Sundance 2022: ‘When You Finish Saving the World’ a Powerful Directorial Debut
Jesse Eisenberg’s debut comedy-drama, When You Finish Saving the World delivers cringes and finds trembling humanity within its narcissistic characters.
J.R. Kinnard
J.R. Kinnard is a film critic and aspiring screenwriter living in Seattle, Washington. He's also a chemist by trade who works in an environmental laboratory. You can find his film reviews at PopOptiq, Sound and Motion Magazine, and CutPrintFilm. His personal blog, Apropos of Nothing, features his thoughts on film and music. You can find him on Facebook at jrkinnard, and on Twitter @jrkinnard.
‘The King of Staten Island’ Presides Over Self-Pity
Judd Apatow's latest arrested development comedy, The King of Staten Island, is short on laughs and long on running time.
‘Uncut Gems’ Is an Embarrassment of Riches
Adam Sandler's career-defining performance in the Safdie Brothers' Uncut Gems is a gritty thrill ride into the psyche of an adrenaline junky.
Ludicrous Irony in Scorsese’s ‘The Irishman’
With its big performances and stellar script, The Irishman is the glorious culmination of Scorsese's lifelong fascination with mobsters and their built-in self-destruction.
Eddie Murphy Returns to Form (and Fun) in ‘Dolemite Is My Name’
Director Craig Brewer helms his breezy tribute to Rudy Ray Moore, the '70s Blaxploitation icon who influenced an entire generation of young Black performers, with Dolemite Is My Name.
‘Ad Astra’ Does Daddy Issues Well
Ad Astra has the astronomical humanism of Interstellar mixed with the morose nihilism of Apocalypse Now, fueled by a booster rocket of daddy issues.
‘Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood’ May Be Tarantino’s Best, Most Assured Film
Tarantino's latest, Once Upon a Time.. in Hollywood, is a breezy, top-down-on-the-convertible kind of film that wows you with its surprising sweetness before punching you with a bloody fist.
Riley Stearns’ ‘The Art of Self-Defense’ Is a Knockout Black Comedy
If director Riley Stearns sometimes loses his thematic bearings, he never forgets to deliver large, violent doses of comedy in The Art of Self-Defense.
The Brilliant ‘Midsommar’ Is a Haunting Reflection on Love’s Perversity
Director Ari Aster's uncompromising artistic vision in Midsommar creates a singular viewing experience of horror, beauty, and bafflement.
‘Godzilla: King of the Monsters’ Is More Whimper Than Roar
Calling the plot of Godzilla: King of the Monsters stale would be an insult to the fossilized potato chips hiding between your sofa cushions.
‘Avengers: Endgame’ Satisfies on Every Level
Big budget action filmmaking doesn't get much better than the Russo Brothers' Avengers: Endgame.
