Not sure which film to pick among the fray out in theaters right now? Allow the members of the Houston Film Critics Society to assist you with their reviews below:
Jojo Rabbit
Cody Villafana (Cinesnob) — “…an expertly crafted satire that is equal parts funny and sweet.”
Cary Darling (Houston Chronicle) — “Waititi manages to walk the fine line between fantasy and drama, humor and wartime horror without losing his balance.”
Dustin Chase (Texas Art & Film) — “The script is clever, well thought out and ultimately good-intentioned, but it shouldn’t be hard to understand why audiences might object and find the entire project offensive.”
James Cole Clay VII (FreshFiction.TV) — “Played with a sense of magical realism, Waititi’s film finds the same sweetness that has run through his entire career.”
Kiko Martinez (San Antonio Current) — “It’s still ultimately defined by [Taika] Waititi’s absurdist humor, but it’s also surprisingly moving.”
Donna Copeland (Dr. Donna’s Movie Reviews) — “What an ingenious anti-war film!”
Jason Escamilla (EskimoTV) — “Jojo Rabbit features satire throughout the script that failed to make me laugh consistently.”
Chris Sawin (ReelRundown) — “Underneath its layers of SS uniforms, dangerous pistols, and knives you should never leave home without, Jojo Rabbit is a touching film about human compassion with an intimacy that is absolutely unparalleled.”
Michael Bergeron (Byline Houston) — “…takes the audience from laughs to sorrow sometimes in the same scene.”
SEEN! At first, #JojoRabbit likes to hop all the way to either hilarity or gravity. Post-midpoint, it leaps onto the middle area — exactly where it should be. Kindness rings loudest & constant in the pic, reminding that only fools would brand our inner bunny as cowardice. [B+] pic.twitter.com/c5Qic1M3S9
— Nguyen #B🍑NGHIVE Le 🎞 (@nle318) November 8, 2019
Doctor Sleep
Chris Sawin (Bounding Into Comics) — “…is a one-of-a-kind sequel that is so good it makes the original film better. It may be slow-moving, but its meticulous storytelling flourishes because of it.”
Jason Escamilla (EskimoTV) — “Fans of The Shining and horror audiences who are patient enough to endure the slow setup will appreciate this tale, whose highlights are fleshed out villains and nostalgia.” [VIDEO REVIEW]
James Roberts (Glide Magazine) — “The Shining
Playing With Fire
Jason Escamilla (EskimoTV) — “One of the most uncreative films, relying on the most obvious jokes that are repeatedly used in a mostly single location.”
Donna Copeland (Dr. Donna’s Movie Reviews) — “If you know children and are mindful of them, you will not like this movie.”
Better Days
Cary Darling (Houston Chronicle) — “Three years ago, (Derek) Tsang made ‘Soul Mate,’ an enchanting tale about female friendship that offered an engrossing look at modern, urban China. Yet that film isn’t quite adequate preparation for the emotional wallop of ‘Better Days.'”
Frankie
Donna Copeland (Dr. Donna’s Movie Reviews) — “Visually, this is a gorgeous film, but it lacks real human warmth and understanding. The icon Huppert cannot compensate for a limpid script.”
Dustin Chase (Texas Art & Film) — “While often misguided and poorly edited, Frankie still manages a meditative mood thanks to well written characters and beguiling location.”
Last Christmas
Cary Darling (Houston Chronicle) — “…is that film that fits neatly between spasms of holiday shopping, when you want to just get away from the mall madness for a couple of hours.”
Dustin Chase (Texas Art & Film) — “Clarke’s comedic appeal, Yeoh’s scene-stealing presence, Thompson’s writing and Golding’s charm are sacrificed for a trite plot device.”
Craig D. Lindsey (Salt Lake City Weekly) — “Fresh off of proving he couldn’t pull off dark comedy with last year’s A Simple Favor, director Paul Feig shows he can’t do warmhearted holiday fare either with this garish, ghastly sight.”
Midway
Dustin Chase (Texas Art & Film) — “A weak script and unconvincing visual effects sink Midway before it even gets ready for battle.”
