Behind The Curtain

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

Recent Reviews

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 ...

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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

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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

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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

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Photo of Simon Pegg, David Schwimmer, and Alice Eve in Big Nothing (2006)

Big Nothing (2006)

David Schwimmer and Simon Pegg in a not-too-squeamish dark comedy. What could go wrong?

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Photo of Winona Ryder and Keanu Reeves in Destination Wedding

Destination Wedding (2018)

Keanu Reeves and Winona Ryder: A perfect pairing of oddball characters (and actors)

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Photo of Amy Adams and Emily Blunt in ‘Sunshine Cleaning’ (2008)

Sunshine Cleaning (2008)

Amy Adams and Emily Blunt clean up their lives in this mirthful tale of redemption

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Photo of Chris Pratt and Jennifer Lawrence in ‘Passengers’ (2016)

Passengers (2016)

Sadly, the distasteful cliche they chose is worse than the cliches they avoided

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Photo of Judi Dench and Ali Fazal in ‘Victoria and Abdul’ (2017)

Victoria and Abdul (2017)

Judi Dench is the only beacon of light in this dark and joyless tale

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Photo of Fionn Whitehead in Dunkirk (2017)

Dunkirk (2017)

Follow the action at ‘Dunkirk’ for the experience, not the message

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Photo of Amanda Seyfried, Shirley MacLaine, and AnnJewel Lee Dixon in The Last Word (2017)

The Last Word (2017)

Prepare to be pleasantly surprised by this superbly acted, if slightly cliched, comedy

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Photo of Colin Farrell and Rachel Weisz in "The Lobster" (2015)

The Lobster (2015)

Fine performances by Farrell and Weisz can't make you overlook the relentless dreariness

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Recent Quick Takes

Canary Black (2024)

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Kate Beckinsale gives it her all, but she can’t save this predictable spy thriller whose twist you spot right away

Family Pack (2024)

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A silly and mildly entertaining tale of a family transported to the middle ages to fight werewolves

Night of the Assassin (2023)

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An ailing assassin with a price on his head slices through innumerable badguys and a predictable plot

Knights of the Zodiac (2023)

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So sad to see Sean Bean wasted in this adolescently scripted mashup of martial arts and mythology

Land of Bad (2024)

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Yet another "things go sideways" rescue mission. Rousing gun fights. Lots of explosions. Capture and torture

Ruthless (2023)

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Dermot Mulroney goes bare knuckles against sex traffickers, but can't punch his way out of this mediocre script

A Special Lady (2017)

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A twisty plot, Godfather-reminiscent set pieces, and a gutsy heroine can't make up for the exploitive brutality

Night in Paradise (2020)

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Gangster gets sold out, with bloody results. But Jeon Yeo-been shines as a terminal case with a deadly aim

Meg 2: The Trench (2023)

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It’s not as bad as you’d think. So while it’s a waste of time, it’s your time to waste