Based on a short story by Joe Hill (son of Stephen King), the 2021 horror flick “The Black Phone” relied more on suspense and jump scares than it did on gore and OTT special FX. The movie’s supernatural element was that the dead adolescent male victims of The Grabber (a masked Ethan Hawke) communicated with Finney (Mason Thames), the serial killer’s latest captive, via a non-functioning black telephone.
Horror movies, and specifically the trend of horror comedies, have evolved rapidly in recent years. When it comes to zombie horror comedies, it’s hard to top 2009’s “Zombieland,” and possibly 2013’s “Warm Bodies.”
Since the early days of his movie career, Channing Tatum has been the kind of model-turned-actor who struggled to strike a balance between his breathtaking attractiveness and his acting abilities. Alternating between fluff, rom-com, and Hollywood blockbusters (“21 Jump Street,” “White House Down,” “The Lost City”) and more serious fare (“Stop-Loss,” “Foxcatcher,” “Side Effects”), even appearing in a pair of Coen Brothers movies (“Hail, Caesar!” and “The Hateful Eight”). Then, of course, there’s “Magic Mike,” in a category all its own.
It’s a relatively safe bet to say that you’ve never seen a movie like Ben Leonberg’s “Good Boy” (IFC/Shudder). Not just because of what writer/director Leonberg manages to incorporate into the daring horror flick’s 73-minute runtime. Not just because Leonberg makes his singular mark while also recalling David Lynch and Jane Schoenbrun. Not just because Leonberg succeeds in telling a horror story from a dog’s perspective without utilizing CGI.
As if the folks in Southern California didn’t have enough natural disasters with which to contend, including wildfires, earthquakes, and mudslides.
Paul Thomas Anderson appears to be incapable of making a movie under two hours in length. “Boogie Nights” (1997) and “There Will Be Blood” (2007) were more than 2.5 hours long. “The Master” (2012), “Inherent Vice” (2014), and “Licorice Pizza” (2021) were almost 2.5 hours long. “Magnolia” (1998) was three hours long. Get the picture?
Confusing conclusion aside, “Straight Up,” gay actor/writer/director James Sweeney’s 2020 feature-length debut, was one of the best movies of that year. Five years later, Sweeney has returned with “Twinless” (Lionsgate/Roadside Attractions), a queer, dark black comedy/drama that is hard to shake.
The timing of the release of Andres Veiel’s documentary “Riefenstahl” (Kino Lorber), about actress/filmmaker/Nazi propagandist Leni Riefenstahl, is particularly notable. As far-right politicians and some followers spout hateful rhetoric, stirring the pot, regardless of the consequences, “Riefenstahl” is a reminder of what can occur in the wake of such blatant disregard for others.
In 2023, Alexander Payne redefined and reinvigorated the modern Christmas movie by taking us back to the 1970s with his Oscar-winning dramedy “The Holdovers.” With the humorous and poignant “The Baltimorons” (IFC), director and co-writer Jay Duplass (Josh from “Transparent”) does something very similar.
Just a few years after Austin Butler became a household name in Baz Luhrmann’s meh “Elvis,” he’s finally been given a lead role in a movie worthy of his gifts. Darren Aronofsky’s “Caught Stealing” (Sony/Columbia), with its double-meaning title (baseball and theft), flashbacks, ultra-violence, and tangled twists, appears to be the one.
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