Reviews

Power Ballad (3 stars out of 4)



Few directors have captured the joy of music as effectively as John Carney. Specifically, Carney's films--"Once," "Begin Again," and especially 2016's "Sing Street"--capture the joy of making music. So for musicians, people who appreciate musicians, and people who are somewhere in-between, "Power Ballad" marks the next welcome installment in Carney's portfolio.



"Power Ballad" is

Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu (2 1/2 stars out of 4)



There isn't much wrong with Jon Favreau's "Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu," but there isn't enough right to give it an enthusiastic recommendation. To its credit, it feels like more than just an extended episode of the Disney+ streaming series on which it is based, but it still

The Devil Wears Prada 2 (2 1/2 stars out of 4)



As a showcase for the creative world of modern fashion, "The Devil Wears Prada 2" works just fine. As a commentary on the impact of modern technology on traditional field like journalism, it's OK. As an attempt to humanize its elitist characters, it struggles.



It's been 20 years now since the

I Swear - 3 1/2 stars out of 4



It's nice when a film lives up to the hype.



I feel a little late to the party with "I Swear," the based-on-a-true-story biopic about a Scottish man's lifelong battle with Tourette's Syndrome. Director Kirk Jones's film was released in the UK last year to wide acclaim, and already netted awards (as well

Standout: The Ben Kjar Story (3 1/2 stars out of 4)



Tanner Christensen's documentary "Standout: The Ben Kjar Story" is a showcase for an inspirational story and a welcome option for anyone looking for something different from the mainstream offerings at the multiplex.



"Standout" follows the true story of a young man from Centerville, Utah as he navigates difficult physical and social

I was a little hesitant to be definitive when Mark and I recorded our "best of 2025" episode of the Utah FilmPod in January. Though I'd covered my necessary films for the UFCA vote, there were still a couple of un-nominated films that I suspected could wind up on my personal list once I got to them. Anyway, amid the

The 1990’s wave of crime thrillers feels like a special moment in Hollywood filmmaking. Movies like Seven (1995), acting as one of the most provocative films from that year, Heat (1995), which features a chaotic shoot-out and almost Shakespearian ending, and The Silence of the Lambs (1991), being one of the few films to win the big five awards at

Project Hail Mary (3 1/2 stars out of 4)



Reviewing "Project Hail Mary" is a little tricky, because this is one of the rare occasions where I've actually read the source material before seeing the film. The good news is that this isn't one of those situations where the book is a lot better than the movie; in fact, I think

Ready or Not 2: Here I Come (2 1/2 stars out of 4)



If you saw the first "Ready or Not" film in 2019, your reaction should probably be a safe gauge for whether you'll like the follow-up. Like its predecessor, "Ready or Not 2: Here I Come" is a fairly predictable showcase of mean-spirited comic gore and violence, with enough

Send Help (3 1/2 stars out of 4)



I imagine most of the people familiar with Sam Raimi fall into two groups. The more die-hard fan group know him for his "Evil Dead" movies, including "Army of Darkness," which capped off a trilogy of campy, over-the-top comic horror films led by Bruce Campbell. The other group associates the director with the