Monster with a Thousand Heads” (2016 — Mexico) is a taut and efficient mix of thriller, drama and socio-political commentary from Mexican-based Uruguayan filmmaker Rodrigo Plá. When Sonia (Jana

“The Tunnel” (2016) is a British crime drama — from the makers of the Broadchurch series — set against the backdrop of Europe in crisis. When a prominent French politician

“Hail Caesar!” continues Joel and Ethan Coen’s deconstruction/reconstruction of Hollywood genres (following their takes on Westerns, spies , and music bios), here making a movie about moviemakers making movies, set

“Zootopia” is Disney’s latest smash animated comedy adventure (more than $1 billion worldwide boxoffice) that is a delight for the kiddies and — despite a little too much silly cuteness

This month marks the 18th anniversary of the death of one of the greatest entertainers (and most certainly the greatest singer) of the 20th century: Frank Sinatra. Since we’re still

Director David O. Russell taps his company of regulars — Jennifer Lawrence, Robert De Niro, Bradley Cooper — to tell the real-life uplifting story of Joy Mangano, a divorced mother

This science fiction actioner starts out with a bang and then peters out just past the half-way mark. In this Young Adult science fiction actioner, aliens attack the Earth in

An incredible cinematic masterpiece by Alejandro G. Inarritu, the brilliant director of “Birdman,” “Babel” and “Biutiful.” Along with “Carol,” “The Big Short,” “Mad Max: Fury Road” and “Spotlight,” one of

This first of three sequels to “Star Wars” shattered box office opening-week records to become the highest grossing U.S. film of all time with over $930 million domestic, and the

Quentin Tarantino takes his well-worn tropes — despicable characters, ultra-violence, greed, treachery, deceit — and mixes up a heady brew that ends up being greater than the sum of its

The film version of the second half of Suzanne Collins’ final “Hunger Games” book tidies up all the loose ends engendered by Part I as the 13 districts of the