“‘Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets’ Should Have Been the Future of Blockbusters”

I know, I know: I’ve already made this argument. Well, it’s 5 years later, blockbusters are finally starting to look like they’re gonna turn around, and I’m making this argument again. Continue reading →

“10 Years Later, ‘Upstream Color’ Is An Uncomfortable Look at Manipulation and Justice”

They’re never the ones that they expect, are they? Continue reading →

Sundance ’23 Review Round-Up

Third annual edition of “Andy watches Sundance movies at home,” engage. Continue reading →

“Katie Parker and Rahul Kohli Winningly Lead Afterlife Sci-Fi ‘Next Exit'”

Okay, but what about the exit AFTER the next exit? Continue reading →

“40 Years Ago, ‘The Thing’ Set A New Standard For Sci-Fi Thrillers – And Accidentally Inspired A Modern Movie Trend”

The thing about ‘The Thing’ is that it’s one of the best American movies ever made. Continue reading →

SXSW ’22 Coverage Round-Up

Old lightning wit strikes again. Continue reading →

“‘Strawberry Mansion’ Review: The Best Sci-Fi Love Story Since ‘Eternal Sunshine'”

I don’t always write my own headlines, and when I do, I usually say: Take it well-salted. A headline is supposed to be a little clicky. In this case, though, I think I agree, but it’s been so long since Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind that I can’t say for sure. Still: It’s a reasonable … Continue reading →

Sundance 2022: Review Round-Up

Coming in just in time at (checks notes) a month and change since the festival wrapped. Continue reading →

“David Lynch’s ‘Dune’ Might Not Be Perfect, But Its New 4K Restoration Reminds Us It’s Admirable”

I will tolerate no dissent on my opinion that this very flawed and ungainly movie is pretty darn cool. Continue reading →

“What ‘Ad Astra’ Reveals About Brad Pitt’s Relationship With His Dad”

Ah, yes, “Ad Astra,” also known as “Brad’s Sad Dad Astra.” I thought this movie would be a Bad Astra. But it’s a Rad Astra! And I’m so Glad Astra. Continue reading →

“The 100 Best Sci-Fi Movies of All Time”

And here we are, faced with the daunting prospect of a new “100 best” list, this time for all the science fiction films out there. As is usual tradition, I must offer my veiled protest at a few of the movies listed here: Some are good, but too young to really belong on a list … Continue reading →

Review: Mrs. Hyde, 2018, dir. Serge Bozon

Nothing like watching a weird-ass movie adaptation of one of your favorite books that is nigh-unrecognizable from the book, am I right? I doubt Serge Bozon wants me to be mad about Mrs. Hyde; I doubt he made the movie expecting it’d actually make anyone mad. Without a doubt, though, I can say that the movie did … Continue reading →

Review: Mute, 2018, dir. Duncan Jones

King bummer: Mute, the new film from Duncan Jones, sort of kind of really, really, reeeeeally sucks. I’m a fan of Jones dating back to his debut, Moon, which, hey, good news – that movie is still super great. (Additionally, Source Code, his follow-up to Moon, remains solid, too, though a much lesser effort than Moon.) But the more movies Jones … Continue reading →

Review: Before We Vanish, 2018, dir. Kiyoshi Kurosawa

There’s no reason I should be giving a new Kiyoshi Kurosawa movie a sub-positive review score. Wait, hang on, let me start over: There shouldn’t be a reason for me to give a new Kiyoshi Kurosawa movie a sub-positive review score, but hey, Kurosawa gave me about three or four, so here we are. After reviewing Creepy … Continue reading →

Does ‘Valerian’ Deserve a Second Act?

Simple answer to the question posed by the title of my latest piece at The Hollywood Reporter: Yes. Yes it does. Luc Besson’s latest and underloved summer CGI extravaganza, Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets, has its flaws, most of them being tied to Dane DeHaan’s ill fit as the cocky action hero type, … Continue reading →

Review: Alien: Covenant, 2017, dir. Ridley Scott

First thing’s first: Here’s the link to my review of Alien: Covenant at Paste Magazine. Second thing’s, uh, second: Spoilers. I have to get some shit off my chest after the baffling defenses mounted in the film’s favor by some of the most respected names in contemporary film criticism, mostly because their defenses hinge on the … Continue reading →

Review: The Discovery, 2017, dir. Charlie McDowell

I really liked Charlie McDowell’s The One I Love, so imagine my disappointment when I watched The Discovery and found that it’s a pile of reluctant, hedging, self-doubting faux-spiritual feel-good nonsense. (“Feel-good” might be a stretch, but boy, the movie bends over backwards to get in as many cheap hugs as possible.) I didn’t hate it, but … Continue reading →

Review: Arrival, 2016, dir. Denis Villeneuve

I’m on again, off again with Denis Villeneuve; I’m unabashedly wild about Enemy, but I never could stand Prisoners and I can only enjoy Sicario as long as I don’t think too much about it. With Arrival, I’m closer to Enemy than not – it worked on me, and worked on everyone around me, which may be because it’s genuinely good … Continue reading →

Review: Independence Day: Resurgence, 2016, dir. Roland Emmerich

We always knew they’d be back indeed. We just didn’t know that they would be back in a movie this astoundingly bad. Look, I put down over twelve hundred words in digital ink to tear this stupid fucking thing a new one; I’ve earned my keep. I don’t have to preamble. The article I wrote … Continue reading →

Review: Chappie, 2015, dir. Neill Blomkamp

“Your enjoyment of Chappie will depend entirely on how high a premium you place on originality. The film’s influences announce themselves loudly and proudly; if you’ve seen Short Circuit, Short Circuit 2, and RoboCop, you have seen Chappie, or at least you’ve seen its skeleton dangled from a hang-up stand á la Budget Bart. But … Continue reading →