(**½) Like Robin Hood and his band of Merry Men, these thieves steal from the rich to give to the poor. But for how long? That depends on screenwriter Mark Bianculli’s crime-thriller script and whether the storyline can sustain its carefree robbery approach without tiring its target Gen Z audience. Frustrated teens and those grievance-heavy […]
Soul Patrol
(***1/2) It’s a soldier’s story. Veterans in this poignant documentary revisit their past and contemplate the present as writer/director J.M. Harper archives their experiences. Home life, combat and the aftermath of the unpopular Vietnam War are up for discussion. Grainy Super 8 footage shot in the 1960s, other archival footage, present-day interviews and compelling reenactments vividly share […]
Wicker
(**1/2) Sticks and stones won’t break her bones, but words will really hurt her. It’s easy to sympathize with Fisherwoman (Olivia Colman), a hardworking, well-known member of her village who’s constantly ridiculed. Folks can smell her coming from a mile away as she sells her catch of the day. Some take great joy in degrading […]
Once Upon a Time in Harlem — 2026 Toronto International Film Festival
(****) Read the room. Intellectuals, artists, politicians, librarians and others gather in 1972 at an NYC brownstone owned by Duke Ellington. They discuss politics, history, and culture—the past, present and future—as they relate to the Harlem Renaissance. One participant sums up his credentials: “The Renaissance period was a period through which I lived!” Hard to […]
Ava DuVernay’s 14th Closes 2026 New YorkFilm Festival
(***1/2) “Who’s in charge? We’re in charge!” U.S. Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s call to action sums up the lessons offered by Ava DuVernay’s illuminating, rousing documentary. Learn the virtues of the 14th Amendment, take its lessons to heart and put them into action. When the film sticks to that theme, it’s on message, informative and brilliant. When […]
Misty Green — 2026 Toronto International Film Festival
(**½) She never met an opportunity she couldn’t mess up. That’s how actress Misty Green (Rosalind Eleazar, Slow Horses) leads her life and career. So, it’s no surprise she’s close to being evicted from her Los Angeles apartment. The writing is on the wall when her sugar daddy’s wife gives her an ultimatum: “I’ll give you […]
Atonement — 2026 Toronto International Film Festival
(***1/2) Remorse has no expiration date. That’s why Marine Second Lieutenant Lou D’Alessandro (Boyd Holbrook) can’t get past a moment frozen in his head. Inner torment haunts him and shadows every move. Every thought. That sorrow is the emotional core of screenwriter/director Reed Van Dyk’s poignant screenplay. His script is based on journalist Dexter Filkins’ 2012 […]
I Play Rocky — 2026 Toronto International Film Festival
(***½) He’s punching above his weight class. Hollywood bets against him, but they shouldn’t. That’s how writer-actor Sylvester Stallone got his classic movie Rocky made. It’s a feat that must have impressed director Peter Farrelly (Green Book) and his creative team, who now retell the journey behind that iconic film. If they’ve done it the right way, […]
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