“We could read the scene as a sad visualization of the underclass (both homeless men of pointedly different races) fighting amongst themselves over nothing while their oppressors prosper. Or it could just be that Carpenter had cast a wrestler in his movie and wanted to give the guy a chance to strut his stuff. To be a fan of They Live is to realize it can be both.” – WBUR’s The ARTery, 09/01/2017
“Like most comedy sequels, it cranks everything up a few notches thinking audiences won’t be satisfied unless they get a louder and more outrageous version of what they enjoyed last time. And like most comedy sequels, it’s pretty lousy. There’s nowhere for this movie to go except bigger, bloodier and more ridiculous. And believe me, it gets there.” – North Shore Movies, 09/01/2017
“The film’s farcical elements mostly fall flat, but there’s a kernel of truth here and a grit to the performances that survive the sometimes awkward screenplay. After an awfully rocky start, Bell eventually slows down the pace and lets her scenes breathe a bit. By the end I was surprised how much I’d come to care about these people.” – WBUR’s The ARTery, 08/31/2017
“An edgy, electrifying movie that feels a little bit dangerous. The Safdies score queasy laughs off of everyday prejudices and unquestioned assumptions, with our wily, dirtbag protagonist often eluding authorities by scapegoating innocent people of color unlucky enough to cross his path. If Good Time makes you uncomfortable, that’s because it’s supposed to.” – WBUR’s The ARTery, 08/24/2017
INGRID GOES WEST * *
Starring Aubrey Plaza, Elizabeth Olsen, O’Shea Jackson Jr., Billy Magnussen and Wyatt Russell. Screenplay by David Branson Smith and Matt Spicer. Directed by Matt Spicer.
“There’s a sense in which Marjorie Prime is all about those reflections, and our compulsion to edit our own histories, turning the revisions into ‘facts’ over time. The film asks who gets to preserve custody of memories, both precious and otherwise, particularly in the face of a disease that eradicates recollection altogether. It’s a marvelous piece of writing.” – WBUR’s The ARTery, 08/18/2017
“With his bleach-blonde hair, neck tattoos and delicate Lindsey Graham enunciations, Joe Bang floats through the movie on a cloud of self-delight, tickled pink by his own jokes at which he laughs in a contagious, high-pitched cackle. I’ve been watching Craig in movies for fifteen years and never would have guessed he had this kind of performance in him.” – WBUR’s The ARTery, 08/17/2017
