Watching a brutal, bloody rape-revenge fantasy may not be your cup of tea. And I get that. But “Revenge” is the film we need right now from a filmmaker we need right now: French writer-director Coralie Fargeat, making her stunning feature debut. She upends your expectations of the genre and...
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Reviews
Wine the Flick?! — Rampage
“Rampage” is exactly the kind of stupid you want it to be. It’s about a giant, genetically enhanced gorilla, wolf and alligator who fight each other, destroying downtown Chicago in the process. Only Dwayne Johnson — with a lot of help from Naomie Harris — can stop them. It’s the...
Read moreChristy by Request — Zardoz
Where to begin in discussing the psychedelic, futuristic extravaganza that is “Zardoz”? It’s either one of the most innovative and daring pieces of science-fiction filmmaking or one of the worst movies ever made. Either way, the name alone prompts strong reactions from those who’ve been lucky enough to experience it...
Read moreRogerEbert.com — Ready Player One
The action is breathless and non-stop in “Ready Player One,” both in the virtual reality and the reality reality, but wallowing in ‘80s nostalgia is only so much fun for so long—even if you’re a child of the era (as I am)—and it only really works when it serves to...
Read moreRogerEbert.com — Red Sparrow
Jennifer Lawrence gets put through the wringer in myriad disturbing ways as a Russian ballerina-turned-spy. In theory, such graphic ordeals are meant to demonstrate her character’s physical and psychological fortitude. But ultimately, these shocking and violent sequences become repetitive and gratuitous, making “Red Sparrow” feel more like a cheap exercise...
Read moreWine the Flick?! — Annihilation
I’m so glad I had someone to talk about “Annihilation” with me afterward, because there is a LOT to sort through. And I’m so glad that someone was Lisa Evans, a good friend and fellow mom I know from Nic’s former school. Lisa has great taste in movies and she...
Read moreRogerEbert.com — Maze Runner: The Death Cure
Supposedly, the maze running is over. We’re out of the Glade and the Scorch, and we’ve escaped the flailing, gnashing zombies. The third and final installment in this particular dystopian Young Adult franchise is now complete. While its action sequences are strong — as was also the case in director...
Read moreRogerEbert.com — 12 Strong
“Understated” isn’t a word you’d ordinarily use to describe a Jerry Bruckheimer production, but that’s surprisingly what “12 Strong” ends up being. Director Nicolai Fuglsig, making his feature filmmaking debut, draws on his photojournalism background in telling this story of real-life heroism. Chris Hemsworth stars as the leader of a...
Read moreWine the Flick?! — The Commuter
Liam Neeson brings his very particular set of skills to yet another January action movie. You can set your watch by them, they’re so reliable. And that’s true once again with “The Commuter,” which is essentially “Taken” on a train. It’s a lot of fun for a while, and then...
Read moreRogerEbert.com — Dark Meridian
Welcome to the cinematic dumping ground that is January. My first review of 2018 is of the utterly forgettable crime thriller “Dark Meridian,” a title that says nothing at all. It could be a high-octane action flick about extreme sports enthusiasts. It could be a supernatural thriller about hopeful fools who...
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