Coming 2 America is a lifeless detour without any of the humor or incisive critique of the original. John Landis’ 1988 Eddie Murphy vehicle Coming to America is, frankly, justly beloved. Although it’s full of now-dated stereotypes and off-color humor, it’s also — much like…
The Orphanage can be flat and predictable for stretches, but it also tilts its formalism toward a playful character enough to suggest Sadat is worth continuing to watch. The Orphanage is the second feature by Afghani director Shahrbanoo Sadat, and it also happens to be…
The Map of Tiny Perfect Things is yet another time loop flick that fails to do anything to energize its exhausted conceit. Note to Hollywood: No more time-loop films. The concept has been exhausted, at least if the last several efforts have anything to say…
Bliss has its moments, but is ultimately far too satisfied with the faux-profundity of its deeply obvious ideas. Writer-director Mike Cahill is no stranger to spinning original sci-fi concepts into deeply felt personal tales that tackle the fragility of human life, as seen in past…
Herself is a well-intentioned but ultimately one-note message film that fails to build any real power. A patron of the British arts, Phyllida Lloyd’s transition from a director of theater to film could hardly have been more conspicuous. Her debut feature, Mamma Mia, set box-office…
One Night in Miami finds power in its discourse and suggests King’s legitimate directorial chops in moments, but it fails to fully translate its stage origins to the screen. The strength of Regina King’s directorial debut lies largely outside of her influence. Rather, One Night…
Julia Hart shows promise but ultimately disappoints with I’m Your Woman, a film attempting to flip the crime genre on its head but only ending up on the ground itself. The goals of I’m Your Woman are obvious. By pushing the criminal men to the…
Education is Small Axe‘s punctuation mark and the film that brings the entire project to an inspired and even celebratory conclusion. Regardless of whether one thinks of Small Axe as a collection of films or a sort of variegated television miniseries event (either way, its…
Alex Wheatle is the slightest of the Small Axe films in many ways, but it’s also perhaps the most instructive as to the project’s overarching concerns. Having left festival season behind and with the majority now available to the public, the scope and collective structure of Steve…
Red, White and Blue is incisive and deeply felt, but its conclusions don’t quite feel big enough for its format. Having now seen three of Steve McQueen’s five Small Axe films (the final two held hostage by Amazon until December), it’s easier to trace out…
