The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent lands with a thud
Movie review: The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent
Give Nicolas Cage a chance to slap himself in the face, and you know he'll go full cream pie. So why did director Tom Gormican go for a dark thriller instead of full-on movie star send-up? We can only wonder as we stare into the crater of a leaden satire.
Booksmart turns the page on teen girl stereotypes
Movie Review: Booksmart
Olivia Wilde’s feature debut looks at coming-of-age formula through a distinctly female lens, where acceptance and affirmation don’t rely on stunts or smashing a beer can into your forehead -- but the enduring loyalty of a best friend.
Isn’t It Romantic? feels like a rhetorical question
Movie review: Isn’t It Romantic?
Rebel Wilson leads a revolutionary effort through the red taffeta jungle of rom-coms, but fails to topple the upper tier of icing-covered couple expectations. And that’s probably just the way we want it. “Somewhere deep down, we crave a fairy tale ending for a relatable character — just as we do for ourselves,” writes movie critic Katherine Monk.
Can You Ever Forgive Me? finds redemption in unsympathetic Israel
Movie Review: Can You Ever Forgive Me?
McCarthy finds a morose incandescence in the conflicted and largely loathsome character of author Lee Israel, allowing the viewer to push past ribbons of inky deception and see a woman who felt wronged by the literary clique.
Crazy Rich Asians takes rom-com for a luxury ride
Movie review: Crazy Rich Asians
Jon M. Chu’s adaptation of the Kevin Kwan bestseller proves money trumps ethnicity and genre is universal as we watch a Romeo and Juliet romance unravel in the middle of Singapore.
Dog Days lifts a leg on Hollywood hydrant
Movie review: Dog Days
A fluffy version of Crash for canines features the lives and leashes of various Angelenos intertwining, without once pausing to smell its own assumptions.
The Spy Who Dumped Me: Somebody Dumped Something
Movie Review: The Spy Who Dumped Me
Mila Kunis and Kate McKinnon’s star in the cinematic equivalent of a girl turd - a predictably offensive but innately apologetic piece of digested genre that's almost funny, until you realize it stinks.
Melissa McCarthy and Maya Rudolph May Be the Best Boobs in the Business
Movie Review: Life of the Party
Taking on the part of a middle-aged mom who goes back to school, McCarthy revisits college comedy tropes with a seductive brand of physical comedy and an empathetic edge. Not all the comic concoctions work, but the female perspective makes room for affirmation amid humiliation.
Blockers Misses Tackle in Gender War
Movie Review: Blockers
Veteran writer and producer Kay Cannon makes her directorial debut with this raunchy comedy about three young women hoping to lose their virginity on prom night, and the parents who want to stop them. It’s a female-first R-rated comedy. Too bad it’s using an old game plan.
