'Late Fame' Review

Kent Jones' second feature concerns an older man who, long ago, had a little notoriety as a hip New York poet. But that was way back in the late 1970s. Now, though, a group of young admirers want to celebrate his forgotten genius. For the A.V. Club, I reviewed the bittersweet drama Late Fame.

My Review of David Thomson's Terrific Book 'A Sudden Flicker of Light'

For the A.V. Club, I wrote about film historian David Thomson's bracing A Sudden Flicker of Light, in which he argues that movies may have done more harm to us than we're willing to acknowledge. You can read my thoughts here.

'The Sheep Detectives' Review

The Sheep Detectives comes out on Mother's Day weekend, and it's an ideal film to see with your mom and/or family. Sweet and silly, it's a whodunit featuring talking sheep and dimwitted humans (and also Hugh Jackman). But the film's highlight is a great Julia Louis-Dreyfus performance as a sleuthing ewe. My review is here.

The Legacy of 'Leaving Neverland'

It has now been seven years since I saw Leaving Neverland. I've never forgotten it. Sadly, curious viewers will be unable to track the film down. For the A.V. Club, I wrote about a stunning documentary that has been buried. 

'Lorne' Review

Does the world need another movie about Saturday Night Live? Lorne, a documentary about SNL creator Lorne Michaels, thinks so. I disagree: My review is up at the A.V. Club. 

'Outcome' Review

So much talent in front of and behind the camera is wasted in Outcome, Jonah Hill's unfunny dark comedy about cancel culture in Hollywood. I dissect the corpse over at the A.V. Club. 

'A Private Life' Review

Jodie Foster in a French-language whodunit that's also a romantic drama? Sign me up, although I do wish I liked A Private Life a little more than I did. My tempered recommendation is over at the A.V. Club. 

'La Grazia' Review

Toni Servillo is terrific in La Grazia, Paolo Sorrentino's salute to a fictional Italian president who's actually a morally upstanding individual. (We could use a couple politicians like that right about now.) I reviewed this quite touching drama for the A.V. Club. 

'Eternity' Review

A romantic triangle in the afterlife? That's the premise of Eternity, an A24 romantic comedy that I wish I liked better. You can read my review here.

'Rental Family' Review

I find Brendan Fraser such a unique actor: Nobody brings exactly his quality of fragility and sweetness to the screen. But that doesn't mean his approach always works. For the A.V. Club, I reviewed the dreadful Rental Family. 

'Good Fortune' Review

Aziz Ansari has made his feature directorial debut. It's a modern-day twist on It's a Wonderful Life about a hapless, well-meaning angel (Keanu Reeves) who tries to improve the life of a struggling Angeleno (Ansari). For the A.V. Club, I reviewed Good Fortune.

'Eleanor the Great' Review

When I put together my rankings of everything I saw at Cannes, I seriously wondered if Eleanor the Great was the worst film of the festival. I ultimately decided to place it second-to-last, but a rewatch has me wondering if I was too kind. My review is over at the A.V. Club.

'Vice Is Broke' Review

Eddie Huang used to have a show on Vice, called Huang's World, but his relationship with the company soured, leaving him contending that he'd been owed money. Now that Vice is in bankruptcy, Huang has decided to make a documentary about how everything went wrong. For the A.V. Club, I reviewed Vice Is Broke. 

'Devo' Review

I saw Devo at Sundance in 2024. At long last, the film is now available to watch for everybody else. My review is up at the A.V. Club.

'Fixed' Review

What if dogs were secretly horny and foul-mouthed? That's the not-very-clever idea behind Fixed, Genndy Tartakovsky's R-rated animated comedy. Here's my review.

'Oh, Hi!' Review

In Oh, Hi!, Molly Gordon plays a woman who really digs her new boyfriend (Logan Lerman), until he shocks her during a weekend getaway by admitting he doesn't want a serious relationship. She does not take the news too well, resulting in this dark romantic comedy. There are great ideas in here, but I don't think the movie entirely works. My review is up at the A.V. Club. 

'Heads of State' Review

John Cena plays the U.S. president. Idris Elba is the U.K. prime minister. Together, they barely survive an assassination attempt and then have to go on the run. Does hilarity ensue? You can read my review here.

'Mountainhead' Review

Jesse Armstrong, the man behind Succession, has a new HBO movie about four billionaire tech bros hanging out at one of the dude's swanky Utah pad for a guys' weekend. It's a satire that works best when it's angry, not funny. My review is here.

'Deaf President Now!' Review

I missed Deaf President Now! at Sundance, but I'd heard good things about this documentary that looks back at a 1988 student protest at the only all-Deaf university. (The gist: The students wanted a Deaf president. The board of trustees had other ideas.) My review is here.

'G20' Review

I was so intrigued by G20, a Prime Video action flick that stars Viola Davis as the U.S. president who gets trapped in a Die Hard-like situation in which she has to rescue her family and save the day. The very nice folks at the A.V. Club let me review this algorithm-driven curiosity, which inspired some thoughts about how streaming-service movies are like fantasy camps for respected actors. You can read my piece here.