In the unforgettable Looney Tunes cartoon Duck Amuck, director Chuck Jones posits a question to the viewer. What is Daffy Duck? Are his qualities recognizable even if he was in a different body? Entirely invisible? The various visual manifestations of this fowl, complete with a consistent personality emanating from the character’s voicework and body language, make it clear that Daffy Duck is more than just one physical vessel. He transcends form. Continue Reading →
It's safe to say that no one necessarily asked for a sequel to Ti West's X, especially six mere months after its release. Not because it was bad, mind you; it was actually quite good, a nifty throwback to Texas Chainsaw Massacre with a hefty soupcon of Debbie Does Dallas tossed in the mix. But its tale of a ragtag amateur-porn crew besieged by a murderous old country crone envious of their youthful beauty and raging libidos hardly cried out for a followup. Yet here we are with Pearl, a prequel that dabbles in decidedly different genre homages but might just be the superior slasher of the two. Continue Reading →
Ask someone if they’ve seen 2014’s Goodnight Mommy, and if their immediate response is to shudder, you’ll know they have. The Austrian cult horror film combines so many tropes – psychological horror, body horror, paranoia, twins, creepy kids, creepy moms, etc. – that it seems like it should be an incoherent mess, but is instead a tightly paced, relentless assault on the nerves. Even the trailer is creepier than many mainstream horror films, while only showing a tiny bit of how bad things get in it. Continue Reading →
God’s Country shows a place in America rarely described. There’s a vastness, an emptiness to Sandra Guidry’s (Thandiwe Newton) home. She’s moved from New Orleans out to the country. It’s the sort of place where a single man in law enforcement covers hundreds of miles of terrain. A Black professor in an all-white department at a local university, Guidry lives in her house alone on acres of land, prime hunting ground for those hoping to shoot and score. Julian Higgins’s thriller plays out like a matchstick, a burn that erodes everything until there’s nothing left to destroy. Continue Reading →
“You’ve seen one you seen them all," says the dastardly movie director from beyond the grave. It’s the recently murdered Leo Köpernick (Adrien Brody), telling us early in the film about how stale the murder mystery genre was even by the 1950s, when See How They Run takes place. It’s also a warning to the audience that this movie will not be adding anything new, revelatory, or exciting to whodunnit cinema. Everything here has been done before, and better. Continue Reading →
Mike Pondsmith, creator of the tabletop RPG Cyberpunk—which video game studio CD Projekt Red adapted into Cyberpunk 2077 and which in turn led to the creation of Studio TRIGGER (Promare)'s 10-episode anime Cyberpunk: Edgerunners—said this: Continue Reading →
Jon Hamm is a darn good comic actor, and he's a darn good comic actor with range. In Top Gun: Maverick for instance he played Naval Airboss Cyclone's abiding sternness and exasperation with Maverick for solid straight man work. Confess Fletch—which Hamm leads as unlicensed detective Irwin Maurice "Fletch" Fletcher (previously played by Chevy Chase in 1985's Fletch), by contrast, sees the Mad Men star go quietly goofy to strong effect. Even in a film packed with colorful and more openly eccentric weirdos, Hamm's Fletch is an odd man. Continue Reading →
On a chilly December night, mobsters in 1920s Chicago have nowhere to go but a tailor’s workshop. Apologies; not a tailor. A cutter. This isn’t like any man you’ve met, not at least while looking for someone to fix your favorite suit. He’ll put together the suit you’ll wear at your office Christmas party, but he may also be the cleverest strategist on the block. And that tension is at the heart of The Outfit, a surprisingly taut, stagelike thriller with some great performances at its center. Continue Reading →
Jalmari Helander's WWII action flick glues Inglourious Basterds to Mad Max Fury Road, and it's a fist-pumping blast. (This review is part of our 2022 Toronto International Film Festival coverage.) Inglourious Basterds' Lt. Aldo Raine would be pretty proud of Jalmari Helander's gonzo spaghetti-Western-meets-WWII actioner Sisu; like he, the film is interested in "one thing, and one thing only... killin' Nazis." And so it goes with the TIFF 2022 Midnight Madness pick, a roaring rampage of revenge that commits to its stylized schtick -- even if that means it feels a little thin. Continue Reading →
Considering Kevin Smith's career from a 2022 perspective is a fascinating exercise. His early output, from 1994's Clerks to 2001's Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back, were once quintessential texts for Gen X / film nerds, treated with the same reverence as the films of Quentin Tarantino or Robert Rodriguez. But that isn’t the case anymore, and hasn’t been for over a decade. Continue Reading →
Paul Schrader’s American Gigolo is a 1980 neo-noir starring Richard Gere as a male escort caught up in a murder investigation. The film gave the world Gere as a leading man and the iconic Blondie song “Call Me.” In Showtime’s eight-episode reimagining, Jon Bernthal takes on the role of Julian Kaye (AKA John Henderson), the titular American Gigolo. He's living the high-paced high-society dream until the murder of one of his clients leads to his wrongful incarceration. Continue Reading →
Pinocchio is not a movie. It’s the latest in a long line of live-action remakes of classic Disney cartoons. The Mouse House’s newest excuse to print money can't be reasoned with. It doesn't feel pity, or remorse, or fear. And it absolutely will not stop... ever, until you are dead! Or until it only has Pocahontas and Home on the Range left to turn into live-action features, whichever comes first. If the track record of movies like The Lion King and Alice in Wonderland isn’t enough to make you discouraged about the prospects of Pinocchio, it’s worth remembering that this is also a Robert Zemeckis directorial effort made after 2001. Continue Reading →
The Serpent Queen is the latest historical drama on offer from Starz. It will leave you wondering where the line between calculating ruthlessness and stone-cold survival skills lies. The series centers around the life of Catherine De Medici, Queen of France, during the Valois Dynasty. Samantha Morton stars as the titular character, giving a powerful and disarming performance, while Liv Hill portrays the younger Catherine in flashbacks. Continue Reading →
It can be hard to write about films sometimes. No mere words, no matter how witty, insightful, or elegant, can truly capture the experience of watching the most surprising ones. Except for movies like Zach Cregger's (The Whitest Kids U'Know) new horror/thriller, Barbarian, which I can encapsulate perfectly with a few phrases: Continue Reading →
Everyone’s had that “wedding season” experience. You meet a stranger at the start of the summer and have a great time flirting—perhaps more—with them by the bar and on the dance floor. It feels like a fun one-time thing, but then you keep running into each other at every other reception over the next few months. Before you know it, you’re having a full-fledged affair and running from the police because you’re both suspected of murdering an entire wedding party. You know, standard mid-20s wedding season fun. Continue Reading →
Sébastien Lifshitz directs a tender but incomplete documentary about a New York State sanctuary for trans people seeking safety & understanding. (This review is part of our coverage of the 2022 Toronto International Film Festival) Nestled in the arbors of the Catskills sits an ordinary house. Next to it is a brown box barn. Dilapidated cabins dot the rest of the land. Driving by, you’d never know that over 60 years ago, this mundane property was a sanctuary for ‘trans-’ folks. Continue Reading →
There’s been a recent boom in the television sphere of hybrid comedy/documentary series, ranging from altered talk shows (The Eric Andre Show) to pranks with the pals (Jackass) and cringe “reality” series (The Rehearsal). Looking to join the ranks is Netflix’s new show Chad and JT Go Deep, a comedic mockumentary series that flirts with cringe comedy, advocates for important causes, and aims to make us all members of “stokenation.” Continue Reading →
The Patient’s Dr. Alan Strauss (Steve Carrell) is a man of ritual. One can tell it from how he cuts his fruit, interacts with clients, and even walks through his home. The deliberate editing from Amanda Pollack and Daniel A. Valverde in the pilot help emphasize this point. Ritual upon ritual surrounds him. Continue Reading →
When James Caan passed away back in July, most of the celebrations of his life and career focused on the tough guy persona that he developed via such classic films as The Godfather (1972), The Gambler (1974), and Thief (1981), to name just a few. All of those are undeniably worthy of tribute, of course. However, many remembrances failed to note his adeptness in comedies, especially those that allowed him to have fun with his macho screen image. Continue Reading →
The new horror film The Invitation opts to take a cue from Smash Mouth’s “All-Star” and hit the ground running. The very first scene of Jessica M. Thompson’s latest directorial effort depicts a woman deciding to escape a lavish home by way of suicide. With the help of a piano string and a medium-sized statue, she’s soon a corpse dangling in the living room of this mansion. Accompanied by pronounced cues on Dara Taylor’s score and claps of thunder, this demise is a striking way to kick off a movie. It’s also, unfortunately, emblematic of a critical narrative misstep from which The Invitation never quite recovers. Continue Reading →
From Promising Young Women to Big Little Lies, we’re in a golden age of female revenge stories. Looking to add to the ranks is AppleTV+’s new series Bad Sisters. It follows the tight-knit group of sisters who slowly turn on their prick-ish brother-in-law after years of misogynistic torture. It’s a dash of thriller Big Little Lies with a sprinkle of the comedy of 9 to 5, all set in a coastal Irish town. Continue Reading →
One of the major concerns people have before cutting the cord is potentially losing access to live sports. But the great thing about live TV streaming services is that you never lose that access. Minus the contracts and complications of cable, these streaming services connect you to a host of live channels, including ESPN. So ... How to Watch ESPN With A Free Trial
To date, Paramount Network has only two original shows on air right now: Yellowstone and Bar Rescue. The network seems to have its hands full with on-demand streaming service Paramount+, which is constantly stacked with a fresh supply of new shows. But Yellowstone and Bar Rescue are so sturdy and expansive that the network doesn’t ... How to Watch Paramount Network With a Free Trial
Previously “Women’s Entertainment,” We TV has since rebranded to accurately reflect its name and be a more inclusive lifestyle channel. It’s home to addictive reality gems like Bold and Bougie, Bridezillas, Marriage Boot Camp, and The Untold Stories of Hip Hop. And when it’s not airing original titles, it has on syndicated shows like 9-1-1, ... How to Watch WE TV With a Free Trial
For many sports fans, TNT is a non-negotiable. It broadcasts NBA, MLB, NHL, college basketball, and All Elite Wrestling matches. And, as a bonus, it also has reruns of shows like Supernatural, Charmed, and NCIS, as well as films like The Avengers, Dune, and Justice League. But while TNT used to be a cable staple, ... How to Watch TNT Sports With A Free Trial
It’s no coincidence that many of today’s biggest comedians found their footing on Comedy Central: the channel is a bastion of emerging comic talents. It served as a playground for people like Nathan Fielder (Fielder For You), Ilana Glazer and Abbi Jacobson (Broad City), Tim Robinson (Detroiters), and Dave Chappelle (Chappelle’s Show) before they shot ... How to Watch Comedy Central With a Free Trial
You’d be hard-pressed to find a bad show airing on FX. The channel has made a name for itself as a bastion of high-brow TV, along with HBO and AMC. It’s produced shows like Atlanta, Fargo, The Americans, Archer, and more recently, Shogun. But because it’s owned by Disney, it still airs several blockbusters in ... How to Watch FX With a Free Trial
If you’re a fan of true crime and insider docu-shows like The First 48 and Court Cam, then you’re probably already familiar with A&E. The cable channel is home to other reality TV gems like Hoarders, Duck Dynasty, and Storage Wars (they’ve moved on to spin-offs like Road Wars, Customer Wars, and Prison Wars now). ... How to Watch A&E With A Free Trial
From classics like Unplugged, Cribs, Jersey Shore, and Catfish to newer favorites like RuPaul’s Drag Race (and Untucked!) and Love & Hip Hop, MTV is still the place to be, if not for the latest in music and pop culture, then at least for solidly entertaining reality TV. Unlike before, you don’t actually need cable ... How to Watch MTV With a Free Trial
Comedy fans know Adult Swim is where it’s at. Home to shows like Rick and Morty, Robot Chicken, and The Eric Andre Show, the Cartoon Network programming block has become so big and successful that it’s practically overrun its home channel. It helps that it also shares rights to popular adult animation like Bob’s Burgers, ... How to Watch Adult Swim With a Free Trial
There are few things in the world more thrilling to women than a juicy true crime series. NBC seems to know that pretty well, hence the rebranding of The Oxygen Channel from light lifestyle fare to hardcore true crime. Here, you’ll find investigative shows like Cold Justice and Dateline, specials like Homicide for the Holidays, ... How to Watch Oxygen With a Free Trial
Sometimes, you can’t ask for anything more than funny and smart shows, which FXX has in spades. As the cable network home of The Simpsons, it airs new episodes of the show weekly, even dedicating an entire Sunday afternoon block to it. This is accompanied by shows like Futurama, King of the Hill, Family Guy, ... How to Watch FXX With a Free Trial
Much like HBO and AMC, FX always has at least one show on that has everyone talking. Right now, that’s Shogun and Fargo (please go see those now if you haven’t yet). But in the past, it’s also seen the rise of now-cult classics like American Horror Story, Atlanta, Sons of Anarchy, and It’s Always ... How to Get an FX Subscription Without Cable
As the (smaller) sister channel of ABC and The Disney Channel, Freeform is home to some pretty entertaining but still wholesome TV shows like Grown-ish (a spin-off of Black-ish), Chrissy & Dave Dine Out, and Young & Hungry. Some on-brand reruns also include shows like Boy Meets World, Switched at Birth, and The Secret Life ... How to Watch Freeform With a Free Trial
Nickelodeon has made a name for itself as a children’s channel, but late at night when the kids go to bed, it airs films and TV shows that even mom and dad can enjoy. The programming block, called Nick at Nite, begins at 8 in the evening (10 on Saturdays) and runs through 7 in ... How to Watch Nick at Nite With a Free Trial
When it comes to breaking news, few channels can match up to CNN. It has local, national, and international coverage down pat, not to mention it’s on 24/7 and hosted by some of the country’s most trusted journalists, including Anderson Cooper and Christiane Amanpour. In the past, CNN only came with expensive cable packages, but ... How to Get a CNN Subscription Without Cable
Ina Garten, Bobby Flay, Guy Fieri, Tiffany Derry…really, who’s doing it like The Food Network? The channel has been platforming some of the most recognizable chefs and their respective shows since 1993, and even in the streaming age, it shows no signs of stopping. I mean, you can watch YouTube and TikTok chefs all you ... How to Get Food Network Live Without Cable
Cartoon Network’s giant library of animated television series has been a great, diverse companion to generations of kids growing up. Originals like Powerpuff Girls, Dexter’s Laboratory, and Johnny Bravo brought tons of color to basic character tropes; while new age classics like Steven Universe and We Bare Bears explored softer moods to go with the ... How to Watch Cartoon Network with a Free Trial
Whether you just want to tune in to the most anticipated sporting event of the year (Puppy Bowl, of course) or you want a constant stream of shows like Lone Star Law, The Vet Life, and Coyote Peterson to keep your animal-loving heart company, then you probably know how vital it is to have Animal ... How to Watch Animal Planet With a Free Trial
Unlike most channels out there, The CW doesn’t cater to a specific niche; it’s a network that has a little something for everybody. It carries superhero shows like Superman & Lois, dramas like All American, magic shows like Penn & Teller, and comedies like Whose Line Is It Anyway? Because it has local affiliates scattered ... How to Get The CW Live Without Cable
If you’re looking for a good mix of serious true crime shows, hard-hitting documentaries, police procedurals, and vintage classics, then Sundance TV will be a fun addition to your channel lineup, if it’s not there already. It’s random enough to cater to different tastes, but its shows are, for the most part, addictive watches. Currently, ... How to Watch SundanceTV With a Free Trial
If you’ve put on the Travel Channel in the last decade or so, you’ll know it’s not actually the Travel Channel anymore, not really. Sure, it still occasionally airs gems like No Reservations with Anthony Bourdain and Hotel Impossible, but most of its time slots are now dedicated to supernatural and true crime shows. That ... How to Watch Travel With a Free Trial
Everyone knows that A&E is the go-to channel for all the wars. You know, Customer Wars, Storage Wars, Road Wars, Neighbor Wars, Parking Wars…But the cable channel is also home to other programs that take a closer look at our mundane but fascinating lives. Sometimes, they take a more criminal bent with shows like The ... How to Get an A&E Subscription Without Cable
Aimed at the next generation of Disney kids, Disney Junior offers countless fun and educational children’s programming. Whether it’s modern favorites like Sofia the First, Doc McStuffins, or Bluey; or staple Mickey Mouse shows such as Mickey Mouse Clubhouse; the Disney Junior line-up is perfect for young children’s active imaginations, as well as teaching them ... How to Watch Disney Junior with a Free Trial
Whether it’s a game show, a survival contest, or a race, nothing beats the the thrill of a competition. And what better way to tune into that thrill than by heading over to the Game Show Network, which is all rivalry 24/7. Unlike the olden days, you don’t need a cable connection to do this. ... How to Watch Game Show Network With a Free Trial