Author: Rob Dean

There are a select few artists who’ve worked the same tropes into most of their projects for decades, but it never feels like a hollow imitation or a sad attempt to go back to that well. They muse over the same themes with similar characters or surroundings so that their obsessions and neuroses are blatant even to an audience that’s barely familiar with their oeuvre, but the style of the approach is either just different enough or the artist is just that damn talented that it feels fresh, nuanced and vital. Paul Schrader’s career is filled with meditations on the…

There is an inherent tension between the practical and the sentimental. Viewing something through totally objective eyes may help clarify a situation, but it doesn’t necessarily make it any more accurate. That’s the foundation of the drama in “Worth,” the new film from director Sara Colangelo and writer Max Borenstein about the creation and implementation of the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund. The fundamental question that the movie asks repeatedly is, how does one determine how much a person is worth? It’s a harrowing, philosophical debate that takes into account a whole host of factors to determine not only how…

1992’s “Candyman” is one of the towering achievements in horror filmmaking from that era. While loosely based on Clive Barker’s short story “The Forbidden,” it was writer/director Bernard Rose’s approach in the script and production that gave rise to a scary, beautiful and vital movie that still resonates almost 30 years later. However, this frightening tale about the power of legends was set in a Black American world as filtered through two white Englishmen and centered on a white female protagonist/savior. Though this doesn’t diminish the effectiveness or accomplishments of “Candyman,” it suggests that there was always another perspective to…

There’s always been a debate about what matters most in storytelling: the journey or the destination. Even if the audience knows what will happen, some say all that matters is whether the details leading up to the climax are engrossing. On the other hand, if viewers are emotionally invested and sink time into the proceedings, then a limp payoff will sour the whole experience, retroactively even. Like most things, it’s not cut and dry with absolutes, which brings us to “The Night House,” a superbly layered slice of dread right up until its final moments. Dropping the ball that close…

People are endlessly fascinated with providing inner lives to things that otherwise don’t seem to have them. This spirited psychology has been applied to animals, toys, machines, and characters living in games and movies as artists explore what the world would be like if their own brains were transported into these situations. Recently, it’s become a way to examine the idea of autonomy — or more specifically, what someone is expected to do, why they’re expected to do it, and what would happen if they stopped doing it. “The LEGO Movie,” “Wreck-It Ralph” and now “Free Guy” (from director Shawn…

There is a memorable exchange in Michael Winterbottom’s “Tristram Shandy: A Cock and Bull Story” in which the producer and the director of a comedic movie are discussing how the project is coming along. The producer asks, “Why do we want to spend a year of our lives making this film?” “Because it’s funny,” says the director. The producer responds, “Is that all?” To which the director asks, “Is that not enough?” It’s an exchange that sticks with viewers because it reminds folks of how easy it is to dismiss something simply because it’s humorous. For some reason, society has…

“Jungle Cruise” opens with the beginning chords of “Nothing Else Matters” by Metallica playing over the Disney logo. That’s an alarming development few would have anticipated in 1992. In addition to being a weird age-check curveball, it lays out the fact that the movie, from director Jaume Collet-Serra and based on the beloved Disney theme park attraction, is a surprisingly fun adventure film full of charm, wit and genuine excitement. There are two not-insignificant issues that detract from how effective the movie is overall, but those matters notwithstanding, “Jungle Cruise” is a nice slice of summer escapism. In 1930s London,…

“The Green Knight” is a film about patience that requires its own amount of equanimity and meditation. While writer/director David Lowery, cinematographer Andrew Droz Palermo and production designer Jade Healy craft sumptuous images on screen that will sear into the back of viewers’ eyelids, the story and meanings require a careful ponderance. For some, this will be annoying because so much of the movie can be interpreted in multiple ways and will leave them frustrated, likely finding the whole thing a beautiful but intellectually muddled affair. For others, it’s the revisiting and questioning that will linger, perhaps far longer than…

Action films are curious creatures because there are many ways to approach the genre and produce an engrossing experience. Technical prowess and the actors’ abilities to perform fight choreography or stunts can wow audiences as well as develop characters and themes. Cinematography and editing can highlight (or compensate for) these physical sequences that reinforce tones by utilizing a visual narrative. Lastly, strong characterization makes viewers care about the people on screen; punches land harder when folks want heroes to make it through their journey unscathed (or at least not too hurt). Filmmakers can rely on one or more of these…

Reviewing children’s movies is difficult. It would be great if the films worked for multiple ages, finding ways to not be too mature or cynical but also not too goofy or nonsensical. It’s a high-wire act that few titles can pull off well. First, the writer has to remember how various entertainment played to them as a child. Then, they determine how the latest generation of youths interact with entertainment. All of this is to say that this entire review of “Space Jam: A New Legacy” comes with the major caveat that perhaps this writer is not as hip to…