“Zemeckis’ sophomore effort was (barely) released four months before Reagan’s election and foretold a cultural revolution. The broadly satirical farce follows a cadre of gleefully amoral salesmen and rip-off artists pushing junkers while trying to screw the competition even harder than they’re screwing their customers. He saw the ‘80s coming a mile away.” – Crooked Marquee, 05/29/2026

“The ancient Greeks went to the theater for catharsis, to purge their fears in an act of communal cleansing. Such is the goal of Bleak Week: Cinema of Despair, an early summer festival of bad vibes that started five years ago at the American Cinematheque in Los Angeles. Since then, the series has expanded to include nearly 100 theaters in 73 cities.” – WBUR’s Arts & Culture, 05/28/2026

“Their first tryst became legendary in a decade renowned for erotic thrillers. It was rare even then for an American film to make sex look like this much fun. Unlike the usual strenuous aerobics, this one’s playful and funny. The lovers are hot, bothered and clumsily half-clothed. What Barkin does for men’s button-down shirts in this movie cannot be overstated.” – Crooked Marquee, 05/15/2026

“They’ve never worked together, and you don’t think of them having much in common. Russell’s an easygoing guy’s guy known for action films and knockabout comedies, while Yale grad Foster has always led with her formidable intellect. Yet what’s so delightful about the Somerville’s lineup is how perfectly their movies tend to complement each other.” – WBUR’s Arts & Culture, 05/13/2026

“It’s sparse enough to invite all sorts of allegorical readings. At the time, some viewers assumed it was a statement about the HUAC hearings, Alas, the racist bullying and cowardice on display in Bad Day At Black Rock are depressingly applicable to any American era, and I note with a shudder that Ryan’s sneering ringleader is first seen wearing a red baseball cap.” – Crooked Marquee, 04/17/2026

“Penn’s nervy performance goes full Ratso in a parking garage scene when he dares a car to run him over. It’s a magnificently off-putting turn, all twitchy paranoia with a voice as thin as his pencil mustache. Daulton was the forerunner of the actor’s iconically obnoxious cokeheads in Carlito’s Way and Hurlyburly, but not all viewers found pleasure in his company.” – Crooked Marquee, 04/03/2026

“An odd, mercurial Western from an odd, mercurial genius, One-Eyed Jacks has one foot in a classic Hollywood production style, with handsome VistaVision photography and a traditional score. Yet there’s something troubling and downright nasty about the picture, which anticipates the morally ambiguous, revisionist Westerns that would come along a few years later.” – Crooked Marquee, 03/27/2026

“This is a gentle and humane film, keeping a respectful distance from the characters’ suffering. The most powerful dialogue exchanges in Tender Mercies are when people pause for a moment and really think before answering a question. We’re enormously moved by straightforward affirmations like ‘Yes, I do’ or ‘Yes, he is.’ Is that a lot harder than it looks? Yes, it is.” – Crooked Marquee, 03/13/2026

“I don’t believe for a second that there are this many upset ballet and opera fans. I think people are just tired of Timothée Chalamet. There are six months of promotional events, precursor ceremonies, sit-down interviews and gala rubber chicken dinners before the Oscar envelopes are finally opened in March. We spend half the year on year-end awards.” – WBUR’s Arts & Culture, 03/12/2026

“‘I’ve always been fascinated by films within films,’ said the Brattle’s creative director Ned Hinkle. ‘The best instances of these are when an audience watching a film in the real world is brought into a cinema by the character onscreen and we all experience a particular moment together. It creates a crazy, almost metaphysical bond with the characters in the movie.’” – WBUR’s Arts & Culture, 02/25/2026