Here are some reviews of films coming out at the theater this week as well as others that may be in theaters or newly on home video.
Opening: May 3, 2019
Wide (United States)
The Intruder
For member reviews of this film, follow this link
Long Shot
For member reviews of this film, follow this link
2019 Films In Theaters Now In Select Areas
Avengers: Endgame
For member reviews of this film, follow this link
The Curse of La Llorona
For member reviews of this film, follow this link
Dumbo
For member reviews of this film, follow this link
Greta
For member reviews of this film, follow this link
Hotel Mumbai
For member reviews of this film, follow this link
Penguins
For member reviews of this film, follow this link
Pet Sematary
For member reviews of this film, follow this link
Shazam!
For member reviews of this film, follow this link
Us
For member reviews of this film, follow this link
Bel Canto
MaryAnn Johanson @ FlickFilosopher.com
- Excerpt: This tonal misfire never hits the notes of drama and romance it aims for with its ickily problematic terrorist-hostage relationships. Facile and uncomfortably implausible, emotionally and practically.
Berserk
Jeremy Kibler @ The Artful Critic
- Excerpt: If it’s intended to be a darkly farcical neo-noir, the tone feels off, and ultimately the lack of stakes and danger renders “Berserk” null and void of much purpose.
The Curse of the Weeping Woman
Amir Siregar @ Amir at the Movies [Indonesian]
- Excerpt: The real curse of the movie is its generic and bland scares along its storyline. Happy for Linda Cardellini’s first movie as a lead but ‘The Curse of the Weeping Woman’ will bore you to tears.
Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil, and Vile
Laura Clifford @ Reeling Reviews
- Excerpt: Berlinger [illustrates] how sociopathic charm can cast strong doubt even in the face of mounting circumstantial evidence. But the filmmakers leave out some of the more disturbing aspects of Kendall’s account, tilting the balance in their favor.
A Fortunate Man
Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat @ Spirituality & Practice
- Excerpt: The visions, flaws, and setbacks of a gifted young man who wants to be a Master of the Universe.
Hagazussa
C.H. Newell @ Father Son Holy Gore
- Excerpt: Fiegelfeld’s film looks back at a time when folklore and the supernatural held a stranglehold on people’s minds, and how such a punishing religious climate affected women.
The Haunting of Sharon Tate
Jeremy Kibler @ The Artful Critic
- Excerpt: Tacky and ghoulishly exploitative, “The Haunting of Sharon Tate” keeps deluding itself into thinking that it’s paying respect or offering profundity when it’s just distastefully capitalizing on the tragedy.
Her Smell
Laura Clifford @ Reeling Reviews
- Excerpt: Moss not only goes there, she goes beyond there, ranting, vomiting, stumbling, strumming, cinematographer Sean Price Williams and composer Keegan DeWitt supporting the assault of her amazing performance.
Hesburgh
Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat @ Spirituality & Practice
- Excerpt: Fascinating documentary about a religious leader who was a master of human relations.
I Trapped the Devil
Mike McGranaghan @ The Aisle Seat
- Excerpt: A cool, clever indie horror movie that unnerves you with ideas
I’ll Take Your Dead
Brent McKnight @ The Last Thing I See
- Excerpt: I’ll Take Your Dead starts with a young girl’s ominous voiceover about seeing dead people and the nature of death, straight into a corpse being dismembered, dissolved in a bathtub, and disposed of. It goes from there.
J.T. LeRoy
- Excerpt: …only accomplishes its misguided mission as being a boorish misfire. The I.D. crisis in J.T. LeRoy is just not riveting enough to be unmasked at the expense of alienating feminine fragility.
Knock Down the House
Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat @ Spirituality & Practice
- Excerpt: A brisk and meaningful look at four women running to change American politics.
Marilyn
- Excerpt: … reflective and probing…the film’s gripping essence in conveying the pressures of a gay teen tormented by directional signs of angst-ridden burden does have its affecting, dramatic impact.
Our Time Machine
Karl Delossantos @ Smash Cut Reviews
- Excerpt: Our Time Machine is a funny and moving documentary about an artist’s attempt to cope with his father’s illness by literally and metaphorically creating a time machine.
Plus One
Karl Delossantos @ Smash Cut Reviews
- Excerpt: Plus One is a hilarious and, dare I say, relatable take on the classic rom-com formula with enough sharp one-liners — particularly by Maya Erskine — to keep you hooked.
The River and the Wall
Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat @ Spirituality & Practice
- Excerpt: A remarkable documentary that gives us hope that young people documenting the consequences of a border wall will make a difference.
Someone Great
Betty Jo Tucker @ ReelTalk Movie Reviews
- Excerpt: Much of the dialogue in this rom-com seems sketchy and peppered with too many crude comments, but I admire the film’s emphasis on diversity and friendship.
Thriller
Jeremy Kibler @ The Artful Critic
- Excerpt: There haven’t been many slasher films with an entire cast comprised with people of color that it’s a shame the South Central-set “Thriller” is just not a very good one.
Top End Wedding
- Excerpt: The Sapphires’ director reteams with Miranda Tapsell for Top End Wedding. Do they still shine?
Trained
Don Shanahan @ Every Movie Has a Lesson
- Excerpt: Unbridled passion releases as the public display of affection in the Chicago chill shifts to warmer private interiors. This opening scene of filmmaker Yuri Rutman’s spare yet sizzling short film tantalizingly begs many questions.
The White Crow
William
MaryAnn Johanson @ FlickFilosopher.com
- Excerpt: Plays with its let’s-clone-a-Neanderthal plot like it has no idea of the horrors involved and no appreciation of the ethical questions it raises. (Paging Ian Malcolm!) A tremendous missed opportunity.
2018 Films
First Man
For member reviews of this film, follow this link
On the Basis of Sex
For member reviews of this film, follow this link
2017 Films
The Dead Nation
Laura Clifford @ Reeling Reviews
- Excerpt: a masterful cinematic recreation of history, showing us a decaying, innocent world while telling us how what we do not see is destroying it.
Sieranevada
Laura Clifford @ Reeling Reviews
- Excerpt: Puiu’s film is darkly hilarious as we note not only just how many lies are told and why but how easy it is to accept them.
