In a scene from the latest in the “Fast and Furious” franchise, “F9,” a character played by Ludacris aptly says, “Nobody’s gonna believe this!” Exactly. Entries in the 20-year-old 10-film franchise have morphed into preposterous over-the-top action fantasies that make “Transformers” movies seem credible by comparison. The script is awful, but you can still enjoy […]

Even lesser Pixar offerings are better than most of their competitors’ work. Such is the case with “Luca,” a sweet and beautifully animated fantasy about the adventures of some nice sea monsters. Two young ocean dwellers near the Italian Riviera venture onto land and discover they turn human whenever they’re out of the water. It’s […]

The new Netflix offering “Awake” is yet another apocalyptic sci-fi thriller with a gimmick. After the radiation from solar flares bombards the earth, people lose their ability to sleep. After a few days of universal insomnia, chaos reigns and civilization begins to crumble. A young mother, played by Gina Rodriguez, attempts to protect her children, […]

Pre-teen girls comprise the target audience for “Spirit Untamed,” a big-screen adaptation of the animated Netflix TV series “Spirit Riding Free.” Set in the 19th century American west, it tells the story of a young girl who befriends a wild Mustang stallion after she relocates to a small frontier town. They team up to thwart […]

The long-delayed sequel to filmmaker John Krasinski’s wildly original sci-fi horror thriller has finally arrived in theaters. “A Quiet Place: Part II” is a worthy follow-up that seems even more timely as we emerge from quarantine. The blind aliens with acute hearing continue to wreak havoc on humanity as one family tries desperately to remain […]

You can always expect dynamic visuals and plenty of breakneck action from filmmaker Zach Snyder. You can also expect his movies to be overblown, self-indulgent and overlong. “Army of the Dead” is no exception. Dave Bautista stars in this grisly and bloody hybrid movie that plays like “Ocean’s 11” meets “World War Z.” After an […]

Amy Adams (“Hillbilly Elegy”) stars in a new Netflix suspense thriller from director Joe Wright (“Darkest Hour”). The supporting cast includes Gary Oldman (“Mank”) and Julianne Moore (“Gloria Bell”).

Alfred Hitchcock is long gone, but filmmakers continue to try to recapture the signature style of the master of suspense. “The Woman in the Window,” based on A.J. Finn’s novel, is one of the best and most involving of the many Hitchcock imitations. Amy Adams is excellent as an emotionally disturbed agoraphobic psychologist who may […]

The teaming of Billy Crystal and Tiffany Haddish promised to be a combo of comic gold. Instead, “Here Today” is a sweetly sentimental drama written and directed by Crystal about an aging comedy writer who relies on a newfound friend when his struggles with dementia become increasingly difficult to hide. The stars are appealing, and […]

Michael B. Jordan steps into the role of Navy Seal and CIA operative John Clark in the involving action drama, “Tom Clancy’s Without Remorse.” The plot has been updated from the Viet Nam era to contemporary times to provide an origin story for Clark, who attempts to thwart a plot to instigate war between the […]