Alci Rengifo
‘Succession’ Season 2 Finale: The Roy Family Select a Sacrificial Lamb
Features • Published on October 2019
After a season of intrigues, double crosses and even foreign entanglements, “Succession” ends its second round with everything coming down to one decision. Beset…
Lupita Nyong’o Is a Zombie Battling Teacher in Absurdly Entertaining ‘Little Monsters’
Features • Published on October 2019
The zombie movie is alive and sweet with Hulu’s “Little Monsters,” a surprisingly tender romp combining school field trips with flesh-munching corpses. It’s not…
Bong Joon-ho Talks Cinematic Craft and Tackling Class Divisions in Riveting ‘Parasite’
Features • Published on October 2019
Bong Joon-ho again proves he is one of modern cinema’s most unique voices with “Parasite.” The impression he gives…
‘The Addams Family’ Invites You to Sing Along and Chuckle at Ghoulish Antics
Features • Published on October 2019
They’re still creepy and kooky but find themselves in a conventional cartoon this time around, it’s “The Addams Family.” Snap your fingers twice now.
Emotive ‘Riverdale’ Season 4 Premiere Renders Tribute to Luke Perry
Features • Published on October 2019
To approach the fourth season premiere of “Riverdale” requires setting it apart from the rest of the show. No feverish melodrama this time around,…
‘In the Tall Grass’ Brings Vintage Stephen King Scares to Netflix
Features • Published on October 2019
When it comes to horror it can be the simplest premise that works best. Netflix’s “In the Tall Grass” understands this well, beginning with…
‘Pain and Glory’ Is Pedro Almodóvar’s Most Personal Work of Self-Reflection
Features • Published on October 2019
The great Pedro Almodóvar now joins the ranks of masterful filmmakers who have used their medium to reflect on themselves. “…
Joaquin Phoenix Embodies Modern Despair in Nihilistic ‘Joker’
Features • Published on October 2019
Todd Phillips‘ “Joker” is a film of images. That is what lingers more than its plot. What will surely generate the most…
Steven Soderbergh’s ‘The Laundromat’ Provides a Dramatic Guide Into the Panama Papers Scandal
Features • Published on October 2019
Netflix’s “The Laundromat” puts into clarity one of the great financial scandals of recent times. It is director Steven…
‘Godfather of Harlem’ Brings Some Fresh Elements to the Gangster Genre
Features • Published on September 2019
Epix’s “Godfather of Harlem” promises an hour of good old gangland intrigue, complete with men in sharp suits settling vendettas with bullets. On that…
Ryan Murphy Arrives on Netflix With the Dark Drama and Humor of ‘The Politician’
Features • Published on September 2019
“The Politician” defines ambition when it comes to crafting a TV series. In strange but always effective ways it mixes politics, teen satire and…
‘The Day Shall Come’ Uses Satire to Explore When the State Invents Its Own Terrorists
Features • Published on September 2019
“The Day Shall Come” almost defies easy categorization. It is a farcical comedy with a sharp political mind, full of both slapstick and dashes…
‘Judy’: Renée Zellweger Reaches Powerful Heights in Moving Judy Garland Biopic
Features • Published on September 2019
“Judy” starts at the bottom, after an icon has descended from the heights of prestige. This is what sets it apart from most Hollywood…
‘The Conners’ Return for Season 2 With an Emotional Trip to the Delivery Room
Features • Published on September 2019
As the second season begins of ABC’s “The Conners,” the sitcom confirms that it is now truly free to become its own, enjoyable mix of…
‘This Is Us’ Season 4 Introduces New Lives Into Its Vast and Moving Canvas
Features • Published on September 2019
NBC’s “This Is Us” returns to weave its spell for a fourth season. It’s quite impressive how creator Dan Fogelman has found a…
Elizabeth McGovern, Hugh Bonneville and Allen Leech on Returning to the Elegant Halls of ‘Downton Abbey’
Features • Published on September 2019
Like a family reunion “Downton Abbey” returns to bring back together its vast ensemble and reconnect with its many fans. The plush drama about…
Demi Moore Is Devilish Charming in Otherwise Stale ‘Corporate Animals’
Features • Published on September 2019
Just in time for the release of her reportedly juicy memoirs, Demi Moore is practicing the fine Hollywood art of cannibalism in “…
Brad Pitt Goes on an Eloquent Journey Across the Stars in ‘Ad Astra’
Features • Published on September 2019
“Ad Astra” takes a cinematic journey deep into the cosmos but with a unique, introspective eye. There is something particularly bold about this film.
The Bloodshed Goes Full Vintage in ‘American Horror Story: 1984’
Features • Published on September 2019
“American Horror Story: 1984” mixes into a blender every cliché, plot element and character stereotype of trashy ‘80s grindhouse, while also satirizing the genre itself, if not the…
‘The Goldfinch’ Spins a Bestseller Into a Meandering Chore
Features • Published on September 2019
Some stories really should just remain as books. That’s certainly the case with “The Goldfinch,” a very long, meandering adaptation that feels like text…