Magnolia Pictures Unrated. Running time: 124 minutes. Two stars out of four. All the humor and humanity that made “Nymphomaniac: Volume I” such an unexpectedly rich and enjoyable experience are long gone in “Nymphomaniac: Volume II.” The Lars von Trier you know and love (or love to hate) is back:...
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Reviews
What the Flick?! — Nymphomaniac: Volume II
It’s never as good as the first time. Alonso and I review the second half of Lars von Trier’s four-hour “Nymphomaniac,” which is far more dark and grim and judgmental than “Volume I.” The cynical, misanthropic von Trier is back....
Read moreWhat the Flick?! — Nymphomaniac: Vol. 1
That wacky Lars Von Trier. Who knew he was funny? Much has been made about the graphic nature of this film, in which Charlotte Gainsbourg plays a sex addict recounting her exploits for Stellan Skarsgard. But not only is it not a titillating experience, it’s also lighter and more playful...
Read moreRogerEbert.com — The Pretty One
Zoe Kazan is lovely in a multitude of roles, playing various versions of identical twin sisters. She and Jake Johnson share some effortless banter, but this ambitious comic drama doesn’t always hit the right marks tonally. My RogerEbert.com review. Read the review here...
Read moreWhat the Flick?! — The Monuments Men
George Clooney, as director, co-writer and star, put together an impressive cast to tell the story of a group of art historians who went behind enemy lines during World War II to recover millions of paintings and scultpures that Hitler stole. But the film is strangely dull and tonally off,...
Read moreRogerEbert.com — Labor Day
He’s a hunky convicted killer on the run. She’s a lonely divorcee raising a 13-year-old son. Over one unusually hot holiday weekend, they fall in passionate, doomed love—and they bake a heavily metaphorical pie. Josh Brolin and Kate Winslet do their best with some laughably soapy material in Jason Reitman’s...
Read moreRogerEbert.com — Run & Jump
Will Forte displays even deeper dramatic ability following “Nebraska” — and reveals himself as a surprisingly appealing romantic lead — in the small, Irish gem “Run & Jump.” But the even greater revelation is Maxine Peake, who’s radiant as a housewife and mother of two struggling to maintain her optimism...
Read moreWhat the Flick?! — Gloria
Paulina Garcia is indeed glorious as the title character: a divorced woman in her 50s carving out her own identity and finding her own happiness. This drama was Chile’s submission for the foreign-language category at the Academy Awards (it was not nominated, unfortunately) but it’s very much worth seeking out....
Read moreWhat the Flick?! — Gimme Shelter
It’s just a shot away … it’s just a shot away … Wait, sorry. This is not a documentary about the rioting at Altamont, nor is it an analysis of Martin Scorsese’s use of pop music in his films. But man, you’ll wish it were. Vanessa Hudgens continues to shed...
Read moreRogerEbert.com — Life of a King
Chess: It’s just like life! Did you know that? Cuba Gooding Jr. teaches the game to inner-city youth — and uses it as a not-so-subtle metaphor — in this well-intentioned but ultimately formulaic story of an ex-con trying to rebuild his life. My RogerEbert.com review. Read the review here...
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