TV Review: The Orville Takes Alara “Home” For Her Final Episode
Alara gets her last hurrah in a shockingly well-rendered showcase for Halston Sage, saying goodbye to one of the show’s standout characters. NOW STREAMING: Powered by JustWatch This piece was originally posted on Alcohollywood“ Mind opening up this jar of pickles for me?” In the quippier, more sitcommy days of The Orville’s first season, this recurring ... TV Review: The Orville Takes Alara “Home” For Her Final Episode
Asher Review: A Creaky Pre-90s Hitman Thriller
Try as they might, even genre giants like Ron Perlman and Famke Jannsen can’t elevate this dull, by-the-numbers hitman thriller. This piece was originally posted on Alcohollywood The ‘90s were peak years for the hitman genre. Between Tarantino, Rodriguez, and Jarmusch, the way we think about and view these agents of quiet doom has informed ... Asher Review: A Creaky Pre-90s Hitman Thriller
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse Review – A Web-Slinging Animated Classic in the Making
Miles Morales gets the big-screen treatment he deserves, an aesthetically vibrant, action-packed story that might just be one of the best animated superhero films of all time. This piece was originally posted on Alcohollywood What if I were to tell you that one of the most dazzling, innovative, hilarious and poignant animated films of the ... Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse Review – A Web-Slinging Animated Classic in the Making
Twisted Pair Review: Neil Breen’s Latest Exercise in Baffling Anti-Cinema
The deeply strange Neil Breen returns with an even more deeply strange entry in his filmography of homespun, barely-coherent ‘psychological thrillers.’ This piece was originally posted on Alcohollywood One doesn’t review a Neil Breen movie so much as ponder its existence. It’s not even a question of how it got made—we know it was financed ... Twisted Pair Review: Neil Breen’s Latest Exercise in Baffling Anti-Cinema
Scrooged at 30: How Bill Murray Turned A Christmas Carol On Its Head
Three decades later, Bill Murray’s dark turn on Ebenezer Scrooge remains as adored by its fans as it was a nightmare to make. This piece was originally posted on Alcohollywood In December of 2015, Netflix aired A Very Murray Christmas, an original holiday special hosted by Bill Murray, who at some point in the past fifteen ... Scrooged at 30: How Bill Murray Turned A Christmas Carol On Its Head
Ralph Breaks the Internet Review: Disney Didn’t Wreck It!
As adorable and poignant as the first, Disney Animation Studios crafts a Wreck-It Ralph sequel that’s as much about navigating difficult friendships as it is poking fun at Disney princesses and Snapchat. This piece was originally posted on Alcohollywood “There’s no law saying best friends have to have the same dreams.” Amid all the madcap ... Ralph Breaks the Internet Review: Disney Didn’t Wreck It!
The Christmas Chronicles Review: Kurt Russell Saves the Holidays
Netflix continues its encroachment into the Hallmark Christmas movie game with a treacly kid’s flick elevated greatly by Kurt Russell as a Santa Who Bangs. This piece was originally posted on Alcohollywood The Hallmark Channel runs somewhere between 30 and 418 new Christmas movies every holiday season. I haven’t seen a single one of them. ... The Christmas Chronicles Review: Kurt Russell Saves the Holidays
Prospect Review: A Thrilling, Micro-budget Sci-Fi Western
Writer/director team Zeek Earl and Chris Caldwell craft a grimy, visceral space Western about a family of prospectors risking their lives on an alien moon. This piece was originally posted on Alcohollywood Space-based science fiction is usually a big-budget affair – hundred-million-dollar space battles, exotic alien creatures and slick, futuristic spaceships. However, every so often ... Prospect Review: A Thrilling, Micro-budget Sci-Fi Western
Overlord Review: Nazi Zombie Shoot-Em-Up Is Fast and Furhrer-ious
The JJ Abrams-produced Nazi zombie flick provides plenty of schlock and scares, but stumbles over its own rotting feet when it reaches for profundity. This piece was originally posted on Alcohollywood If Indiana Jones has taught us anything, it’s that Jehovah starts with a ‘Y’ and there’s nothing more satisfying that watching someone kick the ... Overlord Review: Nazi Zombie Shoot-Em-Up Is Fast and Furhrer-ious
The Girl in the Spider’s Web Review: Lisbeth Slander gets an action hero makeover
Lisbeth Salander returns, this time played by Claire Foy, in a slick but shallow sequel that trades in the series’ nuance for Bond-ian action. This piece was originally posted on Alcohollywood Pre-screening chatter before The Girl in the Spider’s Web all seemed to center on the same questions: “What happened in the last movie?” “Is ... The Girl in the Spider’s Web Review: Lisbeth Slander gets an action hero makeover
Outlaw King Review: Chris Pine Frees Scotland in Tepid Historical Drama
David McKenzie reunites with Chris Pine for a Braveheart-esque historical epic that plays out more like a filler episode of Game of Thrones. This piece was originally posted on Alcohollywood Before you read any further, know this: yes, Chris Pine does hang dong in Outlaw King. For a certain subset of the population, this may ... Outlaw King Review: Chris Pine Frees Scotland in Tepid Historical Drama
How the Matrix Sequels Expanded the Wachowskis’ Universe By Humanizing its Villains
The Wachowskis’ seminal sci-fi trilogy hits 4K today ahead of the first Matrix’s 20th anniversary. In honor of that, we take a look back at the much-maligned Matrix sequels and their intriguing ability to build upon (and even subvert) the themes of the first. This piece was originally posted on Alcohollywood The Matrix movies are some ... How the Matrix Sequels Expanded the Wachowskis’ Universe By Humanizing its Villains
Hunter Killer Review: Gerard Butler Sinks In this Throwback Sub Thriller
The latest mid-budget Gerard Butler vehicle might thrill those who clamor for the return of the 90s submarine thriller, but doesn’t offer much else. This piece was originally posted on Alcohollywood While the film and television industry is deep in the throes of nostalgia, it’s strange to see the submarine thriller – one of the ... Hunter Killer Review: Gerard Butler Sinks In this Throwback Sub Thriller
Mountain Blu-Ray Review: An Arresting Climbing Doc Gets Pristine Treatment
Jennifer Peedom’s intriguing blend of documentary filmmaking and classical music comes to home theaters courtesy of a stunning Blu-ray release. This piece was originally posted on Alcohollywood Jennifer Peedom’s essay film Mountain begins not with snow-capped summits or other skyward fantasias, but the tuning of an orchestra: instruments are assembled, the conductor readies his baton, ... Mountain Blu-Ray Review: An Arresting Climbing Doc Gets Pristine Treatment
The Sisters Brothers Review: Joaquin Phoenix and John C. Reilly Upend the Western
Joaquin Phoenix and John C. Reilly are a pair of offbeat gunslingers in Jacques Audiard’s unconventional, gorgeously energetic Western. This piece was originally posted on Alcohollywood The American Western has been told in every conceivable fashion, but they often feature the same sort of lead – a man who, when faced with great adversity, buries ... The Sisters Brothers Review: Joaquin Phoenix and John C. Reilly Upend the Western
3100: Run and Become’s Sanjay Rawal on Running as Prayer (Interview)
We sit down with the director of the upcoming long-distance running doc 3100: Run and Become to talk about the spirituality of running and their responsibilities toward the marginalized communities they highlight. This piece was originally posted on Alcohollywood The Self-Transcendence Race in New York City is a grueling, unrelenting 3,100-mile race held every year ... 3100: Run and Become’s Sanjay Rawal on Running as Prayer (Interview)
The House with a Clock in its Walls Review: Eli Roth Tries (and Succeeds) at Spooky Kid’s Fare
Fresh off a string of failed horror flicks, Eli Roth bounces back with an unexpectedly fun, faithful adaptation of John Bellairs’ classic kid’s adventure books. This piece was originally posted on Alcohollywood The prospect of grindhouse provocateur Eli Roth directing a four-quadrant kid’s flick is a dicey, but fascinating one – yet here we are ... The House with a Clock in its Walls Review: Eli Roth Tries (and Succeeds) at Spooky Kid’s Fare
The First TV Review: Hulu Ventures Into Space, Stays Disappointingly Earthbound
Despite brilliant performances and an intriguingly cerebral attitude, Sean Penn’s Hulu-set space race fails to reach for the stars, keeping its feet disappointingly on terra firma. This piece was originally posted on Alcohollywood Let’s get this out of the way first: if you’re looking for The First to be a rollicking space adventure about Sean ... The First TV Review: Hulu Ventures Into Space, Stays Disappointingly Earthbound