Billed as a “live-action adaption of an animated classic,” the carpet gets pulled out from under this weak and formulaic production early on.  The basic story is about a poor young man who gets involved with a royal family, encounters a magic lamp and meets a genie. Purportedly, the origins of the fable come from One […]

Should the glorification of gun violence, as depicted in this action/thriller, become a thing of the past? Is that notion worth a discussion? Think on it. John Wick is back. In Chapter 3 of this ultra-violent franchise, this assassin digs deeper and deeper into an underworld of hit men and women who are greedy for conquests […]

The sneaky, narcissistic and shallow characters who inhabit Olivier Assayas’ backstabbing ode to the rapidly changing publishing industry are unappealing. It’s hard to relate to them even within the context of a slightly humorous script and efficient direction.  Avid readers are switching from hardcover books and paperbacks to Kindles and iPads. That change in the […]

First, let’s get this out of the way. Avengers: Endgame is fascinating from beginning to end. However, it is not a wall-to-wall action film. The writers (Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely) and directors (Anthony and Joe Russo) take the time to set up and explore the characters’ emotional state, develop their arcs, interlock their backstories, add […]

Little is a guilty pleasure. The guilt comes as you watch a 14-year-old actress (Marsai Martin, Black-ish) behaving like a lustful 38-year-old female who flirts with a middle school teacher. It’s kinda pervy. Or when an executive assistant (Issa Rae, HBO’s Insecure) points to her nether regions and gives a  man a sexy stare. Fine for adults to see, […]