Behind The Curtain

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

Movies to See

Recent Reviews

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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13 December 2023

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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17 February 2020

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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22 February 2019

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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23 October 2018

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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22 June 2018

Photo of Fionn Whitehead in Dunkirk (2017)

Dunkirk (2017)

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

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4 August 2017

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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21 July 2017

Photo of Yeon-Seok Yoo and Hyo-ju Han in The Beauty Inside (2015)

The Beauty Inside (2015)

Read this review? Or watch the movie? Time to close your browser ...

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13 January 2017

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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11 November 2016

Photo of Chris Pine, Sofia Boutella, and Anton Yelchin in ‘Star Trek Beyond’ (2016)

Star Trek Beyond (2016)

Sofia Boutella upstages the crew of the Enterprise

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7 August 2016

Photo of William H. Macy and Meg Ryan in The Deal

The Deal (2008)

Sandwiched between some overworked cliches is a biting little satire

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5 August 2016

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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22 July 2016

Recent Quick Takes

The 33 (2015)

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Antonio Banderas gives it his all in this real-life tale of trapped Chilean miners beating the odds

The Devil’s Deal (2021)

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A twisty tale of corrupt politicians, the gangsters behind them, and the innocents caught in the crossfire

Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves (2023)

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In this not terribly inventive sword and sorcery caper, Chris Pine has enough snappy dialog to keep you chuckling.

Family Pack (2024)

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

Barefoot (2014)

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This feel-good romance about mental instability successfully walks that fine line between cliche and authenticity

The Front Line (2011)

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The vicious battle of Aerok Hill leaves North and South Korean soldiers unable to remember why they even fought

Bridesmaids (2011)

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A touching, gross, and relentlessly hilarious tale of friends enduring the best and worst of times together

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

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