Behind The Curtain

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

Genre: Drama

Recent Reviews

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

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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

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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 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 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 Helen Mirren in Eye in the Sky (2015)

Eye in the Sky (2015)

Helen Mirren keeps this restrained thriller moving along crisply

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Photo of Jung-min Hwang in ‘Ode to My Father’ (2014)

Ode to My Father (2014)

The tears are earned honestly in this tale of sacrifice, stubbornness and devotion

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Photo of Brit Markling, Steven Yeun, and Michael Pitt in I Origins (2014)

I Origins (2014)

Writer/Director Mike Cahill gives ‘I Origins’ its own unique vision

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Photo of Nicolas Cage in ‘Next’

Next (2007)

Even Julianne Moore can't save Nicolas Cage from this disaster

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Photo of Thomas Brodie-Sangster, Ki Hong Lee, and Dylan O'Brien in "Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials" (2015)

Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials (2015)

No philosophy, just a great escape, a party, and a few zombies

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Photo of John Hurt and Elijah Wood in ‘The Oxford Murders’ (2008)

The Oxford Murders (2008)

Elijah Wood and John Hurt should have been smart enough to avoid ‘The Oxford Murders’

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Photo of Robin Wright and James McAvoy in The Conspirator (2010)

The Conspirator (2010)

McAvoy and Wright make a persuasive case for watching ‘The Conspirator’

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Recent Quick Takes

Transfusion (2023)

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Sam Worthington is mired in a plodding plot that wants to be actioner and think piece and winds up being neither

Sand Storm (2016)

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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)

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Estranged, dysfunctional twins Bill Hader and Kristen Wiig somehow manage to make suicide mirthful

Black or White (2014)

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A hard-edged, thought-provoking drama of a widowed father fighting for custody of his biracial daughter

Young Ones (2014)

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In a water-parched future, a refreshingly original and complex story of greed, betrayal, and family loyalty

The Lincoln Lawyer (2011)

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A do-gooder lawyer who works from the back of his car begins to realize his case isn't exactly open-and-shut

Albert Nobbs (2011)

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A refreshingly unique tale, splendidly acted, that still leaves you unaffected and a bit adrift at the end

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