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Author: Ben Kaye

From page to screen, “Spider-Man 2” brought New York to life

Spider-Man 2
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Despite attempts to recapture its magic, Sam Raimi’s second superhero entry remains the best in energy and empathy.

Ben Kaye Posted on October 27, 2020October 27, 2020

“Guardians of the Galaxy” Gave the MCU Its Identity

Guardians of the Galaxy
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A break from all those iron men and thunder gods, James Gunn’s blast of ’70s pastiche helped solidify the Marvel movies’ blend of character and comedy.

Ben Kaye Posted on April 16, 2020April 17, 2020

How “A Master Builder” Stumbled in Its Journey From Stage to Screen

A Master Builder
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Jonathan Demme’s penultimate film is well-made and features excellent performances, but suffers in scope.

Ben Kaye Posted on February 26, 2020February 25, 2020

“Revolutionary Road” and the Lost Art of Knowing What Isn’t Special

Revolutionary Road
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Sam Mendes’s tale of forlorn love works best as a study of the pitfalls that litter the American Dream.

Ben Kaye Posted on December 26, 2019December 26, 2019

“Shutter Island” Struggles Between Monsters and Good Men

Shutter Island
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Martin Scorsese followed up The Departed with Shutter Island, a claustrophobic psychological thriller about the madness of loss.

Ben Kaye Posted on October 30, 2019October 29, 2019

Looking Back at the Rotoscoped Dreams of “Waking Life”

Waking Life
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Richard Linklater’s 2001 rotoscope experiment gets lost in philosophical aimlessness.

Ben Kaye Posted on August 17, 2019August 16, 2019

“Jupiter Ascending” Is the Wachowskis’ Big, Silly Cinematic Swan Song

Jupiter Ascending
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The Wachowskis’ last theatrical film to date — a space opera with Channing Tatum as a roller-skating wolf man — is one of their most ambitiously corny efforts yet.

Ben Kaye Posted on June 29, 2019June 29, 2019

Pigs Fly in Miyazaki’s Swashbuckling Sea Adventure “Porco Rosso”

Porco Rosso
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Porco Rosso is yet another swashbuckling adventure in the grand tradition of Hayao Miyazaki, a high-flying caper about a flying pig who’s also a sea pirate.

Ben Kaye Posted on May 18, 2019August 10, 2020
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