Reviews (Page 17) | The Spool

Reviews (Page 17)

Special Ops: Lioness Misses the Mark

Taylor Sheridan's latest puts the limits of his craft on full display.

Star Trek’s Strange New Worlds and Lower Decks are blended to perfection in the franchise’s most ambitious crossover yet

By: Andrew Bloom

Ensign Boimler meets Captain Pike in a time-traveling adventure with something profound on its mind. This piece was written during the 2023 WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes. Without the labor of the writers and actors currently on strike, the movie being covered here wouldn’t exist. NOW STREAMING: Powered by JustWatch “Those Old Scientists” may be the ... Star Trek’s Strange New Worlds and Lower Decks are blended to perfection in the franchise’s most ambitious crossover yet

Cobweb is a solid but mostly familiar spooky house full of secrets tale

By: Gena Radcliffe

Samuel Bodin’s thriller has a nice twist but lifts too much from the child-in-peril playbook.

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.

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds sees the good in confronting, not ignoring, our grief

A high concept sci-fi phenomena helps Ensign Uhura make peace with the deep losses she faced before and after joining Starfleet.

With Barbie, Greta Gerwig shows how well she can play with dolls

By: Shannon Campe

Margot Robbie fills the plastic heels of the iconic girls' doll in Gerwig's bubbly, socially-conscious comedy.

Happer’s Comet is a strange & very watchable journey

By: Scout Tafoya

It's a challenge to explain what exactly Tyler Taormina's movie is about, but it's deeply fascinating.

The YouTube Effect browses for a purpose

By: Michael Snydel

Alex Winter's cautionary documentary is well-made but preaching to the choir.

Fantasia 2023: Our 15 Most Anticipated Films

From werewolves to stop motion puppets to Don Lee punching folks, these are the Fantasia picks we're most looking forward to.

Minx Season 2 explores the complications of success

By: Tim Stevens

Abandoned by Max, the dramedy lands at Starz, boasting more complexity and much of the charm still intact.

Survival of the Thickest treats weight as a fact of life

By: Megan Sunday

Michelle Buteau writes & stars in a refreshing sitcom where the main character's size isn't the most important thing about her.

Theater Camp is fun, fluffy, and fierce

By: Marshall Estes

While the mockumentary lacks focus, its stellar cast and humor make it a deft exploration on the joy (and despair) of the theater.

Not even the supernatural can elevate Falcon Lake

By: Soham Gadre

Charlotte Le Bon’s debut feature suffers from offering familiar beats with almost methodical proceduralism.

Well, Bird Box Barcelona exists

By: Gena Radcliffe

The least essential sequel of 2023 moves things over to Europe for no particular reason.

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds brings big laughs, and something deeper, when Spock becomes human

A hilarious high-concept farce gives way to a subtle commentary on prejudice, self-acceptance, and quiet strength.

An impossible list: the top 10 best episodes of What We Do in the Shadows

With season 5 starting this week, we attempt the fool’s errand of narrowing down the greatest episodes (so far) of the greatest sitcom.

Full Circle closes the loop a bit too perfectly

By: Tim Stevens

Skilled performances overcome all too convenient plotting in the new Ed Solomon-Steven Soderbergh collaboration.

Lakota Nation vs United States makes a powerful case for land back

By: B.L. Panther

Jesse Short Bull and Laura Tomaselli craft a damning case against settler colonialism and its pernicious, inescapable role in American history.

Afire mercilessly skewers the suffering artist

By: Scout Tafoya

Christian Petzold writes & directs a dark comedy about a writer who's forced to let life get in the way of his creative process.

Alex Winter on the societal ills of “The YouTube Effect” — and a few benefits

The filmmaker breaks down the rise of the Internet's most popular streaming platform, and how it got away from its well-meaning creators.

Biosphere’s warm core saves a stretched premise

By: Michael Frank

Sterling K. Brown & Mark Duplass play friends facing the end of the world in a smart & timely comedy-drama.

The Out-Laws barely qualifies as a movie

By: Michael Frank

A game cast of funny people brings scant sparks to what is otherwise a Genuine Artificial Cinema Product.

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