Author: Rob Dean

Director Derrick Borte’s “Unhinged” is the perfect distillation of this moment in American culture, but it’s hard to tell what Borte and writer Carl Ellsworth are trying to say with their reflection. A high-level description of the plot — a deranged man seeks to punish a woman for a perceived slight and as retribution against a society in decline — sounds like the film is taking on entitled, straight white males who seek to control the lives of others, particularly women. However, the execution of “Unhinged” makes the delivery of this story a bit murkier, with cinematography and dialogue that…

We are currently living in a globally unprecedented historic moment, and it sucks. While there is excitement for the possibility of change to come, it is mostly dwarfed by the constant uncertainty about what life will look like when we emerge from the other side. The nonstop developments around the COVID-19 pandemic, the Black Lives Matter movement, ongoing #MeToo struggles and more are changing how certain stories are affecting people and their perspectives. “Greyhound” is no exception. It’s a middling movie that will certainly entertain dads and WWII enthusiasts by paying homage to the massive sacrifices made at an incredibly…

“The Old Guard” is an aggressively average movie. There are a few interesting moves towards changing up some of the formulaic aesthetics of the action genre, but it’s bogged down by stodgy stunt sequences, distracting editing and an awful script that rehashes worn-out character beats and story elements. It’s fine as something to semi-watch while doing chores around the house or catching up with friends — basically anything that doesn’t require your complete attention — but too much of “The Old Guard” feels like old hand. For untold centuries, Andy (Charlize Theron) and her band of immortal mercenaries — Booker…

There’s a fine line that critics must walk when reviewing a film. Though it’s one thing to critique a movie for not choosing a better path — one that offers more depth, innovation, representation or artistry — that can easily devolve into fan fiction of how the critic themself would handle it, which isn’t fair to the original piece. That’s the pitfall to avoid when reviewing “Bloodshot” (from first-time director Dave Wilson) because although there are a lot of positive elements, it’s mostly wasted potential that is poorly executed. Ray Garrison (Vin Diesel) is a professional solider who does the…

There are many places where cognitive therapy and 12-step programs overlap, which makes sense, as both are based on realigning learned behaviors and reconditioning people to change thought processes in order to move forward. One shared element is an encouragement towards volunteering and engaging in activities with larger groups. The reasons are slightly different for each, but the maxim used in Alcoholics Anonymous (paraphrased from C.S. Lewis) is still applicable for both groups: it’s not about being selfless but about thinking of the self less. This actually provides a grounded, logical reason for all those redemptive films where bad parents…

It’s fairly serendipitous that my first review following “Parasite’s” incredible awards season is an American remake of a very recent Swedish movie. There’s an aversion to foreign cinema in large swaths of the United States, and Hollywood capitalizes on that by remaking many foreign films, usually without most audiences even realizing it’s a remake. But there’s something to be said for the translation of these stories, as some cultural elements have to be changed, leading to different approaches and revealing new perspectives. “Downhill,” the American adaptation of Ruben Östlund’s “Force Majeure,” adds clever wrinkles and broad jokes to the original…

Recently, people have criticized various horror films for not scaring them and therefore equating whether a movie in the genre is good or not based on that fact. It’s a dumb benchmark, as the quality of a horror film isn’t reflective of whether it’s scary. That measurement ignores every other way that cinema is assessed, like imagery, sound, performances, storytelling and more. Take, for instance, “Gretel & Hansel.” Though the film is PG-13 and could potentially give some of its younger viewers nightmares, it’s not a scary movie. There’s an ethereal quality to it that removes the immediacy that can…

There was a trend in family films for a while of throwing in jokes and references for adults (presumably accompanying their offspring into the theater) that would go over most kids’ heads. While that element hasn’t been completely phased out, there’s more of a push these days to make family fare operate on multiple levels. “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse,” “How To Train Your Dragon,” “Toy Story 3” and more all feature characters and situations that are entertaining for younger viewers but with an added depth that resonates with older crowds as well. “Dolittle” aims to approach its audience with that…

Here’s a weird bit of trivia: Danny Glover was 41 when “Lethal Weapon” came out in 1987. At first blush, that may not mean anything, but across the four “Lethal Weapon” films (from 1987 to 1998), Glover was tasked with being seen as too old for action movie shenanigans. It’s a weird age discrepancy to wrap one’s head around, but it comes up a bit in “Bad Boys for Life,” especially with Martin Lawrence and Will Smith (reprising their roles from the previous two films) both now into their fifties. Though it’s not directed by previous “Bad Boys” helmer Michael…

“Like a Boss” is exactly the movie you’d expect it to be, at least on the surface. But while there are no narrative surprises in this story of a lifelong friendship put to the test, it’s in the telling of this overly familiar premise that the film shines. The incredible chemistry, dialogue and performances by the cast help to sell each scene and make them unique even while being confined within the well-worn tropes that audiences have seen many times before. Mia (Tiffany Haddish) and Mel (Rose Byrne) have been best friends since childhood and are practically family. Not only…