2024
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Modern Television Isn’t Just Telling Us How to Identify Fascism. It’s Showing Us How to Fight It.
Television has a unique way of shining a spotlight on what’s going on in the world today, and right now, no spotlight is shining brighter than the one on the “United” States. Continue reading
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Our Most Anticipated Movies of 2025
There are plenty of films, whether they be original, adaptations, or sequels, that we’re looking forward to this year. Continue reading
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The 10 Best Films of 2024
Though it may not have reached the heights of years previous, 2024 has proven to be a fascinating year for cinema. Continue reading
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The Underseen Gems of 2024
Knock on Wood presents: our favorite under-appreciated masterpieces from 2024. Continue reading
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“A Complete Unknown” Embraces the Enigma (Review)
Mangold’s film, inscrutable as it is, makes the right choices to cement its legacy. Continue reading
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“Nosferatu” is the Visceral Nightmare We Deserve (Review)
As far as I’m concerned, no director has better control over their vision than Robert Eggers. Continue reading
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Gia Coppola’s Tender Tribute to “The Last Showgirl” (Review)
Give me an intimate portrait of the indomitable human spirit, and I’m all in. Continue reading
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“The War of the Rohirrim” Bottles the Best of Middle-Earth (Review)
“The War of the Rohirrim” perfectly recreates Tolkien’s fully-realized world in a way we haven’t quite seen before. Continue reading
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Too Many Movies, Too Little Time: A Summary of the 2024 Fall Movie Season (Part Two)
To commemorate the conclusion of the season, we have reviewed every new release (that I have seen) that has not been previously covered on our site. Continue reading
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“Werewolves” is All Bark and No Bite (Review)
“Werewolves” is not a good movie, but it is a successful one. Continue reading
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Awards Season Ramps Up: A Summary of the 2024 Fall Movie Season (Part One)
To commemorate the conclusion of the season, we have reviewed every new release (that I have seen) that has not been previously covered on our site. Continue reading
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Wallace & Gromit Return with a “Vengeance Most Fowl” (Review)
This new film is the confluence of the best ideas and imagery this series has offered in its 35 years of history, and to bring back one of their most iconic baddies is just icing on the cake. Continue reading
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“Moana 2” Struggles with Structure (Review)
One song every quarter of an hour cements what I already knew (and this is the kicker) – I think this would have made a very good series. Continue reading
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The Monumental Journey of “The Brutalist” (Review)
“The Brutalist” speaks beautifully and honestly to America’s betrayal of immigrants and the broken promise of the infamous (some might say mythical) American Dream. Continue reading
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“Wicked” Destroys All Doubt (Review)
“Wicked” is a coin with many faces, and its many morals are what makes it unique; it’s vivacious proof that a musical does not have to acknowledge its lessons directly in the lyrics of its songs. Continue reading
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“Gladiator II” is Too Focused on Legacy (Review)
Ridley Scott’s movies are typically visually and tonally excellent, creating memorable images and sequences, but he doesn’t really elevate material. Continue reading
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Godzilla vs. Gatsby: A Battle for the Ages? (Review)
And Count Dracula, and Sherlock Holmes, and Jules Verne, and the Time Traveller… Continue reading
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“Red One” is Not Bad…It’s Something Much Worse (Review)
It’s a movie designed to live as a Blu-ray in front of the checkout aisle at Target with a 30% off sticker slapped on the case. Continue reading
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“The Seed of the Sacred Fig” is a Titanic Achievement (Review)
“The Seed of the Sacred Fig” doesn’t exist because the director willed it into being, it exists because it demands to. There is no world in which it doesn’t. Continue reading
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“Look Back” on the Beauty of Art and the Everyday (Review)
“Look Back” is a compelling argument for the power of art to transcend space and time and connect with the deepest parts of ourselves. Continue reading
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“Anora” is the Fairytale of Your American Dreams (Review)
“Anora” lets us bask in director Sean Baker’s perspective on Americana, its broken dream, and the ever-expanding wealth gap and classism rotting at the country’s core. Continue reading
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“Conclave” Confronts Controversy with Grace and Faith (Review)
Controversy and the Church, for better or worse, go hand-in-hand. Continue reading
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Clint Eastwood’s “Juror #2” is Failed by the System it Celebrates (Review)
There’s a certain quality to “Juror #2” that I will forever find endearing, and that is its willingness to embrace the inherent excitement of its premise. Continue reading
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“Better Man” Rises Above the Biopic Formula (Review)
It’s abundantly clear that this was a deeply personal film for Robbie Williams. Continue reading
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“We Live in Time” Has its Heart in the Right Place (Review)
Even with a structure that’s frustratingly inconsistent, the greater frustration is that there are such compelling themes, ideas, and performances that ideally would have been done a bit more justice. Continue reading
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Family History is “A Real Pain” (Review)
This should be the poster child for how to approach historical trauma with sensitivity and tact while maintaining a levity that is necessary to escape the ever-present pull of misery. Continue reading
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Live from 1975, it’s “Saturday Night!” (Review)
Complex and controversial history aside, it’s undeniable that SNL changed the landscape of television and entertainment as a whole. This is the perfect time for a movie like this. Continue reading
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Coppola’s “Megalopolis” is a Plea for the Future from the Past (Review)
Coppola is the singular creative visionary – a position that comes with an infinity of expectations and pressure, but if anyone can handle them, it’s the five-time Oscar winner who has delivered four of the greatest films ever made. Continue reading
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“Salem’s Lot” Captures the Crowd with a Thrilling Absurdity (Review)
I’m afraid my experience at this premiere makes this movie impossible to rate objectively – it was one of the most energetic and reactive crowds I have ever been a part of at the cinema, and everyone there seemed perfectly… Continue reading
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Pharrell Williams Takes Us Through his LEGO Life “Piece by Piece” (Review)
The story itself doesn’t matter. It all comes down to how it’s told. Continue reading
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The Most Exciting Film Festival Premieres of 2024
Film festivals happen throughout the year, but the premieres ramp up from the end of the summer through the beginning of fall. Continue reading
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“Apartment 7A” Reflects the Timeless Horror of “Rosemary’s Baby” (Review)
For all intents and purposes, “Apartment 7A” is a remake of “Rosemary’s Baby.” If you’ve seen the original, especially recently (as I have), the beats will feel incredibly familiar Continue reading
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“Agatha All Along” is a Blast of Fresh Magic (Review)
It was a huge relief to see that although “Agatha All Along” began by following directly in the footsteps of its predecessor, it very quickly pivoted to forging a tonal path for itself and distinguishing itself among a crowded slate… Continue reading
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“Omni Loop” Juggles Buddy Comedy, Black Holes, and Existential Regret (Review)
Despite biting off more than it can chew, I could see “Omni Loop” becoming an underground hit. Continue reading
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“Speak No Evil” Review: Reimagining Genre (and Cultural) Boundaries
It’s not a horror movie, per se, but more of a ticklish, unsettling character comedy before it becomes a full-throttle thrill ride straight to the finish line. Continue reading
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“The Perfect Couple” Struggles to Stand Out (Review)
Had it been released ten years ago, “The Perfect Couple” might have been a sensation, but in a world full of tales with more commentary about indulgence and wealth than I can swallow, the series does little to distinguish itself… Continue reading
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Everything We Didn’t Review: A Summary of the 2024 Summer Movie Season
To commemorate the conclusion of the season, we have reviewed every new release (that I have seen) that has not been previously covered on our site. Continue reading
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“Alien: Romulus” Revives the Spacebound Terror (Review)
“Alien: Romulus” is at its best when Álvarez releases any inhibitions and lets loose: a slice of dismal future life, injected with a healthy dose of creature-driven terror. Continue reading
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“Borderlands” Spectacularly Reinforces the Video Game Movie Curse (Review)
“Borderlands” is a neutered-down experience that will disappoint fans, and dull would-be fans that don’t know what they’re missing. Continue reading
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“Trap” is Another Shyamalan Masterwork (Review)
It’s not an exaggeration to say that watching “Trap” was the most fun I’ve had in a cinema so far this year. Continue reading
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Poetic Tragedy Elevates Haunting Musical “Gatsby: An American Myth” (Review)
This is a myth, a fable about the American Dream and how it can so easily consume the hopes and aspirations of good people. Continue reading
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“Deadpool & Wolverine” is a Worrisome Reflection of a Risky Future (Review)
Even if you don’t take into account its lack of rewatch value, “Deadpool & Wolverine” will not stand the test of time. Continue reading
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Sean Wang Strikes Gold with Poignant Coming-of-Age Triumph “Dìdi” (Review)
“Dìdi” is a perfectly preserved time capsule of a movie, executed with the care and precision that imbues it with an instantly authentic feel. Continue reading
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“The Acolyte” is a Breath of Fresh Air for the “Star Wars” Universe (Review)
The new series seems to be designed to intentionally anger bigots while being refreshingly unashamed about putting necessary representation on-screen, a step most “Star Wars” media has been hesitant to take. Continue reading
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The Life-Affirming Beauty of “Sing Sing” (Review)
The formerly incarcerated men tell their own stories in a way that feels true to the spirit of the program, within a film that treats their situation with the necessary gravity while maintaining a levity that becomes crucial to the… Continue reading
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The Singular Horror Experience of “Longlegs” (Review)
“Longlegs” gets under your skin in a way that’s very difficult to put into words. Continue reading
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Lessons from the Wasteland: Long Takes
Welcome to class! Each film on this curated watchlist will highlight either a filmmaker, sub-genre, filmmaking technique, or significant topic in order to broaden your cinematic horizons. Continue reading
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“MaXXXine” Blends Sex, Violence, and Hollywood in Ti West’s Trilogy Capper (Review)
Despite some very clunky plotting, West’s homages are so well done that I ultimately find myself coming down in their favor. Continue reading
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The 10 Best Films of 2024, So Far: A Midyear Report
Whether or not 2024 will outlast 2023 in terms of beloved classics, there’s still plenty of time for the new releases to surprise us. Continue reading
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“Kinds of Kindness” is Lanthrimos’ Ode to Desire and Control (Review)
Lanthimos wants his films to get back to what works best about his filmmaking style and language: the acknowledgment that there’s inherent absurdity to the natural depravity behind our desire for control, and to be controlled. Continue reading
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