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“Servant” spins its wheels in a messy season 2

servantseason2
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The M. Night Shyamalan executive produced series continues to serve up spooky atmosphere, but quickly loses its way.

Gena Radcliffe Posted on January 13, 2021January 13, 2021

“Night Stalker: The Hunt for a Serial Killer” charts a scary LA summer

Night Stalker
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Netflix’s latest true-crime docuseries expands its scope not just to the famed LA murderer, but the community he […]

Marshall Estes Posted on January 13, 2021January 13, 2021

“Outside the Wire” is a droning, ideologically confused sci-fi thriller

Outside the Wire
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The Netflix Action Movie Industrial Complex continues abated with a deeply mediocre military thriller that can’t get a handle on its lukewarm critique of drones.

Clint Worthington Posted on January 13, 2021January 12, 2021

“Climate of the Hunter” embraces schlock, but comes out shaggy

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Mickey Reece’s out-there vampire B film plays in a lot of genres, but doesn’t quite hit the Anna Biller vibe it’s going for.

Sarah Gorr Posted on January 12, 2021January 12, 2021

Revisiting Mira Nair’s vibrant, character-driven “Salaam Bombay!”

Salaam Bombay!
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Mira Nair’s 1988 breakout remains a scintillating tale of poverty in India’s slums, even as it toes the line of exploitation.

Manish Mathur Posted on January 12, 2021January 12, 2021

“Search Party” takes time to find its groove in season 4

Search Party Season 4
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The dark comedy continues to be an excellent exploration of millennial ennui.

Reyzando Nawara Posted on January 12, 2021January 12, 2021

“Hunted” speaks out of both sides of its mouth

hunted
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Vincent Paronnaud’s over the top slasher film wants to say something about misogyny while treating its female lead as an object to be abused.

Michael Snydel Posted on January 11, 2021January 11, 2021

P.S.H. I Love You: PSH steps behind the camera in “Jack Goes Boating”

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Philip Seymour Hoffman stepped behind the camera one time for this thin adaptation of the Robert Glaudini play.

Jonah Koslofsky Posted on January 11, 2021January 11, 2021

Tiger Woods doc “Tiger” gets caught in the sand trap of its own ambition

Tiger Woods HBO
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HBO’s documentary of golf great Tiger Woods suffers from a lack of participation from its subject, even as it charts his complicated home life and many personal scandals.

Max Gao Posted on January 10, 2021January 10, 2021

Ilan Eshkeri on setting the Earth to music in “A Perfect Planet”

Ilan Eshkeri A Perfect Planet
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The composer of the latest David Attenborough nature documentary talks about building the sounds of planet Earth.

Clint Worthington Posted on January 8, 2021January 8, 2021

“Herself” finds gentle grace in a simple story about trauma

Herself (Amazon Studios)
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Phyllida Lloyd and writer-star Clare Dunne delicately handle tough subject matter in a responsible, deft character drama.

Sarah Gorr Posted on January 8, 2021January 7, 2021

“The Reason I Jump” is a huge leap forward for autism representation

The Reason I Jump (Kino Lorber)
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Empathetic, well-crafted filmmaking makes this profile on the specificities of autistic life both heartwarming and essential in its outreach.

Douglas Laman Posted on January 8, 2021January 7, 2021

“Coyote” is an ugly relic of the past wandering through a desert of boredom

Coyote
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CBS All Access has managed to create an anti-hero drama as unpleasant as it is dull.

Tim Stevens Posted on January 7, 2021January 7, 2021

“Mr. Mayor” delights in parts, but there’s plenty to impeach

Mr. Mayor
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Tina Fey’s latest is a well-intentioned, but only occasionally diverting, COVID-set political sitcom with more good intentions than good jokes.

Ashley Lara Posted on January 7, 2021January 7, 2021

“The Dissident” is a gripping look at Jamal Khashoggi’s murder

The Dissident (Briarcliff Entertainment)
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Bryan Fogel follows up Icarus with a harrowing, if occasionally glitchy, profile of Saudi Arabia’s snuffing of dissent, whether through social media or just plain murder.

Sean Price Posted on January 7, 2021January 7, 2021

“Star Trek Discovery” Season 3 Finale Recap: A good season ends badly

Star Trek Discovery Season 3 Finale
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A third season filled with dramatic narrative shakeups ends in the most abrupt, contrived way possible.

Andrew Bloom Posted on January 7, 2021January 7, 2021

The Expanse Season 5 Episode 6 Recap: “Tribes”

Expanse Season 5 Episode 6
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Marco consolidates his power, as the rest of our characters recalibrate their sense of purpose and fight to survive in the wake of the Free Navy’s attacks on Earth.

Clint Worthington Posted on January 6, 2021January 6, 2021

January’s Filmmaker of the Month: Mira Nair

Mira Nair Filmmaker of the Month
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We start 2021 by profiling the vibrant, richly textured, deceptively political works of Mira Nair.

Clint Worthington Posted on January 5, 2021January 5, 2021

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