The Emoji Movie depicts a bleak dystopia in which teens are so engrossed in looking down at their smart phones that they bump into each other and fall to the pavement. They can’t be bothered with texting because, as one student declares, “words aren’t cool.” Only miniature icons will do. Truly disturbing stuff. I wish […]
I’m back in my home city for the Detroit premiere at the Fox Theater. Here’s my report live from the red carpet on July 25 . (That’s exactly 50 years to the day of the events that transpire in the drama.)
Merry Christmas and Happy Chanukah, five months early. The nice folks at Comic-Con have given us all a sled-load of shiny presents — in the form of brand spanking-new movie trailers. Now it’s time to unwrap the superheroes, super villains and super-familiar franchises coming soon. MaraMovies decides which trailers should be treasured . . . or […]
Julia Roberts recently signed a deal with Amazon. She’s going to star in a drama called Homecoming. It’s based on a six-part podcast from Gimlet Media that launched in November. The fictional political thriller, created by red-hot Sam Esmail of Mr. Robot (and Mr. Emmy Rossum) fame, centers on staffers at a secret government agency and […]
“Are you going to Comic-Con this year?” “You should go to Comic-Con.” “Ohmigod, I love love going to Comic Con!” I hear the first two sentences at the outset of each summer. I’ve never heard the last sentence in my life. Every mid-July, hordes of sci-fi and comic book fanatics leave Mom’s basement and descend […]
Girls Trip knows a dirty secret about having fun. On the big screen, there’s no joy in watching grown-ups act like R-rated children. You feel stupid sitting there as a silent witness to the debauchery. If you’re not 100 percent engaged in the participants and their antics, the party’s over in a hurry. That’s why Rough […]
Dunkirk isn’t a movie you just catch. Dunkirk is a fully immersive cinematic experience. On the 70mm IMAX screen, the rush of cold open water leaves you shivering. A nosediving fighter plane causes you to gasp for air. An explosion makes you want to duck for cover. And that’s the first 10 minutes. What else would you […]
Dear Gwyneth, What a pleasant surprise to see you pop up in Spider-Man: Homecoming. You looked good. Clearly that all that planking at the gym with Tracy Anderson has paid off. I’ve always enjoyed your witty rapport with Robert Downey Jr. and hope to see you two together in future endeavors. Now can we cut the […]
The visual effects are out-of-this-dystopian-world fantastic, obviously. Nimble apes gallop on horses along snowy vistas, and it looks as natural as Leonardo DiCaprio riding in The Revenant. But there’s little fulfillment in seeing a movie just to witness new digital technology. Old-school elements are crucial: A riveting story. Intelligent characters. Heart-pounding action. Profound themes. The […]
“Ben, I love you!” An overwhelmed Casey Affleck blurted out those three little words during the tail-end of his Best Actor Oscar speech. Unlike the random namechecked publicist or agent, absolutely no context was needed. Ben. We all know Ben. In that moment, millions at home — save a few New York Yankees fans — felt pure happiness […]