film criticism by maryann johanson | celebrating 25 years: 1997–2022
A self-indulgent, faux-woke mashup of noir crime, black comedy, and Tarantino-esque ultraviolence. Some great performances, including a spectacular feature debut from Cynthia Erivo; shame they’re so wasted.
Save us from male artists who think they are dangerously, uniquely innovative. This stew of toxic masculinity and CGI-cartoon violence is nothing but tediously mundane.
Now updated with winners…
Moonlight wins big…
Moonlight leads, with seven awards…
Alongside plenty of heist-movie humor and suspense is a bleak fatalism grounded in depressing reality and resignation to the miserable necessity it demands.
Like Monty Python without the comedy, or at least without the intentional comedy. Jeff Bridges’ saving throw against the Phoning It In curse fails!
A very simplistic Dystopia for Dummies — with a bit of Terrence Malick for Dummies — and inoffensive enough until it devolves into all kinds of stupid.
I was shocked to discover that we hadn’t yet gazed at him…
R.I.P.D.: How Hollywood sells us the same flicks over and over again. The New Grizzled Action Hero (same as the old grizzled action hero). Special Report: Tentpoles — how putting all your eggs in one basket become “good business”…
