movie review FLY ME TO THE MOON Running time: 132 minutes. Rated PG-13 (some strong language and smoking). In theaters July 12. “Fly Me to the Moon,” starring Scarlett Johansson and Channing Tatum, is best summed up by the next lyric of Frank Sinatra’s song. Let me play among the stars. Director Greg Berlanti’s romantic … Read more
When “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer” burst into theaters last July, eventually grossing more than $2 billion combined, pundits were beside themselves with joy. “Finally!” the beleaguered nerds exclaimed. “Proof positive that audiences are suffering from franchise fatigue and craving smart, original and challenging films.” Hollywood was saved. Eh, not really. #Barbenheimer, the phenomenon of “Barbie” and … Read more
movie review BEVERLY HILLS COP: AXEL F Running time: 118 minutes. Rated R (language throughout, violence and brief drug use). On Netflix. After the overhyped letdown that was 2021’s “Coming 2 America,” the misguided sequel to “Coming to America,” it’s understandable that viewers approach Eddie Murphy’s new “Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F” with some trepidation. … Read more
There may be no #Barbenheimer, but the 2024 summer movie season is finally heating up. Thanks to the domestic box office success of sequels “Inside Out 2” ($469 million) “A Quiet Place: Day One” ($98 million) and “Bad Boys: Ride or Die” ($165 million), theater chains can heave a sigh of relief. For now. There … Read more
movie review HORIZON: AN AMERICAN SAGA -CHAPTER 1 Running time: 181 minutes. Rated R (violence, some nudity and sexuality). In theaters June 28. Kevin Costner made a bold choice. He departed the most popular TV show in the country and decided to tell the sweeping story of American Western expansion in four interconnected films before … Read more
movie review THE BIKERIDERS Running time: 116 minutes. Rated R (language throughout, violence, some drug use and brief sexuality). In theaters. Think of “The Bikeriders,” starring Austin Butler, Jodie Comer and Tom Hardy, as a good-enough “Goodfellas.” Martin Scorsese’s crime classic doesn’t pass the torch so much as the new gang movie passes the time. … Read more
movie review KINDS OF KINDNESS Running time: 164 minutes. <br>Rated R (strong/disturbing violent content, strong sexual content, full nudity and language). There are so many supremely skilled actors in director Yorgos Lanthimos’ latest film, “Kinds of Kindness.” But about 15 minutes into the three-part, nearly-three-hour slog, I found myself whispering of Emma Stone, Jesse Plemons … Read more
movie review I AM: CELINE DION Running time: 102 minutes. Rated PG (thematic material and brief smoking images). On Prime Video June 25. One of the rawest moments I’ve ever seen in a documentary about a living superstar comes near the end of “I Am: Celine Dion.” The “My Heart Will Go On” singer, who … Read more
Nine years ago, the movie “Inside Out” pulled Pixar out of a creative rut. The groundbreaking, Disney-owned animation studio was delivering dud after dud, such as “Cars 2,” “Brave” and “Monsters University.” movie review INSIDE OUT 2 Running time: 96 minutes. Rated PG (some thematic elements). In theaters June 14 And then came “Inside Out,” … Read more
“Bad Boys: Ride or Die,” the fourth installment in the Will Smith-Martin Lawrence action comedy series, opened with an estimated $56 million in theaters over the weekend, handing Hollywood a much-needed summer hit and Smith his biggest success since he slapped Chris Rock at the Academy Awards. Expectations were all over the map for “Ride or … Read more
A month ago, I was sitting on a beach in Florida talking to a new friend about upcoming summer movies. When I mentioned “Bad Boys: Ride or Die,” which hit theaters this weekend, the New Jersey woman’s response was instant — and angry. “Will Smith is dead to me,” she said. Will Smith is attempting … Read more
If this year’s crop of summer blockbusters aren’t scratching your movie-going itch, the 2024 Tribeca Film Festival is back with a trove of diverse and innovative fare. There are character-driven indies with Hollywood stars, a documentary about one of the world’s greatest sports figures of all time and an entire mini-festival celebrating Tribeca co-founder Robert … Read more
movie review BAD BOYS: RIDE OR DIE Running time: 115 minutes. Rated R (strong violence, language throughout and some sexual references). In theaters June 7. The best part of “Bad Boys: Ride or Die” arrives near the end of the film when Martin Lawrence slaps Will Smith in the face and yells “bad boy!” What … Read more
Francis Ford Coppola reportedly spent $120 million of his own money to make “Megalopolis,” which began as a script he started 40 years ago. None of Hollywood’s studio bosses liked it then — and now it’s unclear when or if it will end up in American theaters. After the sci-fi film — about the fight for a … Read more
As if the depressing theory that bubbled to the surface years ago that Nemo was just a hallucination wasn’t bad enough, now this! As it turns out, the Barracuda wasn’t responsible for Marlin losing all his kids (bar Nemo). It was Coral, aka Nemo’s mom, all along. For those scratching their heads, here’s a quick refresher about the opening … Read more
movie review ATLAS Running time: 118 minutes. Rated PG-13 (strong sci-fi violence, action, bloody images and strong language). On Netflix. It’s hard to tell if Jennifer Lopez has a talent agent — or a blindfold and a dartboard. Her projects over the past year have been that random — from her Dunkin’ Donuts ad in … Read more
movie review FURIOSA: A MAD MAX SAGA Runtime: 148 minutes. Rated R (sequences of strong violence and grisly images). In theaters May 24. Nearly a decade has passed since Australian director George Miller last showed starved viewers just how artful and cinematic action films still can be with his stunning “Mad Max: Fury Road.” How … Read more
movie review IF Running time: 104 minutes. Rated PG (thematic elements and mild language.) In theaters. John Krasinski has written, directed and stars in a new movie about imaginary friends. And, I suspect, rammed into his own imagination are the films “Toy Story,” “Monsters, Inc.” and “The Sixth Sense.” Because he has put all of … Read more
movie review BACK TO BLACK Running time: 122 minutes. Rated R (drug use, language throughout, sexual content and nudity). In theaters May 17. A basic biopic about Amy Winehouse, the eccentric singer who recorded two albums and then died of alcohol poisoning at the devastatingly young age of 27, was never going to work. Obviously. … Read more
“The Fall Guy” took No. 1 at the box office for the second straight Friday, according to IMDB’s Box Office Mojo. The action comedy took home $3.6 million. The film, which is loosely based on the 1980s TV show, features Ryan Gosling working as a stuntman on the set of a film directed by his ex-girlfriend, … Read more