Raya and the Last Dragon
NEW YORK (CNS) -- The lively and colorful animated adventure "Raya and the Last Dragon" (Disney) teaches viewers that trust is the necessary basis of peaceful coexistence while showcasing the ills produced by greed and aggression. Yet it also includes quasi-religious behavior that might confuse [...]
Tom & Jerry
NEW YORK (CNS) -- Cat and mouse remain natural-born enemies in "Tom & Jerry" (Warner Bros), starring the eponymous animated characters created by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera. More than 80 years have passed since housecat Tom [...]
Blithe Spirit
NEW YORK (CNS) -- Even the most venerable source material may benefit from being dusted off and given the odd nip and tuck. But restraint and respect are generally called for, especially when the original [...]
The Mauritanian
NEW YORK (CNS) -- The fact-based film "The Mauritanian" (STX) doesn't adhere to the conventions of a legal drama or a police procedural. Instead, it focuses on the moral implications of the struggle to free [...]
The House That Rob Built
NEW YORK (CNS) -- When the University of Montana longtime women's basketball coach Robin Selvig retired after the 2015-16 season, over 100 of his former players gathered at a surprise party in his honor. They [...]
Judas and the Black Messiah
NEW YORK (CNS) -- As a personality-rich study of conflicted loyalties, the fact-based drama "Judas and the Black Messiah" (Warner Bros.) is a compelling piece of moviemaking. But the film's treatment of the unfortunately timely [...]
Our Friend
NEW YORK (CNS) -- In 2015, Esquire magazine published Matthew Teague's article "The Friend: Love Is Not a Big Enough Word." In it, the globetrotting journalist focused on a personal story far removed from his [...]
The Little Things
NEW YORK (CNS) -- In the brooding crime drama "The Little Things" (Warner Bros.), writer-director John Lee Hancock sets out to explore moral ambiguity in the context of police work. The result, however, ultimately feels [...]
The White Tiger
NEW YORK (CNS) -- Seventy years have passed since cunning understudy Anne Baxter usurped glamorous star Bette Davis in "All About Eve." Now, with "The White Tiger" (Netflix), comes a grittier, ethically unmoored take on [...]
The Marksman
NEW YORK (CNS) -- Sound basic values and obvious good intentions underlie "The Marksman" (Open Road). But there's a sketchy feel to director and co-writer Robert Lorenz's action drama and it ultimately fails to make [...]
Wonder Woman 1984
NEW YORK (CNS) -- Everyone's favorite Amazonian princess returns to save the planet in "Wonder Woman 1984" (Warner Bros.), an entertaining follow-up to the DC Comics superhero's 2017 outing. Director Patty Jenkins is once again [...]