Behind The Curtain

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

Recent Reviews

Still of Winston Duke in ‘Nine Days’ (2021)

Nine Days (2020)

What will you learn about yourself as you witness these souls being evaluated for mortality?

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Still of Song Kang-ho, Lee Young-ae, and Lee Byung-hun in ‘Joint Security Area’ (2000)

Joint Security Area (2000)

A Korean tale of tragedy that illuminates how much the citizens of these two nations have in common

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Still of Joe Pesci and Marissa Tomei in ‘My Cousin Vinny’ (1992)

My Cousin Vinny (1992)

In this comedic caper featuring Joe Pesci and Marissa Tomei, the verdict is the annoyances outweigh the laughs

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Still of Seo Yea-ji and Park Hae-soo in ‘By Quantum Physics: A Nightlife Venture’ (2019)

By Quantum Physics: A Nightlife Venture (2019)

Can smooth-talking Park Hae-soo stay one step ahead of the bad guys, or will physics catch up with him?

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Still of Cho Jin-woong and Lee Je-hoon in ‘An Ethics Lesson’ (2013)

An Ethics Lesson (2013)

You may feel guilty watching this whacky dark comedy, which is a tad bloody and perverse; but also oddly fun

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Still of Lee Byung-hun, Jung Woo-sung, and Song Kang-ho in ‘The Good, the Bad, the Weird’ (2008)

The Good, the Bad, the Weird (2008)

Director Kim Jee-won’s ‘Kimchi Western’ tour-de-force that you can follow even without subtitles

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Still of Aiden Quinn and Tom Berenger in ‘At Play in the Fields of the Lord’ (1991)

At Play in the Fields of the Lord (1991)

Tom Berenger and Aidan Quinn in a heart-wrenching tale that again shows good intentions are not enough

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Still of John Savage and David Morse in ‘Inside Moves’ (1980)

Inside Moves (1980)

John Savage and David Morse in a buddy movie that skirts the line between sentimentality and melodrama

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Still of Liv Ullmann and Bibi Andersson in ‘Persona’ (1960)

Persona (1966)

Despite enthralling performances by Liv Ullmann and Bibi Andersson, this classic is only for cinema aficionados

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Still of Navid Mohammadzadeh and Taraneh Alidoosti in Leila’s Brothers (2022)

Leila’s Brothers (2022)

In this searing portrait of a modern-day Iranian family in crisis, victims are many and answers are few

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Still of Renato Salvatori and Alain Delon in ‘Rocco and His Brothers’ (1960)

Rocco and His Brothers (1960)

This hard-to-watch drama illuminates the harsh choices facing poor families in post-war Italy

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Still Of Gladiator Ii 2024

Gladiator II (2024)

Laughable CGI undercuts the impact, but Denzel Washington saves Gladiator II (though not Rome)

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Recent Quick Takes

Killer Elite (2011)

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Statham, Owen, and De Niro in an actioner with mindless entertainment and just enough stakes to care about

Casino Jack (2010)

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This romp based on the downfall of sleazy D.C. lobbyist Jack Abramoff almost has you rooting for the bad guys

The Angels’ Share (2012)

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A feel-good comedy that strains a little too much to be cute and cuddly

The Grand Seduction (2013)

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The struggling fishing village of Tickle Head needs to sign a new doc ... by any means necessary

Marrying the Mafia II (2005)

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A frenetic gangster spoof chock full of ridiculous characters, outlandish action, and plenty of silly laughs

Marrying the Mafia III (2006)

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Third time is not the charm for this gangster comedy that sinks too low into a quagmire of ridiculousness

Frequencies (2013)

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Alternative reality tale + overlapping timelines + repeated scenes + show-off antics = scrambled mess

Enemy (2013)

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Jake Gyllenhaal shines in this mind-bending thriller that has you constantly wondering what's really going on

The New Daughter (2009)

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Another uninspired tale of a father who sticks around the creepy house far longer than anyone would

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