Maggie Gyllenhaal’s take on the Frankenstein-and-Bride mythos is a fiercely original and visually arresting reimagining that’s anchored by an electrifying, multi-layered performance from Jessie Buckley. The narrative occasionally wanders into hazy thematic territory, but bold world-building and punk-rock energy make it a compelling, must-watch piece of genre filmmaking that prioritizes creative audacity over tidy plotting.
by Stuart Shave 2026-03-06 09:00:00
This 30-year franchise can’t seem to find the period at the end of its repetitive sentence, and its seventh installment doesn’t seem all that interested in effectively wrapping up the conversation.
by Matthew Passantino 2026-02-27 20:00:00
This new Paul McCartney documentary serves both newcomers and longtime fans by vividly chronicling McCartney’s post-Beatles reinvention with Wings, presenting an engaging, emotionally textured portrait that prioritizes craft over revelation.
by Stuart Shave 2026-02-27 09:00:00
This glossy would-be eat-the-rich satire is the latest attempt to make Glen Powell a leading man, but it fails due to questionable story structure and a screenplay that never dares to go dark enough.
by Matthew Passantino 2026-02-19 09:00:00
Pretty movie stars, pretty costumes, and pretty locations fail to ignite a spark in the new adaptation of Emily Brontë’s book.
by Matthew Passantino 2026-02-13 09:00:00
"Crime 101" is a sleek, disciplined heist thriller that executes familiar genre beats with precision, drawing heavily - sometimes too heavily - on the aesthetic, structure and vocabulary of Michael Mann’s "Heat". Craftsmanship, performances, and cool restraint make it quite watchable, even as a reluctance to step out of its influences’ shadow keeps the film from becoming something truly its own.
by Stuart Shave 2026-02-13 08:45:00
The latest action thriller from stoic stalwart Jason Statham is perfectly fine. As a career pivot it's negligible, but as a Statham movie it's the gold standard: brisk, competent, derivative in reassuring ways, and anchored by a star who long ago turned this exact mode into a brand.
by Stuart Shave 2026-01-30 08:45:00
This "interesting misfire" of a thriller is the quintessential January release, living in that hazy space where the premise, a few sharp ideas, and just enough interesting imagery keep you watching even as the whole drifts along, never quite fully connecting.
by Stuart Shave 2026-01-23 09:00:00
Ahead of the release of "Dead Man's Wire," BPBS's Stuart Shave has a conversation with actor Cary Elwes.
by Stuart Shave 2026-01-08 10:45:00
Gus Van Sant’s "Dead Man’s Wire" is a vital, tragicomic return to form that transforms the 1977 Tony Kiritsis hostage crisis into a tightly controlled chamber thriller about class rage, debt, and media spectacle. Exceptional ensemble work from Bill Skarsgård, Dacre Montgomery, Colman Domingo, Al Pacino, and Cary Elwes anchors impeccable 1970s world-building and Danny Elfman’s off-kilter score.
by Stuart Shave 2026-01-07 13:00:00