The first time I did a film commentary for KCRW was so many years ago that listeners must have been listening on crystal sets. That long and wonderful run ends today, but not my connection with this special and essential station. I'd like to think you haven't heard the last of me here.

Swan song for now

The hero of Robert Eggers's "The Northman," a Viking warrior in 9th century Iceland, thinks of nothing but avenging the death of his father, whose death may recall the plot of "Hamlet." Rivers of blood are spilled along the way in a dark saga that also casts a light on our time.

The hero of Robert Eggers's "The Northman," a Viking warrior in 9th century Iceland, thinks of nothing but avenging the death of his father, whose death may recall the plot of "Hamlet." Rivers of blood are spilled along the way in a dark saga that also casts a light on our time.

Revenge As a Calling

The lovers in "Paris 13th District," a romantic comedy by the French director Jacques Audiard, don't necessarily want to live the erratic lives they're living. They'd rather be solidly grounded, with good jobs and a stable network of friends. Or would they?

The lovers in "Paris 13th District," a romantic comedy by the French director Jacques Audiard, don't necessarily want to live the erratic lives they're living. They'd rather be solidly grounded, with good jobs and a stable network of friends. Or would they?

Settling For Sex While Looking For Love and Romance

A new Netflix documentary, "Return To Space," may come on like a promotional piece for SpaceX, and why not? Elon Musk's aerospace venture has achieved remarkable things since it was founded two decades ago. The film is more than that, though. It charts the beginning of a new era in space exploration, and also serves as a testament to the power of failing upward. Way upward.

A new Netflix documentary, "Return To Space," may come on like a promotional piece for SpaceX, and why not? Elon Musk's aerospace venture has achieved remarkable things since it was founded two decades ago. The film is more than that, though. It charts the beginning of a new era in space exploration, and also serves as a testament to the power of failing upward. Way upward.

Above and Beyond

Watching the Oscarcast in all its astonishing amateurism and then watching "The Contractor" for review is an unwelcome reminder of the state of the movie medium.

Watching the Oscarcast in all its astonishing amateurism and then watching "The Contractor" for review is an unwelcome reminder of the state of the movie medium.

A bad movie following a much worse show

Previous years of ratings declines don't bode well for the popularity of this year's Oscars show. Have the Oscars, and the movies, lost their place of preeminence in the entertainment universe?

Previous years of ratings declines don't bode well for the popularity of this year's Oscars show. Have the Oscars, and the movies, lost their place of preeminence in the entertainment universe?

Love 'em  or hate 'em. But watch them?

By now it's no spoiler to say that the teenage heroine of Pixar's "Turning Red" turns into a panda whenever her emotions get out of control. It's a shame most people will see the film only on Disney+, but it's worth seeing anywhere for its buoyant spirit and brilliant animation.

By now it's no spoiler to say that the teenage heroine of Pixar's "Turning Red" turns into a panda whenever her emotions get out of control. It's a shame most people will see the film only on Disney+, but it's worth seeing anywhere for its buoyant spirit and brilliant animation.

Her Inner Panda

A new Batman movie is upon us, with Robert Pattinson in the title role. "The Batman" isn't one more origin story, and yay for that--here's to storytelling in the present tense--or a conventional action thriller. It's the Dark Knight seized by deeply dark thoughts about what he's doing with his life, and what difference it makes in a world of overwhelming evil.

A new Batman movie is upon us, with Robert Pattinson in the title role. "The Batman" isn't one more origin story, and yay for that--here's to storytelling in the present tense--or a conventional action thriller. It's the Dark Knight seized by deeply dark thoughts about what he's doing with his life, and what difference it makes in a world of overwhelming evil.

Another At-Bat for the Dark Knight

A new "Cyrano" with Peter Dinklage has much to recommend it, but the film is diminished by a dreary score and banal songs.

A new "Cyrano" with Peter Dinklage has much to recommend it, but the film is diminished by a dreary score and banal songs.

Sweet Words, Cheerless Music

"Blacklight," starring Liam Neeson, is competing this week against "Death On the Nile." The latter isn't very good, but it's a professional entertainment. I've chosen to talk about the former because it's barely a movie at all. Rather, it's a rusty recycling bin that threatens, in its modest way, to contribute to the death of the movie medium.

Every Barrel Has a Bottom

The Pulitzer Prize-winning critic of The Wall Street Journal, Joe Morgenstern reviews films weekly in the paper and on KCRW.

Roland Emmerich's "Moonfall" contends that the moon is hollow, and sends it tumbling from orbit. Is the movie itself hollow or solid? A question for the ages that will nonetheless be answered here.

Roland Emmerich's "Moonfall" contends that the moon is hollow, and sends it tumbling from orbit. Is the movie itself hollow or solid? A question for the ages that will nonetheless be answered here.

Green Cheese It Is Not

Two people thrown together by chance in a tiny compartment on a Russian train traveling from Moscow to Murmansk, in the arctic north. That may not sound like a combustible formula for a plot, but "Compartment No. 6," from the Finnish filmmaker Juho Kuosmanen, is greatly rewarding and improbably beautiful.

Strangers On a Train Redux

"Lunana: A Yak In the Classroom" is Bhutan's international-feature entry for the Oscars. It was shot at extremely high altitude with extremely modest resources, yet the result is affecting and thoroughly delightful.

"Lunana: A Yak In the Classroom" is Bhutan's international-feature entry for the Oscars. It was shot at extremely high altitude with extremely modest resources, yet the result is affecting and thoroughly delightful.

Altitude Adjustment

In "Who We Are: A Chronicle of Racism in America," the documentary filmmakers Emily Kunstler and Sarah Kunstler conjure with surprising concepts--including the weight of cotton--to show how and why racism is, in their words, "our shared history."

In "Who We Are: A Chronicle of Racism in America," the documentary filmmakers Emily Kunstler and Sarah Kunstler conjure with surprising concepts--including the weight of cotton--to show how and why racism is, in their words, "our shared history."

How much Does Cotton Weigh?

Almost no one in Asghar Farhadi's "A Hero" can tell the unvarnished truth, a fact that makes the film great fun and a fascinating comment on human nature.

To Tell the Truth

"Spider-Man: No Way Home" does whatever it pleases in bringing back golden-oldie characters from whatever universes they've been inhabiting. And the film is all over the place in more ways than one. But it really pleases, by bringing up feelings we may not have known we still had.

Multiverses For the Multitudes

Steven Spielberg's "West Side Story" starts with three annunciatory notes of the greatest score ever written for a Broadway musical comedy. What follows is partly a rethinking of the basic material, and a redressing of wrongs represented by the casting of previous productions, which was never representative at all. Mostly, though, it's an exultant new version of an American classic. 

Steven Spielberg's "West Side Story" starts with three annunciatory notes of the greatest score ever written for a Broadway musical comedy. What follows is partly a rethinking of the basic material, and a redressing of wrongs represented by the casting of previous productions, which was never representative at all. Mostly, though, it's an exultant new version of an American classic.

Something's Coming

Paolo Sorrentino's "The Hand of God" is much less serious than it sounds, though far from frivolous. It's a fond and funny piece of autobiography about his coming of age in 1980s Naples. 

Paolo Sorrentino's "The Hand of God" is much less serious than it sounds, though far from frivolous. It's a fond and funny piece of autobiography about his coming of age in 1980s Naples.

Mysterious ways and a crazy idea

"Cmon C'mon" is all over the place, like the 9-year-old at the center of Mike Mills's unusual road movie, but it's a special pleasure that manages to be simultaneously serious and marvelously funny.

"Cmon C'mon" is all over the place, like the 9-year-old at the center of Mike Mills's unusual road movie, but it's a special pleasure that manages to be simultaneously serious and marvelously funny.

Oh, didn't he ramble?

In "Belfast," Kenneth Branagh's semi-autobiographical evocation of his childhood in Northern Ireland, the filmmaker, stage actor and writer is a bright-faced 9-year-old struggling to understand the sectarian violence raging around him and his tight-knit family.

In "Belfast," Kenneth Branagh's semi-autobiographical evocation of his childhood in Northern Ireland, the filmmaker, stage actor and writer is a bright-faced 9-year-old struggling to understand the sectarian violence raging around him and his tight-knit family.

Love In the Time of Troubles

Fantastic.

Like that you get a good review, in a short form. Great work!

Great reviews

Film Reviews

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