Bad Times at the El Royale ★★ “The new film from Drew Goddard (director and co-writer of The Cabin in the Woods) is a film out of time; set during the late ’60s, it feels exactly like one of these Tarantino wannabes—only arriving 20 years too late for extra hipster cred.” Read more >>

Blaze ★★★ “If you believe—like myself—that Ethan Hawke is not as well known as he should be after more than three decades of appearing on movie screens, Blaze doesn’t do him any favors.” Read more >>

Colette ★★ ¹/₂  “Look no further than the poster’s tagline for this biopic to get a sense of what you’re in for: “History is about to change.” Read more >>

Fahrenheit 11/9 ★★  “As bad as it was watching the results come in that night, it’s no easier watching Moore repackage the events in a horrifying montage as a hostile takeover.” Read more >>

First Man ★★ ¹/₂  “It seems that every young filmmaker is currently emulating Terrence Malick, specifically his work in spiritual drama The Tree of Life. Sadly, the latest to suffer from this affliction is 33-year-old Oscar-winning director Damien Chazelle…” Read more >>

The Happy Prince ★★★ ¹/₂  “In the case of Oscar Wilde, I wouldn’t have guessed that the final, destitute and disease-stricken years of the once-popular poet and playwright would have made for a great choice. ” Read more >>

The House with a Clock in its Walls ★★ ¹/₂ “Who knew that Newton-born Eli Roth, the twisted mind behind Hostel and R-rated trash like the recent Death Wish remake would have a PG-rated Amblin entertainment-branded film in him?” Read more >>

Life Itself ★ “Full disclosure: I’ve never seen an episode of Dan Fogelman’s This Is Us. But if the popular TV show he created is anything like Life Itself, the second movie he’s written and directed, I never will. ” Read more >>

The Old Man & the Gun ★★★ Robert Redford bids a nostalgic farewell to acting. Read more >>

A Simple Favor ★ ¹/₂ “If you’ve seen David Fincher’s Gone Girl, you’ve seen this type of trashy neo-noir made far more skillfully by someone who knows how to stage and even light a scene.” Read more >>

A Star is Born ★★★  ¹/₂  “Bradley Cooper has done the unthinkable, taking a well-worn tale and infusing it with new life.”  Read more >>

Venom ★  “Longtime Venom fans might need a stiff drink of their own if they make it through this hot mess of a movie.”  Read more >>