Movies
Today’s audiences don’t just watch movies at the local cineplex. They screen them on their laptops, tablets and smart phones as well. The genres may be different, but Hollywood in Toto looks at entertainment value first and foremost when helping you pick the best movie for your favorite media player.
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‘Can I Get a Witness?’ Avoids Hollywood Lectures
A key flaw with most “message” movies is that they invite a one-sided dialogue if they invite one at all.…
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‘A Real Pain’ Delivers Bittersweet Buddy Comedy
Kieran Culkin’s character in “A Real Pain” can light up a room. Just ask his cousin David, played by writer/director…
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‘Red One’ Floods Zone with Action Over Christmas Cheer
Christmas classics, from “Elf” to “Christmas Vacation,” have something special in common. Set aside the laughs, comic set pieces and…
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‘NeverEnding Story’ Enchanted Young and Old Alike
Wolfgang Peterson’s “The NeverEnding Story” is a rare children’s film that I respected in my youth for how smart, serious-minded…
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‘Heretic’ Turns Hugh Grant into a Charming Monster
Older stars lose their youthful veneer but often gain something special in the process. Examples? Kevin Costner, Jean Smart and…
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How David Lynch Buckled Our Knees with ‘The Straight Story’
David Lynch’s “The Straight Story” (1999) is his least expected work and one of his best. Atypically straightforward but rich…
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Discarded ‘Breakfast of Champions’ Gets a Second Chance
Alan Rudolph’s “Breakfast of Champions” (1999) is messy, dated and occasionally brilliant. Following a high-profile premiere and a negative reaction…
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We Still Can’t Crack ‘Phantasm’ 45 Years Later
Don Coscarelli’s “Phantasm” (1979) begins with its title in red letters and nothing more. We’re off and running, which sums…
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‘Halloween 5: Revenge of Michael Myers’ Shows Face of Franchise
Dominique Othenin-Girard’s “Halloween 5: The Revenge of Michael Myers” (1989) immediately grabs us with an opening title sequence riffing on…
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‘Here’ Collapses Under Weight of Its Gimmick
Will CGI wonders never cease? Last year, Harrison Ford looked like his old self in “Indiana Jones and the Dial…
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