'Boy Erased' is well-intentioned but saccharine-inducing [Review]

November 5, 2018 Jordan Ruimy

An adaptation of Garrard Conley’s 2016 memoir about gay conversion therapy, writer-director Joel Edgerton's "Boy Erased" is a well-intentioned but maudlin attempt at Oscar-bait. Edgerton's film tackles the case of Jared Eamons, an Arkansas teen (Lucas Hedges), with conservative Christian parents, including his dad Marshall (Russell Crowe), a Baptist minister who has a knack, like many ministers do, of taking the bible a tad-too-literally. Mom Nancy (Nicole Kidman) is the sane voice of reason, but not enough to prevent Jared from being shipped off to a gay conversion therapy center when dad finds out that his son is gay. Nancy's reluctance is eventually turned into agreement with hubby when church leaders advise her it's the right thing to do, Jared needs to be 'cured.'

Trailer: 'Ben is Back' features one of Julia Roberts' best performances

October 11, 2018 Jordan Ruimy

My B-review of Julia Roberts' return to form in "Ben is Back." Her best performance since? Who knows! The script may be a bit all over the place, but her performance deserves to be praised, ditto Lucas Hedges as her drug-addicted son struggling between recovery and relapse.

Mid90s | Official Trailer | A24

September 25, 2018 Jordan Ruimy

I wrote this at TIFF on Jonah Hill's well-fashioned debut as a writer-director "Mid90s":

"Far more solid highlights included Mid90s which has writer-director Jonah Hill reliving his youth in a skateboard coming of age drama. It focuses on the plight of 13-year-old Stevie (Sunny Suljic), tormented by his older brother (a surprisingly threatening performance by Lucas Hedges), who decides to take a crack at hanging with the cool kids at a skateboarding store. Hill’s directorial debut shows a relaxed agility for the craft. The screenplay, written by Hill, feels thoroughly authentic, with dialogue that’s delivered with offhand naturalism. Kudos to the actors, each of whom inhabit their roles with the kind of credibility essential to making this kind of movie work."

‘Ben Is Back’: Julia Roberts Delivers A Stunning Performance In An Uneven Rehab Drama [TIFF Review]

September 9, 2018 Jordan Ruimy

My review of Julia Roberts' return to form in "Ben is Back." Her best performance since? Who knows! The script may be a bit all over the place, but her performance deserves to be praised, ditto Lucas Hedges as her drug-addicted son struggling between recovery and relapse.

Linus Sandgren to DP Shawn Levy's ‘Ghost Rider' on Film — Connor Storrie in Talks to Co-Star

Marvel's "Ghost Rider" just hired one of the best cinematographers working today. Linus Sandgren will serve as DP on Shawn Levy's MCU flick, and, most notably, the project will be shot on film.

Jafar Panahi Sentenced to Five Years in Prison as Iran Orders His Assets Seized

It keeps getting worse for Jafar Panahi. The Palme d'Or-winning director of "It Was Just an Accident" has been sentenced by Branch 26 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court to five years in prison.

‘The Birds’ Limited Series Starring Sarah Snook Lands at HBO

Hollywood remaking anything connected to Hitchcock has rarely produced memorable results. Yet the industry keeps trying, despite overwhelming evidence that it’s a fool’s errand.

‘One of Them Days’ Filmmaker Lawrence Lamont to Direct Ice Cube-Penned ‘Last Friday’ Sequel

Lawrence Lamont, whose “One of Them Days” was one of the more pleasant low-key surprises of early 2025, has been tapped by New Line to direct “Last Friday,” the fourth instalment of the “Friday” franchise.

‘Coyote vs. Acme' Ruled Eligible for Best Animated Feature Oscar — Crashes the Race Against ‘Wildwood’ and ‘Toy Story 5’

Should "Coyote vs. Acme" even be considered an animated film? The Academy requires animation to cover 75% of a film's runtime, and somehow this movie cleared that bar.

August 19, 2019

3-Hour ‘Midsommar' Director's Cut Screened in NYC

This year’s 12th edition of the Scary Movies festival at Film at Lincoln Center premiered Ari Aster’s extended version of “Midsommar” this past Saturday.

CONFIRMED: Sadie Soverall Exits Brady Corbet's ‘The Origin of the World' Mid-Shoot, Lily McInerny Steps In Lead Role

Sadie Soverall was just let go after briefly filming on Corbet's new film — no official reason given. She had the lead role. Corbet has replaced her, last minute, with Lily McInerny.

Ron Howard’s ‘Alone at Dawn’ Starring Adam Driver and Anne Hathaway Sets Christmas 2027 Release

This is the adaptation of the nonfiction book by Dan Schilling and Lori Longfritz. It wrapped production in February and has been in post-production ever since. The film test-screened a few months ago.

Jeremy Saulnier’s Next Film Retitled to ‘Slayground,’ Current Runtime is 2.5 Hours, Plot Details

Jeremy Saulnier’s mysterious A24 project, formerly “October,” still has no release date. You’d think, given that it has been in post-production for almost a year now.

Jemima Kirke and Alexi Wasser to Star in Woody Allen's Next Film

A few months ago, Deadline reported that Woody Allen's next film, set in Madrid and carrying a $14M budget, will be "largely English-language" and feature a "high-profile cast."

Fritz Lang’s ‘M’ Tops the Best Films of the 1930s, According to 100+ Critics

We’ve gone through the decades. The ‘40s ‘50s, ‘60s, ‘70s, ‘80s, ‘90s, ‘2000s, and ‘2010s. — all revisited, argued over. Now, here are the results for the best films of the 1930s.

Critics Poll: ‘Citizen Kane' Named Best Film of the 1940s

The results are in, and according to critics, this decade filled with cinematic riches did not have a better film than Orson Welles’ “Citizen Kane.” Nobody should be surprised by this result. “Citizen Kane” changed cinema forever.

Critics Poll: ‘Vertigo’ Named Best Film of the 1950s, Over 120 Participants

It was a closer race than anticipated, but Alfred Hitchcock’s “Vertigo” has topped our best of the ’50s poll, besting Gene Kelly and Stanley Donen’s “Singin’ in the Rain” by just two votes.

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