Sausage Party (Greg Tiernan/Conrad Vernon, 2016) If the thought of your food having sex (note: not you having sex with…
In “Florence Foster Jenkins,” La Diva Streep Warbles Through a Too-Often Flat Aria
Florence Foster Jenkins (Stephen Frears, 2016) I miss the Meryl Streep of yore, before she was an institution, accorded diva…
Disney’s Remade “Pete’s Dragon” Offers CGI Delights and Flesh-and-Bone Disappointments
Pete’s Dragon (David Lowery, 2016) If you are a fan of the original Pete’s Dragon, released in 1977, eager to see…
Criterion’s “Night and Fog” + “Neither Heaven Nor Earth” + Gillian Armstrong x2 at “Hammer to Nail”
In the past two weeks, Hammer to Nail published three reviews of mine – of two movies just released and one…
In “Don’t Think Twice,” Funny People Try Too Hard to Be Sad
Don’t Think Twice (Mike Birbiglia, 2016) Comedian Mike Birbiglia has developed a loyal fanbase over the past 10 years or so with…
“Jason Bourne” Thrills as It Kills, but Kills Far Too Much
Jason Bourne (Paul Greengrass, 2016) The last time we saw Matt Damon in an existential crisis was just over 10 months…
The Coffee and Pastries Are Ever So Stale in “Café Society”
Café Society (Woody Allen, 2016) With almost fifty feature films to his name, writer/director Woody Allen is nothing if not extremely…
These “Bad Moms” Revel in the Anarchy of Laughter
Bad Moms (Jon Lucas/Scott Moore, 2016) As those who read my reviews will know, I did not much like what, until…
Reviews of “The Seventh Fire” and “Train to Busan” at “Hammer to Nail”
In the past week, I wrote reviews for two new films – one a documentary about drug use and related…
Dan Rodricks’ Roughly Speaking on the Films of Summer 2016, So Far …
On today’s edition of Dan Rodricks’ Roughly Speaking podcast for The Baltimore Sun, in addition to coverage of the Republican National Convention and book…
