‘Gremlins 2: The New Batch’ (1990) not as bizarre as its rep
Frightening Friday (Movie review): Despite the great “Key & Peele” sketch, “Gremlins 2” isn’t a uniquely strange sequel; its bigness is typical for the era.
Movies
‘Gremlins 2: The New Batch’ (1990) not as bizarre as its rep
Affleck, de Armas keep ‘Deep Water’ from sinking
Movie review: Ben Affleck and Ana de Armas keep us engaged as a psychologically off-kilter rich couple, but “Deep Water” is too simple to achieve greatness.
‘Scream 5’ smartly illustrates fan feedback loop
Movie review: The “Scream” franchise returns to the big screen to examine the creator-fan feedback loop that has emerged in the past decade.
‘Adam Project’ adds Reynolds’ riffing to kiddie plot
Movie review: Ryan Reynolds’ charm is in place, but the time-travel plot is so basic one wonders if this was conceived as a kids’ film.
‘West Side Story’ (2021) an ugly tale presented with false beauty
Movie review: Steven Spielberg grandly resurrects the classic stage musical, and it’s unclear if its lack of fresh appeal is accidental or intentional.
‘King Richard’ (2021) a crowd-pleasing yet nuanced biopic
Movie review: This biopic is a family-approved, loving portrayal, but the screenplay teases out details even Venus and Serena fans might not know.
‘Carrie’ (2013) isn’t weird and different enough
Stephen King flashback (Movie review): “Carrie” for a new generation feels slightly more universal, but otherwise it’s a lot like the original.
‘I Want You Back’ a super-cute yet unpredictable rom-com
Movie review: Written with insight and care, this romantic comedy also benefits from wonderful chemistry between Jenny Slate and Charlie Day.
Fuller’s version of ‘Carrie’ (2002) digs into characters
Stephen King flashback (Movie review): The third “Carrie” film is a more faithful and character-driven take on King’s book.
‘Complete Companion’ (2012) a key Joss Whedon tome
‘Buffy’/ ‘Firefly’ flashback (Book review): Joss Whedon is an imperfect human, but his sometimes near-perfect work is worth discussing.