As PARASITE chugs along, it drifts through relationship and situational comedy and then through crime thriller tropes as if that was what the film was for. What makes PARASITE work so well is that these genre elements, which drive many films along on their own, are mere cinematic furnishings in Bong Joon Ho's mini epic. As engaging as so many of the scenes are, PARASITE is committed to much more than amusement and genre filmmaking. It is an essay on…

What's compelling about HUSTLERS is that it is, in essence, a gender-flipped mob movie. As per the common mob-film stencil, HUSTLERS chronicles the evolution of a criminal empire (of sorts) beginning with an introductory low-level hustle, which grows and grows. The script flies through all the organized-crime storytelling trappings (except for the bloody beatdowns, I suppose). It begins with an introduction into the world of the working-poor in a sketchy corner of society. Enter: a visionary leader-type character well versed…

With all of its production value, gimmicky roving camera, and (falsely advertised) real-time narrative, 1917 is impressive to experience, but honestly is a little light on an emotional core. George MacKay and Dean-Charles Chapman lack the weight, it seems, to make me care about them. Honestly, the long, 'look-at-me' shots have such forward momentum and 'what's next' drama, the audience never really gets a moment to slow down and get to know these young soldiers. And, that's what I think…

The Safdie boys seem to have the market on independent frantically disorganized-crime films. Not unlike GOOD TIME, UNCUT GEMS is another terrific little exercise in the compounding of stress based on messed up events, complex relationships, and one’s own blind faith infallible problem-solving skills. The Safdie’s protagonist makes one bad choice after another convinced that he is in perfect control of unpredictable events out of his control. The thought never enters Howie’s mind that he is merely constructing an unsustainable…