Review: “How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World” Sends the Series Off on a High Note

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While it maintains the same dazzling, frenetic charm of the original LEGO Movie, The Second Part doesn't manage to recapture the miracle of the first.

Unraveling pop-culture one thread at a time

The Spool is an irreverent, informative source for film and television coverage, focused on diverse, thoughtful opinions that seek out a greater understanding of the media we love.

Mary Poppins Returns Review: A Joyous Revival of a Disney Classic

Disney offers a rousing, delightful update to the children's film classic.

Chef Flynn Review: A Teen Chef Serves Up Delicious Dishes

Cameron Yates’ foodie doc about a budding teen chef is a riveting look at how ambition knows no age, but its smaller scope stretches a bit to get to feature length. This piece was originally posted on Alcohollywood If you were to ask the average ten-year-old about the presentation of their food, they’d probably respond ... Chef Flynn Review: A Teen Chef Serves Up Delicious Dishes

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

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

Dr Seuss’ The Grinch Review: Illumination’s Slick Remake is Two Sizes Too Bland

Diving deep into Minions territory, Illumination’s revamp of the holiday classic sands off the Grinch’s hard edges and turns him into a blandly grumpy uncle. This piece was originally posted on Alcohollywood The billboards for Dr Seuss’ The Grinch feature the eponymous antihero dishing out insults to the viewer. From the ads, you would think that ... Dr Seuss’ The Grinch Review: Illumination’s Slick Remake is Two Sizes Too Bland

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

To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before is Netflix’s Love Letter to Love Letters

Netflix’s latest dalliance in the teen rom-com genre is a real charmer, a sunny, bittersweet confection with plenty of welcome twists to high school romance. This piece was originally posted on Alcohollywood I still remember the first boy on whom I had a real, fill my diary crush. Mike O’Brien, seventh grade. Tall, lanky, with ... To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before is Netflix’s Love Letter to Love Letters

Skate Kitchen Is a Sun-Baked Celebration of Realistic Adolescence

Crystal Moselle’s narrative debut brings her documentary sensibilities to a fun, heartfelt story featuring the real members of Long Island’s most badass boarders. This piece was originally posted on Alcohollywood Skate Kitchen offers something that’s been sorely missing from the world of coming-of-age films: a story that tells self-discovery not as a hero’s tale with ... Skate Kitchen Is a Sun-Baked Celebration of Realistic Adolescence

Ken Marino’s Canine Comedy Dog Days is Ruff Around the Edges

While trying to chase both sentimentality and laughs, Ken Marino’s ensemble canine comedy ends up barking up the wrong tree. This piece was originally posted on Alcohollywood If you knew Ken Marino from his roles in cult comedy TV shows and movies (The State, Wet Hot American Summer, Party Down), you might go into his ... Ken Marino’s Canine Comedy Dog Days is Ruff Around the Edges

Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation Review: Fun in the Spooky Sun

The third entry in Sony Pictures’ kids’ films about animated monsters is fun, flighty and surprisingly layered, with solid jokes and a heartwarming message. This piece was originally posted on Alcohollywood I was more than a little ambivalent about the third installment of the Hotel Transylvania series. While I enjoy the franchise, and thought the ... Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation Review: Fun in the Spooky Sun

Incredibles 2 Review: A Sneakily Regressive Message Under All That Fun

Brad Bird’s 2018 sequel offers more of the same superhero fun as the original, but brings along some of its more pernicious politics. This piece was originally posted on Alcohollywood I admit, I enjoyed the first Incredibles movie. Who couldn’t? It had great action, heart, and humor, with all the emotional resonance Pixar has become ... Incredibles 2 Review: A Sneakily Regressive Message Under All That Fun

Won’t You Be My Neighbor? Review: A Beautiful Doc on the Life of Fred Rogers

Morgan Neville’s documentary about Fred Rogers is sweet, earnest, and filled with a wellspring of love for one of television’s kindest souls. This piece was originally posted on Alcohollywood Won’t You Be My Neighbor? succeeds in telling the story of one of the most beloved heroes of so many of our childhoods. But where it ... Won’t You Be My Neighbor? Review: A Beautiful Doc on the Life of Fred Rogers

Hereditary Review: A24 Keeps Haunting, Existential Horror in the Family

A24 continues its mean streak of unrelentingly interesting horror films, merging The Exorcist, The Witch and The Shining into pure cinematic nightmare fuel. This piece was originally posted at Alcohollywood From its opening frames, Hereditary digs its claws into you and doesn’t let go. A long, slow tracking shot pans across the workroom of Annie ... Hereditary Review: A24 Keeps Haunting, Existential Horror in the Family

Cargo Review: Netflix’s Sprawling, Intimate Zombie Travelogue

Netflix’s Australian zombie drama sports some fascinating twists on the undead genre, and drips with as much atmosphere as it does infected blood. This piece was originally posted on Alcohollywood Zombie movies can often be judged by the balance they strike between the expected rules of a well-traveled world and the twists each new film ... Cargo Review: Netflix’s Sprawling, Intimate Zombie Travelogue

Festivals

Chicago Critics Film Festival 2018: Capsule Reviews (Part 3)

Now that the 6th annual Chicago Critics Film Festival has closed, it’s time to look back on some other highlights we loved this year. This piece was originally posted on Alcohollywood The 6th annual Chicago Critics Film Festival has come to a close, and what a year it was! Curated by the Chicago Film Critics ... Chicago Critics Film Festival 2018: Capsule Reviews (Part 3)