Movie review by Greg Carlson While many tales of illegal immigration made for the American movie market focus on the drama generated from crossings along the U.S.-Mexico border, Cary Joji Fukunaga’s debut feature film “Sin Nombre” finds its footing in the arduous, perilous legs of the south to north journeys that happen long before Texas […]

Movie review by Greg Carlson The subtitle of the American market translation of Roberto Saviano’s “Gomorrah” (just “Gomorra” in Italian) reads “a personal journey into the violent international empire of Naples’ organized crime system.” The description accurately explains the young journalist’s inside view of one of the world’s most corrupt regions, which Saviano claims is […]

Movie review by Greg Carlson On the pulpy pages of the Marvel comic books that have seen Wolverine evolve into one of the most popular characters in the medium, a thorough accounting of the irascible Canadian’s origins did not materialize until the person also known as Logan had been around for decades. Wolverine first showed […]

Movie review by Greg Carlson A worthless and surprisingly chaste rehash of “Fatal Attraction” by way of “The Hand That Rocks the Cradle,” “The Temp,” and “Disclosure,” veteran television director Steve Shill’s “Obsessed” is as forgettable as its bland title. “Obsessed” trades on all kinds of uncomfortable racial and gender stereotypes without attempting to say […]

Movie review by Greg Carlson A passable, nostalgia-fueled coming-of-age yarn about the relationship between an Amazing Kreskin-esque “mentalist” and his youthful road manager/assistant, “The Great Buck Howard” will interest followers of John Malkovich anxious to see anything featuring the quirky performer. Inspired in part by the real life experiences of writer-director Sean McGinly, who was […]

Movie review by Greg Carlson Critiquing a movie like “Observe and Report,” filmmaker Jody Hill’s follow up to the mildly amusing martial arts comedy “The Foot Fist Way,” is a daunting proposition. Engineered for maximum shock, “Observe and Report” defies its audience to sympathize with any of its reprehensible characters, despite the unfortunate likelihood that […]

Movie review by Greg Carlson “Adventureland,” director Greg Mottola’s strong and welcome follow-up to “Superbad,” moves away from a steady stream of comic vignettes in favor of the more observational approach employed by the filmmaker on his debut feature “The Daytrippers.” A snapshot of a summer season in the life of a ragged Pittsburgh amusement […]

Movie review by Greg Carlson Another pleasant variation on the male-centric friendship movie, or “bromance,” in the style perfected by Judd Apatow, “I Love You, Man” blends mock sensitivity with the more comfortable trappings of adolescent vulgarity to cook up a reasonably entertaining, if strangely familiar, story. While Apatow’s name is absent from the credits, […]

Movie review by Greg Carlson There is almost nothing humorous about “Miss March,” a putrid road trip comedy written, directed by, and starring (as far as that word might go in this case) Zach Cregger and Trevor Moore, a pair of bland goofballs best known for the sketch comedy series “The Whitest Kids U’ Know.” […]