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News, Updates and Other Stuff…

“SOMETHING POINTLESS” IS SOMETHING QUITE SPECIAL

One of the better trends in the film business these days is not only the explosion of filmmakers trying their hand at short films, but...

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April 22, 2026
NO ARGUMENT HERE, THE SECOND SEASON OF “BEEF” IS EVEN BETTER

I love it when a sophomore season betters the first since it’s very difficult to do. And as terrific as the first American dramedy series...

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April 19, 2026
YOU’LL LAUGH; YOU'LL CRY AT THE WONDROUS “MARGO’S GOT MONEY TROUBLES”

Original caricature by Jeff York of Elle Fanning with Graham Hendrix in MARGO'S GOT MONEY TROUBLES (copyright 2026) One of the marvels of screenwriter/show-runner David E....

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April 9, 2026
EVEN WITH SEASON TWO’S SUPERB ENSEMBLE, HAMM STEALS “YOUR FRIENDS & NEIGHBORS”

Original caricature by Jeff York of Jon Hamm in YOUR FRIENDS & NEIGHBORS (copyright 2026) The second season of YOUR FRIENDS & NEIGHBORS on Apple TV...

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April 4, 2026
“THE DRAMA” SHOWCASES JUST HOW FRAGILE & FUNNY LOVE CAN BE

Original caricature by Jeff York of Zendaya and Robert Pattinson in THE DRAMA (copyright 2026) My rave review of COMPANION last year was one of my...

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April 1, 2026
“READY OR NOT 2: HERE I COME” SLAYS IN A RICHER SEQUEL

The cult hit READY OR NOT from 2019 was a horror comedy that not only had fun riffing on the tropes of the genre, but...

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March 20, 2026
“PROJECT HAIL MARY” FILLS ITS SPACE WITH TOO MUCH CHATTER

There’s a great movie within the just-opened PROJECT HAIL MARY. Unfortunately, it’s sharing screen time with a sophomoric buddy comedy between Ryan Gosling’s glib scientist and...

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March 20, 2026
“THE BRIDE” IS A MONSTER MASH-UP OF TOO MANY IDEAS & TONES

An art teacher once told me that you can only blend so many colors before getting mud. Writer/director Maggie Gyllenhaal has blended a lot of colors...

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March 5, 2026
10 BEST FILM NOMINEES. 10 JEFF YORK CARICATURES. YOURS FOR $20.

Hi friends, I've drawn caricatures of all ten Best Picture nominees this year and you can get your digital, downloadable set of them for just $20....

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February 28, 2026
OSCAR’S LIVE ACTION SHORTS SHOWCASE EVERYTHING FROM POLITICAL DRAMA TO PERIOD COMEDY

It’s a privilege to be able to see the Oscar-nominated shorts and thanks to the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts & Sciences for making them...

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February 23, 2026
THE 2026 OSCAR ANIMATED SHORTS ACT ALL GROWN UP

One of the unexpected delights about the Oscar Animated Shorts screening in theaters for a few weeks before the Academy Awards ceremony each year is...

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February 23, 2026
“CRIME 101” PUTS BOTH THE FUN AND THE SMARTS BACK IN NEO-NOIR

Original caricature by Jeff York of Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo, Halle Berry and Barry Keoghan in CRIME 101.(copyright 2026) When I first heard about the new...

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February 13, 2026
FENNELL’S SPIN ON “WUTHERING HEIGHTS” TURNS IN THE WRONG DIRECTION

When an idea has been done to death, say an umpteenth production of a play or a reboot of a film franchise, an artist will...

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February 12, 2026
“MERCY” HAS A SMART PREMISE, BUT ITS INTELLIGENCE TURNS OUT TO BE ARTIFICIAL

There’s a clever idea in the new sci-fi thriller MERCY. The story takes place in the not-too-distant future where A.I. takes over our justice system...

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January 23, 2026
“AGATHA CHRISTIE’S SEVEN DIALS” IS A BUNDLE OF DELIGHTS

Original caricature by Jeff York of Mia McKenna-Bruce and Martin Freeman in the Netflix miniseries AGATHA CHRISTIE'S SEVEN DIALS. (copyright 2026) When adapting Agatha Christie for...

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January 20, 2026
DESPITE ITS MUSICAL NUMBERS, “THE TESTAMENT OF ANN LEE” FAILS TO MOVE

One of the unfortunate truisms of cinema is that most any presentation of a Christian religion onscreen tends to be a less than flattering portrayal....

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January 20, 2026
THE CHICAGO INDIE CRITICS ANNOUNCES THEIR 2025 WINDIE AWARDS

Hello, friends and followers! The Chicago Indie Critics have announced our choices for the best in film 2025 with our Windie Awards and the big winner...

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January 16, 2026
JEFF YORK’S 10 BEST FILMS OF 2025

Original caricature by Jeff York of the cast of SINNERS (copyright 2025) 2025 turned out to be a terrific year for film with plenty of epic...

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December 30, 2025
"MARTY SUPREME” MAKES FUN OF FAME, FORTUNE & AMERICAN HUSTLE

Original caricature by Jeff York of Timothee Chalamet in MARTY SUPREME (copyright 2025). The new comedy MARTY SUPREME ostensibly is a sports film about a fictional...

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December 23, 2025
“THE HOUSEMAID” STRUGGLES TO MAKE ITS PULP PALPABLE

Tone can be a tricky thing in movies. Those in a comedy must not know they’re in a comedy. Instead, the characters in THE BIRDCAGE must...

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December 18, 2025
“AVATAR: FIRE AND ASH”: BEEN THERE, BLOWN UP THAT

James Cameron is truly a visionary director whose worldbuilding in the AVATAR movies is almost unparalleled. The visual effects and CGI-rendered imagery in his third...

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December 17, 2025
“MAKE ME FAMOUS” ADROITLY CRITIQUES THE NYC ART SCENE OF THE 1980s

Original caricature by Jeff York of various folks in the documentary MAKE ME FAMOUS (Keith Haring, Jean Michel Basquiat, David Bowie, David McDermott, Madonna, Marguerite...

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December 9, 2025
“HAMNET” PORTRAYS GRIEVING AS CATHARIS AND INSPIRATION FOR ART

Original caricature by Jeff York of Jessie Buckley and Paul Mascal in HAMNET (copyright 2025) Depression and grief are tricky themes to pull off in cinema....

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November 28, 2025
“WAKE UP DEAD MAN” HAS MORE THAN MYSTERY ON ITS MIND

By the time an average American youth reaches 18 years of age, they will have witnessed some 40,000 simulated murders across the entertainment landscape. Needless to...

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November 26, 2025
LINES BETWEEN ART & LIFE BLUR IN THE SLYLY RENDERED “SENTIMENTAL VALUE”

Original caricature by Jeff York of the main cast of SENTIMENTAL VALUE (copyright 2025). The interplay between one’s art and real life are the subject of...

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November 26, 2025
A NEW ROM-COM ASKS IF ONE CAN LOVE ANOTHER FOR “ETERNITY”

So many romantic stories are filled with such purple prose that one is left to wonder if the writer actually ever experienced the ups and...

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November 26, 2025
"WICKED: FOR GOOD" DELIVERS A GRANDE-SIZED TRIUMPH

Original caricature by Jeff York of the main cast of WICKED: FOR GOOD (copyright 2025) Last year the film adaptation of WICKED defied gravity by not...

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November 20, 2025
A MELANCHOLY “JAY KELLY” BOTH SUCCEEDS AND STRUGGLES WITH GEORGE CLOONEY

If you think the name Jay Kelly sounds a lot like George Clooney, wait till you see the rest of the film. JAY KELLY is the...

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November 17, 2025
LAWRENCE AND PATTINSON EXCEL IN THE CHALLENGING “DIE MY LOVE”

Director Lynne Ramsay’s new film DIE MY LOVE is a tough sit. It’s expertly done from top to bottom, uncompromising in its story of a young...

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November 7, 2025
A NOBLE “NUREMBERG” MISSES GREATNESS

The story at the heart of the new film NUREMBERG is an important one. It’s the little-known story of an army psychiatrist tasked with studying...

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November 6, 2025
TESSA THOMPSON SHINES IN COMPLICATED “HEDDA” ADAPTATION

You don’t have to know the 1891 play Hedda Gabler by Norwegian Henrik Ibsen to enjoy filmmaker Nia DaCostas’ new adaptation of it entitled HEDDA....

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October 29, 2025
HAWKE AND LINKLATER POUR THEIR HART INTO “BLUE MOON”

Original caricature by Jeff York of Margaret Qualley and Ethan Hawke in BLUE MOON (copyright 2025) You’re probably aware that SPRINGSTEEN: DELIVER ME FROM NOWHERE opened...

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October 27, 2025
“THE SECRET AGENT” IS A TENSE AND SWEATY, SLOW-BURN THRILLER

There’s a simmering tension in almost every scene in the new period political thriller THE SECRET AGENT from Brazil. It's a feeling of dread hanging...

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October 26, 2025
“BUGONIA” BRILLIANTLY SATIRIZES CORPORATIONS & CONSPIRACIES

Original caricature by Jeff York of Emma Stone, Aidan Delbis and Jesse Plemons in BUGONIA (copyright 2025). It’s time to add Yorgos Lanthimos and Emma Stone’s...

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October 22, 2025
ROSE BYRNE IS GREAT IN THE EXCRUCIATING “IF I HAD LEGS I’D KICK YOU”

Rose Byrne is amongst our best actresses, one who doesn’t get nearly the acclaim that she should. (Not even one Emmy nominations in the three...

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October 20, 2025
THE KAFKA BIOPIC “FRANZ” IS BOTH DENSE & SPRY IN CONJURING THE WRITER

Few would approach a biographical film about Franz Kafka with the light touch that filmmaker Agnieszka Holland applies to her latest film FRANZ. (It just...

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October 19, 2025
DEL TORO COMPLICATES SHELLEY WITH HIS EPIC “FRANKENSTEIN”

The thinking is likely that the tale of Dr. Victor Frankenstein and his creature has been told so many times that filmmakers are looking for...

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October 16, 2025
“AFTER THE HUNT” IS ONE OF THE YEAR’S BIGGEST MISFIRES

A stellar cast, an acclaimed filmmaker, and a hot button topic. You’d think that such attributes would make for a well-done and timely moviegoing experience. You’d...

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October 9, 2025
“KISS OF THE SPIDER WOMAN” DAZZLES AS BOTH MUSICAL AND DRAMA

Original caricature by Jeff York of Tonatiuh, Diego Luna, and Jennifer Lopez in KISS OF THE SPIDER WOMAN (copyright 2025). The 1975 novel Kiss of the...

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October 7, 2025
DWAYNE JOHNSON REIGNS IN THE SPORTS BIO “THE SMASHING MACHINE”

There is no question that Dwayne Johnson is a movie star, but for those who question whether he’s a terrific actor, one need only to...

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October 3, 2025
“ANEMONE” MARKS THE RETURN OF THE GREAT DANIEL DAY-LEWIS

Daniel Day-Lewis is back, and his son Ronan Day-Lewis has got him. And while it is a pleasure to see the vaulted actor back on screen...

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October 3, 2025
“GOOD BOY.” GOOD FRIGHTENER. GREAT DOG.

As a horror movie lover, I have always had two (ahem) pet peeves when it comes to tropes in the genre. First, I loathe protagonists...

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September 29, 2025
“ONE BATTLE AFTER ANOTHER” SHOWCASES PAUL THOMAS ANDERSON AT FULL GONZO

gonzo | ˈɡänzō | adjective informal, mainly North American English 1 relating to or denoting journalism of an exaggerated, subjective, and fictionalized style: a gonzo journalist. 2 very strange or bizarre: he has starred in gonzo action flicks and quiet indie...

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September 25, 2025
FIVE SEASONS IN AND “SLOW HORSES” KEEPS GETTING BETTER

Original caricature by Jeff York of the main cast of SLOW HORSES (copyright 2025). By the fifth season, most television shows start to wane. Not SLOW...

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September 23, 2025
OLIVIA COOKE AND ROBIN WRIGHT BATTLE FOR SUPREMACY IN THE TWISTY NEW MINISERIES “THE GIRLFRIEND”

Original caricature by Jeff York of Olivia Cooke and Robin Wright in THE GIRLFRIEND. (copyright 2025) You can sense the mature, female sensibility in Amazon Prime’s...

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September 13, 2025
“THE LONG WALK” COMPELS EVERY STEP OF THE WAY

The new film THE LONG WALK had me on the edge of my seat every step of the way. How so? Well, this tight and tense...

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September 9, 2025
“TWINLESS” EXAMINES THE LONELINESS OF LOSS WITH EDGE & HUMOR

Losing a twin is a singular type of tragedy. Believe me, I know as I was left twinless when my identical brother Greg died of...

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September 8, 2025
“THE ROSES” IS A PUNGENT TAKE ON THE DISINTEGRATION OF A MARRIAGE

Original caricature by Jeff York of Olivia Colman and Benedict Cumberbatch in THE ROSES (copyright 2025) A funny thing happened on the way to the big...

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August 27, 2025
QUALLEY ANCHORS A QUIRKY, COMIC NOIR IN “HONEY DON’T!”

Original caricature by Jeff York of Margaret Qualley in HONEY DON'T! (copyright 2025) Margaret Qualley continues to illustrate that she is one of today’s most exciting...

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August 19, 2025
THE PAST HAUNTS JACK AND JILL WHO “WENT UP THE HILL”

Parapsychology (the study of hypnosis, telepathy, and the paranormal) is a fascinating backdrop for horror as such a study generally lacks any empirical evidence or...

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August 14, 2025
“FREAKIER FRIDAY” IS TOO FRANTIC TIMES FOUR

I love Jamie Lee Curtis. And I loved FREAKY FRIDAY, her first film with Lindsay Lohan. So, why didn’t I love this one? Quite simply,...

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August 7, 2025
“WEAPONS” BLUDGEONS ITS SCARES WITH TOO MANY LAUGHS

Writer/director Zach Cregger has gotten a lot of praise throughout the horror film world for his 2022 film BARBARIAN and he likely will again with...

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August 6, 2025
“THE NAKED GUN” GETS LAUGHS BY PLAYING IT STRAIGHT

Original caricature by Jeff York of Liam Neeson in THE NAKED GUN (copyright 2025) God love Liam Neeson. He brings the same concentration and intensity to the...

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August 2, 2025
ARE THE GROSTEQUERIES IN “TOGETHER” ENOUGH?

If you’re looking for an above-average “body horror” frightener, the new film TOGETHER starring Alison Brie and Dave Franco will surely be right up your...

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July 30, 2025
“THE FANTASTIC FOUR: FIRST STEPS” IS FANTASTIC FUN

Original caricature by Jeff York of the main cast of THE FANTASTIC FOUR: FIRST STEPS (copyright 2025). Just when filmgoers started to wonder whether the Marvel...

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July 24, 2025
“I KNOW WHAT YOU DID LAST SUMMER” LEANS HEAVILY ON THE PAST

I know what you did last summer. But what about 28 years ago? See, a funny thing happened on the way to watching the new sequel to...

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July 17, 2025
GUNN’S A-BLAZIN’ BUT HIS “SUPERMAN” JUST DOESN’T FLY

Filmmaker James Gunn may be a creative wunderkind and the man who made GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY into a multimillion-dollar franchise, but it’s shocking how...

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July 9, 2025
THE HORROR INDIE “HOUSE OF ABRAHAM” IMPRESSES AND UNSETTLES

I used to say that the most frightening part of writing Examiner horror movie reviews a decade ago was how so few films were genuinely...

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July 6, 2025
THE BRILLIANT DRAMEDY “SORRY, BABY” EXAMINES TRAUMA AND ITS EFFECT

Original caricature by Jeff York of Eva Victor as Agnes with her kitten Olga in SORRY, BABY (copyright 2025). How does trauma shape us? Does an emotionally...

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July 5, 2025
“JURASSIC WORLD REBIRTH” STRUGGLES MIGHTILY TO REINVIGORATE THE FRANCHISE

The filmmakers behind the JURASSIC WORLD franchise give up the ghost in the first 10 minutes of this new sequel with the narrative telling us...

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July 2, 2025
“M3GAN 2.0” IS FUNNY BUT NOT EXACTLY AN UPGRADE

Why did the filmmakers make M3GAN a good guy for this sequel entitled M3GAN 2.0? Perhaps the filmmakers realized that a lot of the first film's...

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June 26, 2025
THE PITT CREW CAN TAKE A VICTORY LAP WITH “F1® THE MOVIE”

Original caricature by Jeff York of Damson Idris, Javier Bardem and Brad Pitt in F1: THE MOVIE (copyright 2025) You can practically set your watch (okay,...

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June 24, 2025
THE HIGHS AND LOWS OF THE ZOMBIE GENRE AFFECT “28 YEARS LATER”

In the seminal 2002 horror film 28 DAYS LATER, director Danny Boyle and screenwriter Alex Garland turned the tired zombie film on its rotting head....

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June 19, 2025
“THE LIFE OF CHUCK” IS A FILM FOR THE HEART, MIND & SOUL

Original caricature by Jeff York of various cast members of THE LIFE OF CHUCK (copyright 2025). For centuries, people have been trying to ascertain certainties about...

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June 13, 2025
WES ANDERSON MINES LAUGHS BUT DIGS DEEPER IN “THE PHOENICIAN SCHEME”

Original caricature by Jeff York of Benicia Del Toro and Mia Threapleton in THE PHOENICIAN SCHEME (copyright 2025). It has become popular of late to criticize...

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June 6, 2025
ANA IS DE ARMAS & DANGEROUS BUT “BALLERINA” BORES

Remember in SUPERMAN (1978) when Lex Luthor described how “some people can read War and Peace and come away thinking it’s a simple adventure story”...

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June 5, 2025
THE IMPACT AND IMPORTANCE OF NATALIE WOOD

Original caricatures by Jeff York of Natalie Wood in GYPSY and BOB & CAROL & TED & ALICE (copyright 2025) As a film critic and fan,...

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May 28, 2025
DESPITE SOME VIVID SCARES, “BRING HER BACK” IS BALONEY

Critics and audiences may be taken by the hooey that is BRING HER BACK, but it’s a poseur of a film, one that ignores its...

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May 21, 2025
“M.I: THE FINAL RECKONING" BRINGS THE DRAMA, IF NOT ENOUGH HUMOR

I'm on the record stating that for my money, MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE is the best movie franchise because there isn't a dog in the bunch (https://bit.ly/47gogF2)....

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May 20, 2025
“DAVID FROST VS”: A GREAT DOC SERIES AND INSPIRATION FOR JOURNALISTS

Original caricature by Jeff York of David Frost as seen in the new MSNBC docuseries DAVID FROST VS (copyright 2025) If you only have heard the...

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May 14, 2025
IN “FIGHT OR FLIGHT” CRAZINESS IS FREE TO MOVE ABOUT THE CABIN

FIGHT OR FLIGHT is a movie for audiences who thought BULLET TRAIN was too demure. Director James Madigan, who transitioned from heading up second units to...

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May 8, 2025
DO YOURSELF “A SIMPLE FAVOR” – DON’T BOTHER WITH ITS SEQUEL

The first rule for actors in a comedy? Don’t act like you’re in a comedy. That simple advice is lost on the cast in ANOTHER SIMPLE...

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May 1, 2025
IN PRAISE OF PUGH

Original caricature by Jeff York of Florence Pugh in THUNDERBOLTS* (copyright 2025) Florence Pugh is one of our greatest actresses and her new film THUNDERBOLTS* proves...

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May 1, 2025
“THE ACCOUNTANT 2” ADDS UP TO A LOT OF FUN

Original caricature by Jeff York of Ben Affleck and Jon Bernthal in THE ACCOUNTANT 2 (copyright 2025) You’d think that a number of reasons would have...

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April 27, 2025
“ON SWIFT HORSES” MEANDERS AND WASTES ITS CAST

Like many of the global audience for the miniseries NORMAL PEOPLE, I fell hard for Daisy Edgar-Jones in 2020. Her portrayal of Marianne was a...

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April 25, 2025
THE KNOWING SHOW BIZ COMEDY “ÉTOILE” IS ON POINT

While watching THE STUDIO, the new Hollywood sitcom on AppleTV+, I found much of it amusing despite its satire feeling at least two decades out-of-date....

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April 24, 2025
“SINNERS” IS A STUNNER

Original caricature by Jeff York of the main cast of SINNERS (copyright 2025). This may very well be the shortest review I’ve ever written for a...

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April 21, 2025
CATHERINE DENEUVE CREATES DROLL COMEDY AS “THE PRESIDENT’S WIFE”

Catherine Deneuve has been an international treasure and one of cinema's greatest actresses since worldwide acclaim in 1964’s THE UMBRELLAS OF CHERBOURG. Her latest film...

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April 17, 2025
BRITT LOWER SHINES IN THE CHARACTER STUDY “DARKEST MIRIAM”

Original caricature by Jeff York of Britt Lower in DARKEST MIRIAM (copyright 2025) Actress Britt Lower has made a name for herself as one of our...

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April 16, 2025
THE SEVENTH SEASON OF “BLACK MIRROR” IS ITS MOST POIGNANT

Original caricature by Jeff York of Cristin Milioti in the USS CALLISTER: INTO INFINITY episode of the 7th season of BLACK MIRROR. Rare is the television...

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April 14, 2025
TOO MUCH DIRECTION AND TOO LITTLE SMARTS BOTTOM OUT “DROP”

One can imagine the logline for the new thriller DROP… A widowed mother is ordered by a cellphone hacker to kill the man she’s on a...

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April 10, 2025
THE WHITE LOTUS: COME FOR THE KILLING, STAY TO EAT THE RICH

Original caricature by Jeff York of the cast of season three of THE WHITE LOTUS (copyright 2025) Which head will roll? That seems to be the hook...

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April 6, 2025
STEVE COOGAN BALANCES COMEDY AND TRAGEDY IN “THE PENGUIN LESSONS”

Steve Coogan makes a great grump. He’s played many malcontents in his day, from the tactless broadcaster in the TV sitcom I’M ALAN PARTRIDGE to the...

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March 30, 2025
THE SNARKY “DEATH OF A UNICORN” EATS THE RICH WITH RELISH

Despite the title DEATH OF A UNICORN, it isn’t too long into the new, darkly comic horror film that one realizes that its title is...

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March 27, 2025
“ADOLESCENCE” IS A SEARING CRIME STORY THAT ADVANCES THE ART OF TELEVISION

Original caricature by Jeff York of Owen Cooper and Erin Doherty in ADOLESCENCE (copyright 2025). I’m not overstating matters by telling you that the new, four-part...

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March 25, 2025
“SNOW WHITE” STRUGGLES TO ADAPT ITS LONG PAST TO THE PRESENT

Since Glenn Close’s star turn as Cruella DeVille made 101 DALMATIONS a live action hit in 1996, the Disney company has been obsessed with turning...

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March 20, 2025
I SPY A TERRIFIC ESPIONAGE THRILLER NAMED “BLACK BAG”

Original caricature by Jeff York of the cast of BLACK BAG. (copyright 2025) Who doesn’t love a good spy thriller? From James Bond to Jason Bourne...

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March 14, 2025
RUSH & LITHGOW MINE FEAR IN "THE RULE OF JENNY PEN"

Original caricature by Jeff York of Geoffrey Rush and John Lithgow in THE RULE OF JENNY PEN (copyright 2025) The late, great Bette Davis once said,...

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March 12, 2025
A COMMITTED PATTINSON CAN’T QUITE SAVE THE EXCESSES OF “MICKEY 17”

You’ve got to admire Robert Pattinson. Since his star-making turn as Edward in the TWILIGHT film franchise, he’s gone out of his way to take...

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March 7, 2025
“REACHER” ROCKS AGAIN IN A TAUT AND TENSE SEASON THREE

Hard to believe, but the third season of REACHER is not only equal to the quality of storytelling present in the first two seasons, but...

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February 21, 2025
“THE MONKEY” IS A MORALITY TALE THAT TICKLES THE FUNNY BONE

In many respects, Osgood Perkins’ new film THE MONKEY is the most moralizing horror movie in some time. The genre has always had its bold...

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February 20, 2025
“I’M STILL HERE” IS A TIMELY FILM ABOUT AUTOCRACY STARRING A SUBTLY FIERCE FERNANDA TORRES

Original caricature by Jeff York of Fernanda Torres and Fernanda Montenegro as Euince Paiva in I'M STILL HERE (copyright 2025) I’m late to the dance on...

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February 14, 2025
MACKIE & FORD ANCHOR EARNEST EFFORTS IN THE MCU's “BRAVE NEW WORLD”

After the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) successes of the mostly comedic GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY VOL. 3, DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE, and AGATHA ALL ALONG, fans...

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February 13, 2025
IS IT TOO SOON TO PUT “COMPANION” ON MY TOP 10 FILM LIST OF 2025?

Original caricature by Jeff York of Sophie Thatcher in COMPANION (copyright 2025) Truly, it belongs there. That’s how terrific this new sci-fi thriller is. My review of...

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February 11, 2025
THE GORGEOUS “PARTHENOPE” BOTH BEGUILES AND CONFOUNDS

Original caricature by Jeff York of Celeste Dalla Porta as the title character in PARTHENOPE (copyright 2025) The character of PARTHENOPE is much like the film...

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February 7, 2025
“LOVE HURTS”? MORE LIKE STINKS IN THIS MISCONCEIVED KE HUY QUAN VEHICLE

Of course, the powers-that-be in Hollywood saw Ke Huy Quan’s Oscar-winning performance in EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE ALL AT ONCE and decided that they should exploit his...

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February 6, 2025
“HEART EYES” IS A TENSE AND FUNNY VALENTINE

It’s hard enough to find horror films that keep you on the edge of your seat, let alone one that can make you genuinely laugh...

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February 6, 2025
THE CONTINUING “PRESENCE” OF STEVEN SODERBERGH IN CINEMA

Is Steven Soderbergh the most underrated filmmaker working today? It’s not like he’s starved for acclaim, of course. Soderbergh’s got a Best Director Oscar, plenty...

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January 28, 2025
“WOLF MAN”: BEEN THERE, HOWLED AT THAT

Despite being one of cinema’s least interesting monsters, filmmakers seem determined to make more out of the Wolfman sub-genre of horror as there have been...

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January 16, 2025
SEASON TWO OF “SEVERANCE” IS WEIRDER AND SCARIER, IF NOT QUITE AS FUNNY

Yep. Same caricature I drew from the first season, but it's been three years so I figured I would re-introduce it. (copyright 2022) The Emmy-Award-winning SEVERANCE...

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January 15, 2025
“THE BRUTALIST” IS A BRUISING TAKE ON ART, COMMERCE AND EGO

Original caricature by Jeff York of Guy Pearce and Adrien Brody in THE BRUTALIST (copyright 2025) Rarely can a film keep you on edge simply through...

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January 6, 2025
JEFF YORK’S 10 BEST FILMS OF 2024

Strongmen, tsunamis, serial killers…one could say that the film year 2024 was a bit on the brutal side. Or at least on the (ahem) brutalist...

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January 1, 2025
I SPY KEIRA KNIGHTLEY & BEN WHISHAW HAVING A BLAST IN “BLACK DOVES”

Original illustration by Jeff York of Ben Whishaw and Keira Knightley in the Netflix series BLACK DOVES (copyright 2024) It’s entirely appropriate that the Netflix series...

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December 29, 2024
“FLOW” IS THE BEST ANIMATED FILM OF 2024

Quite simply, this new animated film knocked my socks off. Metaphorically, of course, but wow, what a movie it is. At its simplest, it is a...

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December 26, 2024
"BABYGIRL” FEELS LIKE FIFTY SHADES WITH AN A-LISTER

It’s ironic that for as much as Hollywood loves sexualizing everything from Vanity Fair covers to “who wore it best” surveys, so few films treat...

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December 20, 2024
“NOSFERATU” IS CREEPY AND ICKY BUT WHERE ARE THE SCARES?

Everything in writer/director Robert Eggers’ remake of the 1922 silent horror classic is designed to creep you out and then some. You can practically smell...

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December 20, 2024
THE BOOK I JUST ILLUSTRATED MAKES A GREAT HOLIDAY GIFT

created by photogrid Author Ron Fassler, designer Robin Weisz, and I are proud to announce the publication of THE SHOW GOES ON, a new book about...

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December 12, 2024
THE “WICKED” FILM HAS BRAINS, HEART & YES, COURAGE

Original caricature by Jeff York of Cynthia Erivo in WICKED (copyright 2024) Original caricature by Jeff York of Ariana Grande in WICKED (copyright 2024). A movie adaptation...

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November 20, 2024
“A REAL PAIN” IS A SLY COMEDY THAT’S SURPRISINGLY SERIOUS

Road pictures have always been a reliable mini-genre at the box office. In the last year alone we’ve had DRIVE-AWAY DOLLS, THE BIKERIDERS, WILL &...

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November 17, 2024
“THE PENGUIN” WRAPS UP AS A TRIUMPH FOR DC, WB, AND HBO

Original caricature by Jeff York of Colin Farrell in THE PENGUIN, flanked by Cristin Milioti and Rhenzy Feliz (copyright 2024). Can we just give Colin Farrell...

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November 12, 2024
HUGH GRANT IS CREEPY AND CUNNING IN THE NEW HORROR FILM “HERETIC”

Original caricature by Jeff York of Hugh Grant in HERETIC (copyright 2024) During the press junket for the fantasy film WONKA last holiday season, Hugh Grant...

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November 10, 2024
“EMILIA PEREZ” IS AN AUDACIOUS YET FLAWED EXPLORATION OF IDENTITY

Original caricature by Jeff York of Zoe Saldana, Karla Sofía Gascón, and Selena Gomez in EMILIA PEREZ (copyright 2024). For those who think that Hollywood has...

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November 1, 2024
ALMODÓVAR STRUGGLES IN HIS EXAMINATION OF DYING IN “THE ROOM NEXT DOOR”

The newest from Spanish filmmaker Pedro Almodóvar had its Midwest premiere at the Chicago International Film Festival this past week and it was notable for...

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October 28, 2024
“CONCLAVE” CUNNINGLY MIXES POPES, POLITICS AND PULP

Original caricature by Jeff York of Ralph Fiennes in CONCLAVE (copyright 2024). Anytime anyone tells a story about the hidden workings of the Catholic Church, you...

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October 26, 2024
“ANORA” IS A COMPLEX LOVE STORY: PROFANE, HILARIOUS & POIGNANT

Original caricature by Jeff York of Mikey Madison as the title character in ANORA (copyright 2024). I almost didn’t want to review ANORA because all the...

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October 25, 2024
“NIGHTBITCH” IS A HILARIOUSLY KNOWING FILM ABOUT MOTHERHOOD

Marielle Heller is one of the most accomplished talents in Hollywood. She’s an award-winning director, screenwriter, and actress to boot. Amy Adams is one of...

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October 24, 2024
“THE SEED OF THE SACRED FIG” TAKES A DARING LOOK AT FAMILY DRAMA IN IRAN

The actual story behind the new Mohammed Rasoulof film THE SEED OF THE SACRED FIG may be more interesting than even the movie’s powerful narrative....

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October 23, 2024
YOU’LL WISH YOU HAD MORE TIME WITH PUGH & GARFIELD IN “WE LIVE IN TIME”

Original caricature by Jeff York of Andrew Garfield and Florence Pugh in WE LIVE IN TIME (copyright 2024). What makes for an exceedingly memorable romance on...

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October 9, 2024
“JOKER: FOLIE A DEUX” ISN'T ABOUT BATMAN LORE. IT'S ABOUT PSYCHOSIS.

Original caricature by Jeff York of Lady Gaga as Harley "Lee" Quinzel in JOKER: FOLIE A DEUX (copyright 2024) Many who've seen JOKER: FOLIE A DEUX...

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October 4, 2024
“THE WILD ROBOT” DAZZLES THE EYE AND TOUCHES THE SOUL

Sometimes an animated film’s story is so absorbing that you almost forget you’re watching a cartoon. Other times, such films remind you of their artistry...

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September 26, 2024
DON’T LET THE CONTROVERSY KEEP YOU AWAY FROM “MONSTERS: THE LYLE AND ERIK MENENDEZ STORY”

Multi-hyphenate Ryan Murphy is getting all kinds of blowback for some facts and fiction he’s blended in writing/directing/producing his new Netflix miniseries MONSTERS: THE LYLE...

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September 23, 2024
THE STELLAR “RED ROOMS” EXAMINES TRUE CRIME, OBSESSION & VICTIMHOOD

Very few horror films knock my socks off. I used to joke when I wrote horror reviews for the Examiner online that the scariest thing...

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September 20, 2024
“THE SUBSTANCE” BLENDS SEXISM, SATIRE & SAVAGERY INTO A FROTHY MIX

Original caricature by Jeff York of Demi Moore and Margaret Qualley in THE SUBSTANCE (copyright 2024) Coralie Fargeat’s dark new comedy THE SUBSTANCE takes a lot...

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September 17, 2024
“MY OLD ASS” IS THE YEAR'S MOST CLEVER & MOVING COMING-OF-AGE FILM

A film editor once told me that it’s harder to cut a scene with dialogue versus an action scene because the action just needs to...

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September 16, 2024
“SPEAK NO EVIL” STRUGGLES TO OVERCOME ITS NUMEROUS CONTRADICTIONS

Film adaptations are generally best viewed on their own without the book, play, or previous versions of the story living rent-free in one’s head. However,...

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September 13, 2024
“BEETLEJUICE BEETLEJUICE” DUPLICATES THE CHARMS OF THE ERRATIC ORIGINAL

Original caricature by Jeff York of the main cast of BEETLEJUICE BEETLEJUICE (copyright 2024) When I saw the original BEETLEJUICE film in the theater at a...

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September 5, 2024
SEASON FOUR OF “SLOW HORSES” SEASON IS ITS BEST YET

We’re four seasons into the spy thriller SLOW HORSES on Apple TV+ and as impossible as it may sound, the new set of six episodes...

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August 28, 2024
ZOE KRAVITZ’S DIRECTORIAL DEBUT "BLINK TWICE" MEANS WELL BUT IS MESSY

Actress Zoe Kravitz has carved out a compelling niche for herself by playing proud, but prickly characters in projects such as THE BATMAN and BIG...

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August 15, 2024
“SKINCARE” BRINGS OUT THE BEAST IN THE BEAUTY PLAYED BY ELIZABETH BANKS

More often than not, filmmakers try and make the hero or heroine of their story a smart cookie. The thinking is that if they’re intelligent,...

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August 15, 2024
"CUCKOO" IS CRAZY HORROR THAT NEEDED NO EXPLANATION

Some horror films are so good visually that dialogue can almost ruin the mood. The same goes for a villain’s motivation in such movies -...

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August 11, 2024
SING SING” SHOWCASES ART GIVING THOSE INCARCERATED BACK THEIR HUMANITY

Original caricature by Jeff York of Colman Domingo and the SING SING ensemble (copyright 2024). The 2024 movie season has now entered August and to my...

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August 2, 2024
“BATMAN: CAPED CRUSADER” TAKES ITS ANIMATED NOIR IN NEW DIRECTIONS

True Batman aficionados generally consider BATMAN: THE ANIMATED SERIES (1992-1995) to be the greatest screen adaptation ever, big or small. I concur. Hats off to...

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July 29, 2024
“DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE” RAISE THE MCU BAR FOR HEART AND HILARITY

Original caricature by Jeff York of Ryan Reynolds, Hugh Jackman, Emma Corrin, Matthew Macfadyen, and "Dogpool" in DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE (copyright 2024). They may be superheroes,...

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July 25, 2024
PORTMAN & CAST PAINT THE NOIR OF “LADY IN THE LAKE” IN MANY SHADES

Original caricature by Jeff York of Natalie Portman in LADY IN THE LAKE (copyright 2024). When it comes to Natalie Portman’s career, you can probably count...

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July 22, 2024
“TWISTERS” TREATS ITS CHARACTERS AND CHAOS WITH EQUAL SERIOUSNESS

After all the sharknados flying about on basic cable for the past decade, it’s no surprise that the new sequel to TWISTER entitled TWISTERS would...

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July 18, 2024
“LONGLEGS” IS HORROR THAT WILL GIVE YOU THE HEEBIE-JEEBIES

Original caricature by Jeff York of Maika Monroe in LONGLEGS (copyright 2024). Filmmaker Osgood Perkins has been making a name for himself in the world of...

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July 12, 2024
“SORRY NOT SORRY” CHRONICLES THE RISE, FALL & RISE AGAIN OF LOUIS C.K.

For as much as many gripe about how ‘cancel culture’ is ruining society, it seems that a number of those supposedly banished find way a...

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July 11, 2024
MIA GOTH MAKES THE MOST OF HER STAR TURN AS “MAXXXINE”

Original caricature by Jeff York of Mia Goth in MAXXXINE (copyright 2024). In 2022’s X, filmmaker Ti West delivered a sleeper hit with his clever horror...

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July 5, 2024
“KINDS OF KINDNESS” CHALLENGES IN ALL KINDS OF WAYS

For years, Searchlight Pictures has been one of the most admirable movie studios in the history of Hollywood, distributing smart, norm-busting and often controversial films...

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June 27, 2024
TEEN ANGST IS THE FOCUS OF THE THOUGHTFUL SEQUEL “INSIDE OUT 2”

The Oscar-winning INSIDE OUT didn’t really need a sequel, and it’s still a bit disheartening that Pixar is making so many of them, but still,...

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June 13, 2024
“TUESDAY” IS AN ODD BUT FASCINATING STUDY OF LIFE & DEATH

Death has taken many forms in the movies over the years: the Grim Reaper, a chess-playing specter, and even Jessica Lange. The new film TUESDAY,...

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June 13, 2024
“HIT MAN” MIGHT JUST BE THE SLEEPER HIT THE SUMMER NEEDS

Original caricature by Jeff York of actor Glen Powell in his roles as the killer "Rod" and school teacher Gary in HIT MAN. (copyright 2024) Most...

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June 9, 2024
“FURIOSA: A MAD MAX SAGA” REVS INTO THEATERS WITH FUEL & FURY

Original caricature by Jeff York of Anya Taylor-Joy and Chris Hemsworth in FURIOSA: A MAD MAX SAGA (copyright 2024) It’s all about the fuel. What drives the...

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May 24, 2024
FIVE BIG WAYS “THE FALL GUY” FAILS

Despite noble intentions to shine the light on the stuntman profession, a couple of game superstars, and a beloved 1980s intellectual property being adapted, THE...

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May 3, 2024
ZENDAYA ACES HER VILLAINY BUT “CHALLENGERS” HAS MANY FAULTS

In junket interviews with Zendaya, the young actress comes across as one of the bubbliest and breeziest stars to ever make it in Tinsel Town....

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April 25, 2024
ALEX GARLAND STIRS THE POT IN HIS CLEVER BUT COY "CIVIL WAR"

With his latest movie CIVIL WAR, filmmaker Alex Garland (EX MACHINA, MEN) has made a political thriller that is sure to be one of the...

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April 13, 2024
THE NEW MINISERIES “RIPLEY” EATS THE RICH IN BLACK & WHITE

Original caricature by Jeff York of Andrew Scott as the title character in RIPLEY. (copyright 2024) There’s something rather extraordinary at the core of the new...

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April 12, 2024
“WICKED LITTLE LETTERS” IS A SURPRISINGLY SERIOUS COMEDY

Original caricature by Jeff York of Olivia Colman and Jessie Buckley in WICKED LITTLE LETTERS. (copyright 2024) Sometimes the marketing of films aims for the easiest,...

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April 5, 2024
“GHOSTBUSTERS: FROZEN EMPIRE” CRAMS TOO MUCH FRANCHISE INTO ITS FUN

Sure, there is silly fun to be had in GHOSTBUSTERS: FROZEN EMPIRE, but as I watched number five in the film franchise, the proverbial phrase...

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March 22, 2024
“LATE NIGHT WITH THE DEVIL” MAKES DEVIOUS FUN OF SATANISM & THE 70s

Original caricature by Jeff York of the main cast of LATE NIGHT WITH THE DEVIL (copyright 2024) The funny thing about horror films is that once...

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March 21, 2024
“LOVE LIES BLEEDING” STRAINS TO BE PROVOCATIVE

There is a lot to like in the new thriller LOVE LIES BLEEDING, from the performances to its edge-of-your-seat dread to a complex love story...

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March 12, 2024
JEFF YORK’S BEST GUESSES FOR THIS YEAR’S OSCARS

Predicting the Oscars is always tricky. Sure, by the time the ceremony rolls around, most of the presumptive winners feel written in stone. (Though this...

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March 9, 2024
“DUNE: PART TWO” BUILDS SOLIDLY UPON THE SHIFTING SANDS OF THE FRANCHISE

Original caricature by Jeff York of the main cast of DUNE: PART 2. (copyright 2024) In many respects, DUNE: PART TWO is very much like the...

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February 27, 2024
OSCAR’S 2024 ANIMATED SHORT FILMS AREN’T SHORT ON DRAMA

A scene from LETTER TO A PIG, Tal Kantor's Oscar-nominated, animated short film. Adults unfamiliar with animated short films may think that they resemble cartoons from...

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February 19, 2024
“ARGYLLE” HUFFS & PUFFS IN AN EXHAUSTINGLY UNFUNNY SPY CAPER

If energy equaled greatness, ARGYLLE would be a wonderful film. But alas, all the vigor that’s been poured into this new spy comedy, from its...

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February 2, 2024
“THE TEACHERS’ LOUNGE” DRAMATIZES THE DIFFICULTIES OF BEING AN EDUCATOR

As the child of parents who were both educators, I’ve always had a deep respect for those who chose the teaching profession. There are few...

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January 19, 2024
“THE ZONE OF INTEREST” IS A PROVOCATIVE TAKE ON THE BANALITY OF EVIL

Philosopher Hannah Arendt studied Nazi Adolph Eichmann during his war crimes trial and coined the phrase “the banality of evil” as she felt his part...

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January 11, 2024
“ALL OF US STRANGERS” IS A MOVING MEDITATION ON LONELINESS

What is limbo? A middle ground between heaven and earth? A holding pattern in life as you wait for something to happen? A state of mind,...

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January 7, 2024
“FREUD’S LAST SESSION” CLEVERLY PUTS GOD ON THE COUCH

Original caricature by Jeff York of Anthony Hopkins and Matthew Goode in FREUD'S LAST SESSION. (copyright 2024). Anthony Hopkins may be 86, but the lion in...

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January 6, 2024
“FERRARI” IS A BIOPIC MORE ABOUT A BRAND THAN A MAN

It’s hard to pin down movie biopics these days. For every decades-spanning examination like ROCKETMAN or THE THEORY OF EVERYTHING, you get truly truncated takes...

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December 30, 2023
JEFF YORK’S TOP 10 FILMS OF 2023

The caricatures of four of my picks for the best films of 2023 are OPPENHEIMER, THE HOLDOVERS, PAST LIVES, and POOR THINGS. (copyright 2023) It’s that...

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December 22, 2023
“THE IRON CLAW” TELLS A TROUBLING TALE OF FAMILY, FAME AND ABUSE

Many scoff at the idea of wrestling as a legitimate sport. (Vegas doesn’t take odds on any match so there’s the proof for any doubters.)...

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December 21, 2023
“THE COLOR PURPLE” DEFTLY ADAPTS THE BROADWAY MUSICAL TO THE SCREEN

At first blush, Alice Walker’s Pulitzer Prize-winning 1982 novel The Color Purple doesn’t seem like the kind of prose to lend itself easily to a...

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December 20, 2023
"AMERICAN FICTION" BRILLIANTLY TROLLS SOCIETY AND ELITISM

One of the oldest adages in literature is “Write what you know” and in his new film AMERICAN FICTION, first-time director Cord Jefferson turns that...

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December 18, 2023
PRIME'S “REACHER” IS ALMOST A COMEDY DISGUISED AS A PROCEDURAL

Original caricature by Jeff York of Alan Ritchson in REACHER (copyright 2023). Dirty Harry. John Rambo. Jack Bauer. Jason Bourne. John Wick. Jack Reacher. There’s something almost...

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December 13, 2023
“WONKA” PREQUEL IS CHARMING & SWEET BUT COULD’VE BEEN WILDER

The powers that be have been determined to make more out of Willy Wonka for decades. After the success of 1971’s WILLY WONKA & THE...

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December 11, 2023
“POOR THINGS” IS 2023'S FUNNIEST AND MOST OUTRAGEOUS COMEDY

Original caricature by Jeff York of Emma Stone, Mark Ruffalo, and Willem Dafoe in POOR THINGS (copyright 2023). I thought Jennifer Lawrence’s full-frontal fight on the...

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December 8, 2023
“MAESTRO” MAY BE A BERNSTEIN BIO, BUT IT’S MOSTLY ABOUT HIS WIFE

Original caricature by Jeff York of Carey Mulligan and Bradley Cooper in MAESTRO (copyright 2023) If you approach the new Leonard Bernstein movie biography expecting some...

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November 29, 2023
“THE HOLDOVERS” MAKES THE SEASON HILARIOUS & DARK

Original caricature by Jeff York of Dominic Sessa, Da'Vine Joy Randolph, and Paul Giamatti in THE HOLDOVERS (copyright 2023). Does it seem like the best Christmas...

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November 20, 2023
PORTMAN & MOORE MAKE FOR A NASTY AND FUN DUO IN “MAY DECEMBER”

Todd Haynes’ new movie MAY DECEMBER is one nasty piece of fun. Its story concerns an actress (played by Natalie Portman) studying a housewife (Julianne...

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November 18, 2023
THE THIRD SEASON OF THE FRENCH CAPER SERIES “LUPIN” IS MAGNIFIQUE

If you’re looking for a fun show to binge, look no further than LUPIN on Netflix. In three seasons on the streaming service, the French...

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November 5, 2023
"RUSTIN” TELLS THE BIO OF A CIVIL RIGHTS GIANT WITH GREAT VERVE

If you don’t know much about the civil rights movement leader Bayard Rustin, now is your chance to find out about who he was and...

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November 4, 2023
THE SECOND SEASON OF “INVINCIBLE” EXPANDS ITS GALAXY AND EMOTIONS

For as much jawboning as the Twitter-verse does about superhero movies and the decline of both the MCU (owned by Disney) and the DCU (owned...

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November 3, 2023
“ANATOMY OF A FALL” IS A DISTURBING MYSTERY ABOUT THE DEATH OF A MARRIAGE

If the new mystery ANATOMY OF A FALL had been a film made in Hollywood, the director might very well have goosed the material to...

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October 30, 2023
FINCHER FRESHENS UP HIT-MAN TROPES FOR HIS “KILLER” CHARACTER STUDY

If you’re like me, the last thing you really want to watch is another film or TV show about a hitman. (What is Hollywood's fascination...

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October 24, 2023
“THE TASTE OF THINGS” IS A DELECTABLE LOVE STORY FROM FRANCE

Original caricature by Jeff York of Benoit Magimel and Juliette Binoche in THE TASTE OF THINGS (copyright 2023) One of the best films that played at...

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October 22, 2023
THE NOBLE “KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON” IS SCORSESE’S FIRST WESTERN

Few filmmakers have held up a mirror to our American society and wagged their fingers with such a splendid mix of righteousness and artistry as...

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October 18, 2023
FIVE REASONS TAYLOR SWIFT’S CONCERT FILM ROCKED

Original caricature by Jeff York of Taylor Swift (copyright 2023). Taylor Swift had a ridiculously good summer in 2023, breaking all sorts of concert records with...

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October 17, 2023
"HOLLY" CONSIDERS WHETHER A TEEN HAS BEEN TOUCHED BY ANGELS

It’s not by accident that the title character in the movie HOLLY is just one extra consonant away from the word holy. The new Dutch...

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October 16, 2023
“THE LOVE STORIES OF LIV S.” SHOWCASES A WOMAN’S JOURNEY OF SELF-DISCOVERY

It was quite the coup for the Chicago International Film Festival to procure the world premiere of filmmaker Anna Luif’s latest dramedy THE LOVE STORIES...

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October 15, 2023
NETFLIX’S “THE FALL OF THE HOUSE OF USHER” IS A MACABRE TAKE ON POE’S MORALITY LESSONS

Like all the best horror, Edgar Allan Poe’s tales of the macabre are morality tales. In his short story The Tell-Tale Heart, it’s not the...

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October 13, 2023
TIME-TRAVELING “LOKI” SPENDS HIS TIME SAVING THE UNIVERSE IN SEASON 2

Original caricature by Jeff York of the cast of season two of LOKI (copyright 2023) Time travel isn’t what it used to be. Time was (ahem), any...

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October 8, 2023
“FAIR PLAY” THRILLS AS IT EVISCERATES HEDGE FUNDS AND SEX

What’s the last truly terrific erotic thriller you saw? Go ahead and think about it. I’ll wait. Slim pickings, right? I think I’d have to go...

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October 6, 2023
“THE CREATOR” IS ABOUT AI AND FEELS LIKE IT WAS CREATED BY AI TOO

THE CREATOR is proof that you can have a ginormous budget, an accomplished lead, and a director who knows his way around special effects, and...

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September 28, 2023
“NO ONE WILL SAVE YOU” MAKES FOR OUT-OF-THIS-WORLD HORROR

Original caricature by Jeff York of Kaitlyn Dever in NO ONE WILL SAVE YOU (copyright 2023) Sometimes the best film experiences are those that sneak up...

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September 26, 2023
BRANAGH MAKES THE CASE FOR “A HAUNTING IN VENICE”

Original caricature by Jeff York of the cast of A HAUNTING IN VENICE (copyright 2023) The third time’s the charm for actor/director Kenneth Branagh in delivering...

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September 12, 2023
THE SANDLERS SHINE IN “YOU ARE SO NOT INVITED TO MY BAT MITZVAH”

Who’d have thought that the funniest Adam Sandler film in recent years would be one that he didn’t star in alongside Jennifer Aniston, Kevin James,...

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August 26, 2023
ROSARIO DAWSON KEEPS HER COOL IN THE PREMIERE OF “AHSOKA”

Original caricature by Jeff York of Rosario Dawson in the title role of AHSOKA (copyright 2023) It has been said that the threat of violence rules...

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August 22, 2023
"BLUE BEETLE" IS THE LITTLE SUMMER SUPERHERO FLICK THAT COULD

A funny thing happened on the way to the Cineplex this summer movie season… While Warner Bros. was making great hay out of the big screen...

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August 19, 2023
“THE LAST VOYAGE OF THE DEMETER” SPELLBINDS WITH OLD-FASHIONED FLAIR

It’s rare, but sometimes a horror film comes down the pike that tells its tale with such confidence and craftmanship, it almost feels like a...

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August 11, 2023
THE SEE-AND-SAY OF “HEART OF STONE” ALMOST SINKS IT LIKE…WELL, A STONE

The first rule of screenwriting? “Show, don’t tell.” And yet, from the moment that the new Netflix spy thriller HEART OF STONE starring Gal Gadot begins,...

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August 11, 2023
THE THIRD SEASON OF “PHYSICAL” IS ONE LAST TIME TO FEEL THE BYRNE

Our modern world is filled with the inexplicable, including the fact that Rose Byrne was overlooked in the Emmy race for the first two seasons...

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August 2, 2023
“TALK TO ME” SHREWDLY TRAFFICS IN PRIMAL TERROR AND TEENS

Sometimes, a really good horror story can be conjured from the simplest of elements. A supernatural object. Oblivious teens. And a dangerous setting. This lethal...

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July 28, 2023
DISNEY FAILS ON THE FRIGHTS AND FUN IN THIS “HAUNTED MANSION”

Disney’s track record of adapting their properties to the big screen, be it animated classics or beloved theme park attractions, is mixed at best. For...

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July 27, 2023
THE POINTED SATIRE IN THE NEW “BARBIE” MOVIE SURE AIN’T KID STUFF

Original caricature by Jeff York of Ryan Gosling and Margot Robbie in BARBIE (copyright 2023). Two thoughts kept running through my head as I watched the...

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July 21, 2023
NOLAN’S INTIMATE YET EPIC “OPPENHEIMER” IS A MUST-SEE MASTERPIECE

Original caricature by Jeff York of Cillian Murphy in OPPENHEIMER (copyright 2023) Filmmaker Christopher Nolan is an incredible storyteller whose films have often bordered on the...

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July 20, 2023
RICHARD E. GRANT DELIVERS SHARP VILLAINY AND A MOVING MEMOIR

Original caricature by Jeff York of Richard E. Grant in THE LESSON (copyright 2023) English actor Richard E. Grant has been a critics’ darling as well...

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July 17, 2023
THE SUMMER FILM OF 2023 IS “MISSION IMPOSSIBLE: DEAD RECKONING”

Original caricature by Jeff York of Hayley Atwell and Tom Cruise in MISSION IMPOSSIBLE: DEAD RECKONING PART ONE (copyright 2023) Finally, after disappointing tent poles, unnecessary...

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July 10, 2023
THE FIFTH INDIANA JONES FILM DIALS UP THE OLD AND THE NEW

Original caricature by Jeff York of Harrison Ford in INDIANA JONES AND THE DIAL OF DESTINY (copyright 2023) Indiana Jones has always acted like a grumpy...

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June 27, 2023
JENNIFER LAWRENCE IS HARD TO RESIST IN “NO HARD FEELINGS”

Rare is the out-and-out sex comedy these days, and NO HARD FEELINGS is just that. The movie is an unabashedly bawdy film whose plot concerns...

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June 21, 2023
THE COMPLEX "ELEMENTAL" LACKS ELEMENTS OF CLEAR STORYTELLING

ELEMENTAL is the 27th feature film from Pixar, and in many ways, it’s the most ambitious. Trying to tell a story with fire and water...

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June 15, 2023
THE SUPERB “PAST LIVES” EXAMINES ROMANTIC YEARNING AND REGRET

Original caricature by Jeff York of Greta Lee and Teo Yoo in PAST LIVES (copyright 2023). Love stories are the rarest of the rare on the...

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June 11, 2023
“LYNCH/OZ” EXPLORES DAVID’S THEMES OF DREAMS & DARKNESS

Filmmaker David Lynch once remarked that there wasn’t a day that went by that he didn’t think about THE WIZARD OF OZ. It’s a seminal...

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June 9, 2023
BATMAN AND SUPERGIRL ADD THE MOST ZIP TO “THE FLASH”

THE FLASH, the latest DC adaptation from Warner Bros., has many things going for it that could bode well for further adventures of the speedy...

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June 6, 2023
“SPIDER-MAN: ACROSS THE SPIDER-VERSE” TURNS ACTION INTO ART

As issues of uneven tone and shoddy CGI have plagued many superhero franchises as of late on both the big and small screen, it’s reassuring...

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May 31, 2023
“THE BOOGEYMAN” TAKES A SMART PREMISE AND DUMBS IT DOWN

Want to give a horror film atmosphere? Just add dark rooms and nighttime settings. Create a scary monster? Make their motivation murder or bloodletting. Want...

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May 31, 2023
NICOLE HOLOFCENER MAKES FUN OF THE LITTLE WHITE LIES WE TELL IN “YOU HURT MY FEELINGS”

Filmmaker Nicole Holfcener hasn’t directed a movie since 2013, but she’s back with the new character study YOU HURT MY FEELINGS and it makes me...

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May 25, 2023
“THE LITTLE MERMAID” IS A BUOYANT TAKE ON THE CARTOON CLASSIC

There is a school of thought, clearly the one taken by the leaders of the Disney corporation, that any IP they own is ripe for...

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May 25, 2023
AN OH-SO-SERIOUS JENNIFER LOPEZ KILLS THE FUN IN “THE MOTHER”

If you’ve ever seen Jennifer Lopez at the top of her form, as in the films OUT OF SIGHT, SELENA, and HUSTLERS, you know she...

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May 13, 2023
“THE DIPLOMAT” MIXES COMPLICATED POLITICS WITH AN EQUALLY COMPLEX MARRIAGE

Original caricature by Jeff York of Keri Russell and Rufus Sewell in THE DIPLOMAT (copyright 2023) Who can you trust? That is the central question at the...

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May 7, 2023
“A PEBBLE IN THE POND” SHOWCASES THE INSPIRING STORY OF THE ASSISTANCE LEAGUE

Watching the documentary A PEBBLE IN THE POND, available on DVD, VOD and Amazon Prime, the weekend of the Met Gala could not have made...

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May 4, 2023
THIRD TIME’S NOT THE CHARM FOR “GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY VOLUME 3”

In a shocking shift of tone, GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY VOLUME 3, the threequel to one of the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s most comedic franchises, exits...

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April 29, 2023
“ARE YOU THERE GOD? IT’S ME, MARGARET” CHARMS WITH WIT & WARMTH

Hard to believe, but it’s taken 53 years for Hollywood to adapt Judy Blume’s groundbreaking 1970 novel about pre-teen angst. Good things come to those...

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April 27, 2023
“EVIL DEAD RISE” IS DEMONIC OVERKILL, BUT THEN THAT’S THE POINT

For fans of the EVIL DEAD franchise, the new chapter entitled EVIL DEAD RISE checks a lot of boxes. Back is the flesh-covered Necronomicon Ex-Portis...

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April 20, 2023
HOULT & CAGE COMMIT TO “RENFIELD” BUT IT COULD USE MORE TEETH

Original caricature by Jeff York of Nicholas Hoult and Nicolas Cage in RENFIELD. (copyright 2023) These days, it’s become quite fashionable to hand a lot of...

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April 13, 2023
“SHOWING UP” IS AN ODDLY AFFECTING PORTRAYAL OF A STRUGGLING ARTIST

It’s been said that 90% of parenting is showing up. Whether that’s nurturing a child or a talent, the percentage is likely the same. Thus,...

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April 11, 2023
THE 2ND SEASON OF "SCHMIGADOON!" VAMPS HOODLUMS, HIPPIES & JAZZ HANDS

Original caricature by Jeff York of Ariana DeBose in the second season of SCHMIGADOON! (copyright 2023) The streaming comedy series SCHMIGADOON! could very well be the...

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April 6, 2023
BOB ROSS GETS SATIRIZED BY BROAD STROKES IN THE UNFUNNY “PAINT”

There are so many things wrong in the new indie comedy PAINT, it’s difficult to know where to begin. Ostensibly a parody of famed PBS...

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April 5, 2023
“THE SUPER MARIO BROS. MOVIE” STRUGGLES TO ILLUMINATE ITS FANTASY WORLD

1993’s live-action version of the video game SUPER MARIO BROS. may have starred the talented Bob Hoskins and John Leguizamo as Mario and Luigi, but...

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April 5, 2023
“MURDER MYSTERY 2” IS LUSH, SILLY & JUST CLEVER ENOUGH

Sometimes, even low-hanging fruit can still manage to be tasty, if not the pick of the tree. Thus it is with MURDER MYSTERY 2, the...

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March 31, 2023
“JOHN WICK: CHAPTER 4” BRINGS THE FIERCE AND THE FUNNY

There’s an old adage in the theater that those acting in a comedy must never know that they’re in one. It’s true, for if any...

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March 16, 2023
“BOSTON STRANGLER” SPOTLIGHTS TWO INTREPID FEMALE REPORTERS

In many ways, the new Hulu movie BOSTON STRANGLER could be a companion piece to last year’s SHE SAID. Both were dramatic evocations of true...

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March 14, 2023
“SCREAM VI” REMAINS META BUT IS ALSO MORE SERIOUS

The novelty of the SCREAM franchise has faded significantly, even with its reboot in 2022. By now, even the casual horror fan is well aware...

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March 9, 2023
MY OSCAR PREDICTIONS FOR 2023

It’s that time of year again when the film awards season comes to an end with the Academy Awards ceremony. In the last few years,...

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March 8, 2023
MY CARICATURES OF 2023'S BEST PICTURE NOMINEES - YOURS FOR $20

Original caricatures by Jeff York (copyright 2023) My friends, as you know, I often draw a caricature to accompany the review of a film or show...

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March 5, 2023
“COCAINE BEAR” IS A RIP-SNORTING GOOD TIME AT THE MOVIES

It would be easy to dismiss a film like COCAINE BEAR as a silly monster movie of the SHARKNADO variety, but the cleverness and craft...

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February 24, 2023
THE SECOND SEASON OF “CARNIVAL ROW” IS A STINGING PARABLE ABOUT CLASS

Original caricature by Jeff York of the main cast of CARNIVAL ROW – Orlando Bloom, Cara Delevingne, Simon McBurney, Tamzin Merchant, David Gyasi, and Karla...

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February 24, 2023
“ANT-MAN & THE WASP: QUANTUMANIA” IS A FUN YET FRUSTRATING ADVENTURE

Ant-Man’s place in the Marvel Cinematic Universe has always been the most comedic. The concept of a tiny superhero, running across kitchen countertops or riding...

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February 24, 2023
OSCAR’S 2023 LIVE-ACTION SHORTS CREATE PALPABLE, SUCCINCT TENSION

It never fails to impress me how the live-action shorts Oscar nominates each year create palpable tension in such a compact time frame. And yet,...

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February 24, 2023
OSCAR’S ANIMATED SHORTS ARE AN ABSOLUTE MUST-SEE THIS YEAR

One of my favorite parts of moviegoing is getting to see the animated shorts vying for the Academy Awards each year. The animators and artists...

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February 24, 2023
RIAN JOHNSON HAS NATASHA LYONNE CHANNEL COLUMBO IN “POKER"

Original caricature by Jeff York of Natasha Lyonne in POKER FACE (copyright 2023). Valentine’s is still over a week away, but Rian Johnson has delivered a...

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February 24, 2023
“SLOW HORSES” PUTS A SLY NEW SPIN ON SPY THRILLERS

Original caricature by Jeff York of Gary Oldman and Kristen Scott Thomas in SLOW HORSES (copyright 2023). Too many movies and shows dropped this past December,...

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January 25, 2023
"EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE ALL AT ONCE" WINS BIG AT THE WINDIES

Last night my critics’ group, the Chicago Indie Critics, handed out our Windie film awards for 2022. It was a fun evening at the Music...

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January 22, 2023
"ALICE, DARLING" ILLUMINATES TOXIC RELATIONSHIPS AND WHY GOOD PEOPLE MAKE BAD CHOICES

During the first half hour of the new psychological thriller ALICE, DARLING, I wondered why Anna Kendrick’s character would ever put up with such bullying...

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January 19, 2023
BILL NIGHY GIVES A DELICATE PERFORMANCE IN THE CHARACTER STUDY “LIVING”

Original caricature by Jeff York of Bill Nighy in LIVING. (copyright 2023) There are actors who leap off the screen with their larger-than-life approach to performing,...

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January 18, 2023
“M3GAN” IS A HOOT AND A HOLLER IN THE WORLD OF HORROR

Horror comedies don’t come much more entertaining than M3GAN. What could have been just an anti-tech downer or dispiriting kill fest about an advanced A.I....

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January 6, 2023
“A MAN CALLED OTTO” STRUGGLES TO ADAPT ITS SWEDISH ROOTS

Sometimes, an American movie adaptation from a foreign film doesn’t convert particularly well. More than a language gap, it often has to do with a...

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January 3, 2023
JEFF YORK’S PICKS FOR THE 10 BEST FILMS OF 2022

My choices for the 10 Best Films of 2022 make up the most international list I’ve logged since starting to review films here back in...

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December 31, 2022
“PUSS IN BOOTS: THE LAST WISH” IS THE CAT’S MEOW THIS SEASON

I saw three great animated films this year: GUILLERMO DEL TORO’S PINOCCHIO, MARCEL THE SHELL WITH SHOES ON, and the holiday release PUSS IN BOOTS:...

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December 30, 2022
THE POWERFUL “WOMEN TALKING” SHOWCASES AN INCREDIBLE STORY AND ENSEMBLE

Original caricature by Jeff York of the principles of WOMEN TALKING: Claire Foy, Judith Ivey, Ben Whishaw, Jessie Buckley, Sheila McCarthy, and Rooney Mara. (copyright...

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December 29, 2022
BRENDAN FRASER ADDS MUCH-NEEDED SENSITIVITY TO “THE WHALE”

The comeback is legitimate as 90s leading man Brendan Fraser returns to glory in a performance that stands as one of the year’s very best....

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December 20, 2022
AN EXCESSIVE “BABYLON” INSULTS THE ARTISTS AND HISTORY OF HOLLYWOOD

Stories about the days of early Hollywood have been told countless times in productions from the sublime (SINGIN’ IN THE RAIN and THE ARTIST) to...

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December 18, 2022
“AVATAR: THE WAY OF WATER” DAZZLES EYES AND PULLS HEARTSTRINGS

Upping the ante of 2009’s blockbuster AVATAR for a sequel might’ve been daunting for most any other filmmaker, but few are as bold, obsessive, or...

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December 14, 2022
DEL TORO’S “PINOCCHIO” IS BROUGHT TO LIFE WITH DEPTH & BEAUTY

Walt Disney set the gold standard for adaptations of Pinocchio in 1940, but many filmmakers have struggled to retell the tale since. Roberto Benigni tried...

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December 11, 2022
TWO BIG MOVIES, TWO NAME DIRECTORS, TWO UNFORTUNATE MISFIRES

Noah Baumbach and Sam Mendes are two exceptional filmmakers. And yet they, like many other top directors before them, have now helmed miscalculated Oscar-bait releases...

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December 9, 2022
SPIELBERG TELLS OF HIS FRAUGHT CHILDHOOD IN “THE FABELMANS”

Some are calling THE FABLELMANS "a Steven Spielberg film, 70 years in the making." Indeed, it is his fictional biography relating key moments of his...

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December 3, 2022
“SELENA GOMEZ: MY MIND & ME” SERVES AS A CAUTIONARY TALE OF FAME

So many attention-worthy films come out during awards season that it’s hard to keep up with all of the terrific content premiering. One such case...

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December 1, 2022
“GLASS ONION: A KNIVES OUT MYSTERY” LAUGHS AT THE TROPES OF MYSTERIES

Original caricature by Jeff York of the cast of GLASS ONION: A KNIVES OUT MYSTERY. (copyright 2022) Writer/director Rian Johnson’s KNIVES OUT was a huge critical...

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November 26, 2022
“WEDNESDAY” IS A HORROR HOOT WITH A BEATING HEART

Original caricature by Jeff York of Jenna Ortega as Wednesday Addams in Netflix's new series WEDNESDAY. (copyright 2022) One might think that Netflix should have launched...

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November 24, 2022
“SHE SAID” IS WELL DONE BUT MISSES GREATNESS

Any time an intrepid reporter can bring down a giant in a “David vs Goliath” way is inherently dramatic. Thus is the case with the...

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November 17, 2022

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