Behind The Curtain

Concise Reviews for Movie Addicts Who Don't Have Time to Waste

Take a Peek Behind the Curtain

Occasional reviews, reflections, and rants about movies good, bad, and ugly

Recent Reviews

Still of Jade Quon and Ben Kingsley in ‘Jules’ (2023)

Jules (2023)

This quirky tale of three elders helping an endearing alien has something to say about life’s regrets and growing older

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Full Review
Still of Brittany Murphy and Holly Hunter in ‘Little Black Book’ (2004)

Little Black Book (2004)

Brittany Murphy and Holly Hunter may be the stars, but it’s Julianne Nicholson who breaks your heart

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Full Review

Featured Posts

Still of Ray Bolger, Bert Lahr, Judy Garland, and Jack Haley in ‘The Wizard of Oz’ (1939)

Off to See the Wizard – Again, and Again and …

Why did a childhood enchantment became an adult obsession?

A Reflection
Still of George Peppard in ‘How the West Was Won’

The Moment I Fell in Love with Movies

‘How the West Was Won’ sparked a life-long obsession

A Reflection

More Reviews

Still of Lee Byung-hun and Ha Jung-woo in ‘Ashfall’ (2019)

Ashfall (2019)

This disaster extravaganza has the right dose of everything: special effects, high stakes, heroics, betrayal, comedy

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Full Review
Still of Mary-Louise Parker, Bruce Willis, and John Malkovich in ‘RED 2’ (2013)

RED 2 (2013)

The RED team (well, most) are back in action, but Mary-Louise Parker once again delivers the chuckles

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Full Review
Still of John Malkovich, Bruce Willis, and Mary-Louise Parker in ‘RED’ (2010)

RED (2010)

Mary-Louise Parker outshines a dozen other stars in this most watchable espionage-turned-caper tale

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Full Review
Still of Yum Jung-ah and Hwang Jung-min in ‘Mission: Cross’ (2024)

Mission: Cross (2024)

Yum Jung-ah is terrific as the wise-cracking police woman investigating fraudsters … and maybe her husband

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Full Review
Still of Daisy Ridley in ‘Young Woman and the Sea’ (2024)

Young Woman and the Sea (2024)

Daisy Ridley is inspiring and buoyant in this biopic of the first woman to swim the English Channel

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Full Review
Still of Daisy Edgar-Jones and Glen Powell in ‘Twisters’ (2024)

Twisters (2024)

Twisters revolves around personalities, making it more substantial, but less exciting, than Twister

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Full Review
Still of Helen Hunt and Bill Paxton in ‘Twister’ (1996)

Twister (1996)

From its soundtrack to its over-the-top tornado encounters, Twister promises you a good time … and delivers

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Still of John Ashton, Eddie Murphy, and Judge Reinhold in ‘Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F’ (2023)

Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F (2024)

Eddie Murphy does his ad-libbing best to animate ‘Axel F,’ but only the soundtrack reminds us of past magic

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Still of Morena Baccarin and Pierce Brosnan in ‘Fast Charlie’ (2023)

Fast Charlie (2023)

Pierce Brosnan in a tense revenge tale with Elmore Leonard-esque dialog, plus a touching nod to James Caan

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Still of Hyun Bin and Yoo Ji-tae in ‘The Swindlers’ (2017)

The Swindlers (2017)

Who’s scamming whom? You’ll have to pay careful attention to discover who is the real swindler

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Still of Anne Hathaway and Mark Ruffalo in ‘Dark Waters’ (2023)

Dark Waters (2019)

Mark Ruffalo shines as ‘the lawyer who became DuPont’s worst nightmare’

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Still of Adria Arjona and Glen Powell in ‘Hit Man’ (2023)

Hit Man (2023)

Glen Powell is effortlessly funny as the unassuming prof who reinvents himself

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