“The problem with our accelerated media culture is that we quickly run out of angles with which to feed the content maw, and attention spans aren’t what they used to be. These films get picked to the bone during the Bataan Death March to Oscar Night, and contrary takes are what get clicks, which is why you see bizarre headlines calling La La Land fascist.” – The Muriel Awards, 03/05/2017

“Kimmel goofing on foreign-sounding names was a weird, ad-lib quirk that kept coming up, almost Tourette’s-like regarding Mahershala Ali. A good part of his appeal has always been a sort of smarmy, Playboy Club entitlement, which was probably a bad call for this batch of nominees. His beef with Matt Damon will never not be funny, though.” – WBUR’s The ARTery, 02/27/2017

“Yet despite nearly the entire supporting cast throwing themselves at the hunky M.D., cloddish Cruise bungles every opportunity and somehow even manages to strike out at an orgy. There are few sight gags in Kubrick’s filmography funnier than Maverick from Top Gun being so fussily well-mannered he shows up at a hooker’s apartment with a box of pastry.” – Metro, 02/24/2017

“The Crow was one of the first American movies to incorporate the balletic, martial arts-inspired gunplay that was all the rage in Hong Kong cinema. This intricately choreographed, trigger-happy style has recently been revived in the John Wick films — whose director, Chad Stahelski, just so happened to work as Brandon Lee’s stunt double on The Crow.” – Metro, 02/17/2017

“Seeing Casablanca with a big crowd is a reminder of just how *funny* the movie is, stuffed with sardonic one-liners and some of the best put-downs in cinema history. Sure, Ingrid Bergman is stunning, but we’ve always thought Bogie has even better chemistry with Claude Rains’ cheerfully corrupt prefect of police. Theirs is indeed a beautiful friendship.” – Metro, 02/10/2017

“Postcards makes room for scene-stealing supporting turns by a randy Dennis Quaid and Gene Hackman as the voice of Fisher’s hard-won wisdom. Hackman’s stirring, late-movie monologue sums up a career in Tinseltown’s trenches and gutters. It’s the moment when this sometimes-too-slick commercial entertainment gets refreshingly real.” – The Village Voice, 02/07/2017

“Ferrara’s movies have a way of being morally serious despite their sometimes silly genre trappings, and Ms. 45 provides a feast for feminist studies. The intensely Catholic filmmaker outfits her in a nun’s habit and garter belts for the final massacre, and it’s no coincidence that she’s betrayed by a female friend holding a phallic-looking knife at crotch level.” – Metro, 02/03/2017

“Brattle regulars won’t be surprised to find Clive Barker’s Lord of Illusions on the schedule. ‘A guilty pleasure of mine,’ admits creative director Ned Hinkle of the 1995 thriller starring Scott Bakula as a paranormal private eye. ‘It is kind of a silly movie but the magic in it is compelling and, since it’s a Clive Barker adaptation, the themes are surprisingly sinister.'” – Metro, 01/27/2017

“One of those movies that’s a lot of fun to watch without being particularly good, The Running Man is a chintzy-looking affair that gets by on stunt casting and a killer concept. Richard Dawson’s sly, self-mocking performance elevates the material, bringing the louche, creepy-uncle energy with which he leered at female contestants on Family Feud.” – Metro, 01/11/2017

“Ensuring I won’t get my shopping done until the last possible moment, this week The Brattle Theatre has three days of double features reeking of whiskey, cigarettes and mistletoe. If you prefer your holiday tidings laced with arias of profanity, inventive torture sequences and comically brutal gunfights, Santa’s got a lot of presents under the tree this year.” – WBUR’s The ARTery, 12/20/2016