Author: Phil Walsh

Ben Affleck directs and stars in Animals, a Netflix thriller about a Los Angeles mayoral candidate and a kidnapping. The politics are borrowed. The movie is dull and tedious.

Imagine ‘Home Alone’ with a haunting and a wardrobe of autumn colors. ‘Hallowarrior’ makes that combination a visual attraction, inviting viewers to linger over its seasonal atmosphere. The result gives the eyes plenty to enjoy alongside its spooky premise.

‘Found Alive’ tests your patience, then gives you a reason not to give up entirely. Its sluggish pace and dull stretches make for a wearying watch, yet the lead performance keeps an otherwise unengaging film from becoming a complete loss.

Sense and Sensibility captivates through its beautiful pageantry and showstopping performances, while also speaking to the world we live in today.

Darkness can make an audience lean forward, searching the frame for something they hope not to find. ‘Infirmary’ leaves that attention unrewarded. This found-footage horror trades on the promise of unseen terror, but the wait for a scare becomes its own exercise in boredom.

Rick Cutter’s The Grid Unplugged starts with electric cars and ends on a failing power grid. The documentary makes a common-sense pitch for a moon-shot plan to fix it.

Being chased by a tomato is ridiculous enough. Being outsmarted by one adds insult to injury. ‘Attack of the Killer Tomatoes: Organic Intelligence’ brings the tomatoes back with independent thought, giving this latest crop a new way to cause trouble.

Julianne Moore commands the spotlight in The Debut, a sharp and funny comedy about community theater, personal reinvention, and finding yourself onstage.

Our Thanksgiving, Again?! review looks at a funny and heartfelt holiday comedy that mixes Thanksgiving chaos with a Groundhog Day-style time loop.

Our Rescued (2026) review looks at a heartfelt story of survival, second chances, and the powerful bond between a man and his dog.