Recent Reviews

Nine Days (2020)
What will you learn about yourself as you witness these souls being evaluated for mortality?
See It

Joint Security Area (2000)
A Korean tale of tragedy that illuminates how much the citizens of these two nations have in common
See It

My Cousin Vinny (1992)
In this comedic caper featuring Joe Pesci and Marissa Tomei, the verdict is the annoyances outweigh the laughs
Skip It

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?
See It

An Ethics Lesson (2013)
You may feel guilty watching this whacky dark comedy, which is a tad bloody and perverse; but also oddly fun
See It

The Good, the Bad, the Weird (2008)
Director Kim Jee-won’s ‘Kimchi Western’ tour-de-force that you can follow even without subtitles
See It

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
See It

Inside Moves (1980)
John Savage and David Morse in a buddy movie that skirts the line between sentimentality and melodrama
See It

Persona (1966)
Despite enthralling performances by Liv Ullmann and Bibi Andersson, this classic is only for cinema aficionados
Skip It

Leila’s Brothers (2022)
In this searing portrait of a modern-day Iranian family in crisis, victims are many and answers are few
See It

Rocco and His Brothers (1960)
This hard-to-watch drama illuminates the harsh choices facing poor families in post-war Italy
See It

Gladiator II (2024)
Laughable CGI undercuts the impact, but Denzel Washington saves Gladiator II (though not Rome)
See It
Recent Quick Takes
Act of Valor (2012)
Skip It
The well staged action sequences can't make us overlook the stilted dialog and cardboard characterizations
Sand Storm (2016)
See It
It's not a war story – only it is, of sorts – about modern Arab women's struggle against millennia-old traditions
The Skeleton Twins (2014)
See It
Estranged, dysfunctional twins Bill Hader and Kristen Wiig somehow manage to make suicide mirthful
Alien Outpost (2014)
Skip It
Another tired "advanced beings from outer space invade with WWII-level tactics." OK battle scenes, zero plot
Black or White (2014)
See It
A hard-edged, thought-provoking drama of a widowed father fighting for custody of his biracial daughter
Young Ones (2014)
See It
In a water-parched future, a refreshingly original and complex story of greed, betrayal, and family loyalty
The Lincoln Lawyer (2011)
See It
A do-gooder lawyer who works from the back of his car begins to realize his case isn't exactly open-and-shut
Conan the Barbarian (2011)
Skip It
For a guy facing the fight of his life, Conan sure does spend a lot of time sword-twirling.
Albert Nobbs (2011)
Skip It
A refreshingly unique tale, splendidly acted, that still leaves you unaffected and a bit adrift at the end