External reviews
73
in total
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Ode to Joy
A review by Tomris Laffly for Variety2019-08-09
Mostly known for his behind-the-camera TV credits on shows like “Modern Family” and “1600 Penn,” Winer doesn’t bring much finesse into the generic visuals of Ode to Joy. In fairness to him, no amount of directorial elegance could have saved the artificial beats of a narrative that fails to create believable sexual tension between its “romantic” leads and amounts only to an utterly shallow showdown between brothers with long-standing scores to settle.Read entire review on Variety -
Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark
A review by Tomris Laffly for RogerEbert.com2019-08-09
Thanks to Øvredal’s visual flair and visceral dedication to the monsters of Guillermo del Toro, clearly a major influence on the “Trollhunter” director’s bittersweet approach to the field, this satisfying though far from innovative dish boasts comforting flavors throughout.Read entire review on RogerEbert.com -
For Sama
A review by Tomris Laffly for RogerEbert.com2019-07-25
A devastating scrapbook and a confessional journal of sorts. It’s also a personal cinematic endeavor as opposed to a historical crash course in the vein of “Cries From Syria,” another superb documentary on the subject, but one with different ambitions.Read entire review on RogerEbert.com -
Astronaut
A review by Tomris Laffly for Variety2019-07-25
In the end, only a fraction of McLeod’s ambitions sticks a landing. But Astronaut stays afloat with sweetness, thanks to a measured performance from Dreyfuss.Read entire review on Variety -
The Great Hack
A review by Tomris Laffly for Time Out2019-07-23
While it lacks the emotional intensity of the duo’s Oscar-nominated The Square—a rousing 2013 look at Egypt’s Arab Spring—The Great Hack still feels of a piece, inviting viewers to contemplate the power and irreversibility of their online footprint.Read entire review on Time Out -
Crawl
A review by Tomris Laffly for RogerEbert.com2019-07-12
Crawl has a reptilian bite in its nods to the tradition of underwater monster flicks. It’s certainly not “Jaws” (what is?), or even “The Shallows,” but sloshing around the hazardous deluge of a Southwest Florida town on the brink of devastation by a Category 5 hurricane comes with its own kicks.Read entire review on RogerEbert.com -
Midsommar
A review by Tomris Laffly for RogerEbert.com2019-07-01
A terrifically juicy, apocalyptic cinematic sacrament that dances around a fruitless relationship in dizzying circles. We are not stuffed inside a cavernous house of horrors this time around. But be prepared to feel equally suffocated by a ravenous family (albeit, a chosen, cultish kind) all the same.Read entire review on RogerEbert.com -
Annabelle Comes Home
A review by Tomris Laffly for RogerEbert.com2019-06-25
If only the half-baked story could also meet our expectations, or at least match the logic of the previous two “Annabelle” films.Read entire review on RogerEbert.com -
Burn Your Maps
A review by Tomris Laffly for RogerEbert.com2019-06-21
Likable yet tonally untidy.Read entire review on RogerEbert.com -
American Woman
A review by Tomris Laffly for RogerEbert.com2019-06-14
Miller owns the material and single-handedly elevates it to something you can’t look away from, while reminding us the effortless appeal she brought into even her relatively thankless part in “American Sniper.”Read entire review on RogerEbert.com -
Toy Story 4
A review by Tomris Laffly for Time Out2019-06-13
Occasionally too busy and loose with its logical rigor, Toy Story 4 doesn’t quite connect all the dots. Still, the film earns a distinct spot in the chain, foregrounding Bob Pauley’s pristinely lit production design, one that showcases a kaleidoscopic carnival and a dusty antique shop swarming with hilariously nightmarish ventriloquist dummies.Read entire review on Time Out -
Always Be My Maybe
A review by Tomris Laffly for RogerEbert.com2019-05-31
It is then unfortunate that this tempting package by Khan, a creative and producing force behind ABC’s “Fresh off the Boat,” is so bland, feeling less like a movie and more like the output of an assembly line.Read entire review on RogerEbert.com -
The Poison Rose
A review by Tomris Laffly for Variety2019-05-25
It’s just a sad, unimaginative affair in which an impressive lineup of talented names goes to waste before our eyes.Read entire review on Variety -
Halston
A review by Tomris Laffly for RogerEbert.com2019-05-24
Compared to the inherent compactness of “Dior and I” that crystallizes Dior’s collective craft and process under its new creative director Raf Simons, Halston is vast, and therefore, less of a thrill to watch than the real-life “Project Runway” challenge thrown at Simons. But it will be no less breathtaking for fashion enthusiasts, and anyone dwelling in the tricky intersection of art, history and commerce.Read entire review on RogerEbert.com -
A Dog's Journey
A review by Tomris Laffly for RogerEbert.com2019-05-17
As visually uninspired and ideologically conservative as it may be, there seems to be something beguiling about the series that keeps one (including myself, admittedly) on a short leash.Read entire review on RogerEbert.com -
XY Chelsea
A review by Tomris Laffly for Variety2019-05-09
While it’s hardly Hawkins’ error that his documentary feels unfinished — the self-defined activist’s dramatic saga is still unfolding as we speak — you can’t help but feel his unprecedented access to Manning should have emanated a portrait a lot more enlightening.Read entire review on Variety -
Knock Down the House
A review by Tomris Laffly for TheWrap2019-05-01
Not unlike the candidates it portrays, Knock Down The House puts in the necessary work towards a payoff that earns both cheers and tears.Read entire review on TheWrap -
Red Joan
A review by Tomris Laffly for RogerEbert.com2019-04-19
Uneven it may be, Red Joan still emanates a memorable essence, one that’s refreshingly and believably feminine.Read entire review on RogerEbert.com -
Her Smell
A review by Tomris Laffly for RogerEbert.com2019-04-12
Don’t expect to go into writer/director Alex Ross Perry’s sixth feature Her Smell, a suffocating plunge into a female musician’s deteriorating world, and come out with calm instead of chaos.Read entire review on RogerEbert.com -
Missing Link
A review by Tomris Laffly for Time Out2019-04-11
This vintage tale of camaraderie flaunts an old-fashioned innocence and some endearing defiance, exemplified by its sweet original song “Do-Dilly-Do (A Friend Like You).”Read entire review on Time Out
