Behind The Curtain

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

Movies to Skip

Recent Reviews

Still of Marisa Tomei and Christian Slater in ‘Untamed Hearts’ (1993)

Untamed Heart (1993)

Marisa Tomei, Christian Slater, Rosie Perez. What more could you want? How about a plausible screenplay.

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Still of Timothy Bottoms and John Houseman in ‘The Paper Chase’ (1973)

The Paper Chase (1973)

Watch John Houseman spar with Timothy Bottoms? Hang in there only if the early 70s is your thing

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Still of Gloria Grahame and Humphrey Bogart in ‘A Lonely Place’ (1950)

In a Lonely Place (1950)

Humphrey Bogart and Gloria Grahame in an agonized romance only Film Noir devotees can appreciate

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Still of Maria Falconetti in ‘The Passion of Joan of Arc’ (1928)

The Passion of Joan of Arc (1928)

This silent-era masterpiece is a must-see for film students, but exhausting for modern audiences to watch

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Still of Michelle Yeoh in ‘Star Trek: Station 31’ (2025)

Star Trek: Section 31 (2025)

Yes, it’s that bad. This diehard Star Trek fan feels sorry for Michelle Yeoh and PO'd at the filmmakers

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Still of Chiwetel Ejiofor and Emilia Clarke in ‘The Pod Generation’ (2023)

The Pod Generation (2023)

Emilia Clarke and Chiwetel Ejiofor squeeze as much heart as possible out of this bloodless satire

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Still of Helen Mirren and Anthony Hopkins in ‘Hitchcock’ (2012)

Hitchcock (2012)

Psycho, the movie that defined modern horror, serves as a diverting backdrop for a love story

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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 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 Brittany Murphy and Holly Hunter in ‘Little Black Book’ (2004)

Little Black Book (2004)

Brittany Murphy and Holly Hunter may be the stars, but it's Julianne Nicholson who breaks your heart

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Still of Peter Dinklage, Glenn Close, and Josh Brolin in ‘Brothers’ (2024)

Brothers (2024)

If you can believe Peter Dinklage and Josh Brolin are twins, maybe you’ll believe this movie is funny

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Still of Josh Harnett and Ariel Donoghue in ‘Trap’ (2024)

Trap (2024)

Josh Harnett is the only reason to see Trap, for a closing shot that evokes Norman Bates in that Hitchcock classic

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Recent Quick Takes

The Accidental Husband (2008)

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This chaotic tale of revenge and romance is too convoluted to follow and too silly to tolerate

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

Act of Valor (2012)

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The well staged action sequences can't make us overlook the stilted dialog and cardboard characterizations

Alien Outpost (2014)

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Another tired "advanced beings from outer space invade with WWII-level tactics." OK battle scenes, zero plot

Conan the Barbarian (2011)

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For a guy facing the fight of his life, Conan sure does spend a lot of time sword-twirling.

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

The Angels’ Share (2012)

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

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