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A whimsical fantasy about the Owens sisters facing a new threat to their family and its generations-old magic, Practical Magic 2 is a cute and nostalgic return filled with familiar characters and witchy fun, even if the story occasionally gets a little goofy. The only time I watched Practical Magic was when it first came…
A vibrant animated adventure about two lifelong friends transported to a fantastical island filled with the Filipino folklore they grew up hearing about, Forgotten Island includes entertaining animation styles, hilarious characters, and a heartfelt story about friends, loyalty, and chosen family. One of the little secrets that I don’t talk about all that often is…
A musical proshot about three friends whose personal and professional lives become increasingly intertwined, Merrily We Roll Along moves backward through its characters’ lives with quintessential Sondheim wit and lyrical complexity, elevated by three extraordinary performances. When this performance first came to Broadway, I was a little surprised – and I wasn’t alone. Not well…
A dark crime thriller about a widowed father whose son’s abduction connects to the serial killer who terrorized the town years earlier, The Whisper Man is an intriguing mystery with solid performances, an eerie atmosphere, and a story that’s a little hit-or-miss. I like a good psychological thriller, and I’m glad studios keep making and…
A visually striking but painfully muddled take on the classic fairy tale, Red Riding Hood combines a werewolf mystery, gothic romance, and Twilight-style love triangle without finding a convincing way to make any of them work. Every once in a while I happen upon a movie that probably won’t be good, but I have to…
A speculative drama examining how different choices might reshape the course of a life, The Travellers has an intriguing premise, but it never goes anywhere that you might care about. This last month has included a lot of travel for me. Between a family wedding, a trip with my daughter, and then moving her to…
A fantastic comedy about a group of gifted college students whose scientific breakthrough is secretly being turned into a weapon, Real Genius stands apart from other comedies of its time, replacing crude 80s humor with sharp wit, genuine intelligence, and a story that still feels surprisingly relevant today. When I was a kid, Real Genius…
A period romance about two young men traveling together to record the folk songs of rural America, The History of Sound is a beautifully understated film, with excellent performances and a gentle, emotionally rich story that uses music as both a form of love and a way of preserving history. When I stumbled across this…
A science-fiction drama about ordinary people trying to make sense of encounters with unexplained phenomena, Close Encounters Of The Third Kind is a beautifully paced film that uses extraordinary performances and a breathtaking finale to tell a story that’s ultimately more about obsession than aliens. When Disclosure Day was released in theaters a few months…
A coming-of-age drama about two teenagers whose chance friendship leads them to confront grief, family trauma, and the weight of their pasts, All the Bright Places unfolds with warmth and compassion, using excellent performances to tell a story that’s ultimately as healing as it is heartbreaking. One of the things that I love most about…
A heartfelt coming-of-age drama about a teenager preparing for her first show while navigating the realities of her mother’s returning illness, Don’t Say Good Luck gradually builds its emotional weight through likable characters, genuine performances, and a deeply affecting musical backdrop. When the musical Waitress came out in 2016, it kind of went right past…
A romantic dramedy about a couple confronting the anxieties threatening to reshape their relationship, The Drama favors symbolism over realism, creating an ambitious and stylistically fascinating experience that’s more visually absorbing than emotionally engaging. I have to admit – when this was released, I was not interested. I like both Zendaya and Robert Pattinson enough,…
