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

See It
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

Skip It
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 Joaquin Phoenix and Vanessa Kirby in ‘Napolean’ (2023)

Napoleon (2023)

Joaquin Phoenix and Vanessa Kirby are adrift in a meandering narrative that leaves us as uninformed as we began

Skip It
Full Review
Still of Daniel Diemer and Skeet Ulrich in ‘Supercell’ (2023)

Supercell (2023)

A surprising glimpse into the psychology, and obsession, of storm chasers

See It
Full Review
Still of Youn Yuh-jung, Kim Kang-woo, and Kim Hyo-jin in ‘The Taste of Money (2012)’

The Taste of Money (2012)

Will Kim Kang-woo come to embrace his master’s contempt for money? Or will he cash in?

See It
Full Review
Still of Annette Bening and Jodie Foster in ‘Nyad’ (2023)

Nyad (2023)

Annette Bening and Jodie Foster demonstrate it’s not about the destination but the journey

See It
Full Review
Still of Russell Crowe and Liam Hemsworth in ‘Pokerface’ (2022)

Poker Face (2022)

A mess of a movie that’s almost worth watching to appreciate how bad it really is

Skip It
Full Review
Photo of George MacKay and Dean-Charles Chapman in ‘1917’ (2019)

1917 (2019)

Meticulous detail and (faux) one-shot cinematography makes ‘1917’ an immersive spectacle worth experiencing

See It
Full Review
Still Of Kim Sang Kyung and Kim Kang Woo in ‘The Vanished’ (2018)

The Vanished (2018)

This nifty crime thriller starts with a creepy mystery and ends with an even creepier twist

See It
Full Review
Still Of Hugh Grant in ‘The Rewrite’ (2014)

The Rewrite (2014)

Hugh Grant is perfect as the screenwriter whose next assignment may require … a rewrite

See It
Full Review
Still Of A Haunting In Venice 2023 Resized

A Haunting in Venice (2023)

Can a ghost, an impaled victim, and a locked-door mystery re-invigorate an aging Poirot? Let’s see …

See It
Full Review
Phoebe Waller-Bridge and Harrison Ford in Indiana Jones and the ‘Dial of Destiny’ (2023)

Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny (2023)

Through sheer bravado, Harrison Ford and Phoebe Waller-Bridge make “Dial” enjoyable enough

See It
Full Review
Photo of Frances Pugh, Morgan Freeman, and Celeste O'Connor in ‘A Good Person’ (2023)

A Good Person (2023)

Florence Pugh and Morgan Freeman will break your heart in this tale of tragedy and (hoped for) redemption

See It
Full Review
Photo of Jennifer Jason Leigh, Natalie Portman, Tuva Novotny, Tessa Thompson, and Gina Rodriguez in Annihilation (2018)

Annihilation (2018)

Natalie Portman’s trek into The Shimmer feels like a Conradian journey into the heart of darkness

See It
Full Review