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“Everything I learned I learned from the movies.” 
― Audrey Hepburn

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  • Paul Carlson
Escape Into Film
'Venom: Let There Be Carnage' film review: The silly & weirdly charming monster romance no one expected
Sep 30

Sep 30 'Venom: Let There Be Carnage' film review: The silly & weirdly charming monster romance no one expected

Paul Carlson
film reviews

Tom Hardy goes all-in with the bonkers body horror superhero monster flick - a movie that, at its weird core, is a break-up rom-com.

'The Many Saints of Newark' film review: Prequel richly fills in 'Sopranos' backstory
Sep 30

Sep 30 'The Many Saints of Newark' film review: Prequel richly fills in 'Sopranos' backstory

Paul Carlson
film reviews

A long-overdue, welcome return to Satriale's.

'Dear Evan Hansen' film review: Mental health drama, suicide musical is a confusing misfire
Sep 23

Sep 23 'Dear Evan Hansen' film review: Mental health drama, suicide musical is a confusing misfire

Paul Carlson
film reviews

Nice kid/imposter lies to a grieving family, gets the sister of a suicide victim and scores a ton of social clout. This is a weird movie.

TIFF 2021 film review: 'The Eyes of Tammy Faye'
Sep 17

Sep 17 TIFF 2021 film review: 'The Eyes of Tammy Faye'

Paul Carlson
film festivals, film reviews

Jessica Chastain's transformative, wholehearted performance buoys an otherwise mediocre biopic.

TIFF 2021 film review: 'The Starling'
Sep 14

Sep 14 TIFF 2021 film review: 'The Starling'

Paul Carlson
film festivals, film reviews

A bereaved mother works through her grief by trying to kill a bird in this ham-handed dramedy.

TIFF 2021 film review: 'The Guilty'
Sep 14

Sep 14 TIFF 2021 film review: 'The Guilty'

Paul Carlson
film festivals, film reviews

Jake Gyllenhaal's gripping performance energizes the U.S. adaptation of this claustrophobic thriller.

TIFF 2021 film review: 'The Humans'
Sep 14

Sep 14 TIFF 2021 film review: 'The Humans'

Paul Carlson
film festivals, film reviews

Slice-of-life drama offers a piercing snapshot of a modern family's anxieties and presents a thoughtful rumination of the American Dream.

TIFF 2021 film review: 'Encounter'
Sep 12

Sep 12 TIFF 2021 film review: 'Encounter'

Paul Carlson
film festivals, film reviews

A desperate father tries to rescue his estranged sons in this sci-fi thriller mystery.

TIFF 2021 film review: 'The Power of the Dog'
Sep 12

Sep 12 TIFF 2021 film review: 'The Power of the Dog'

Paul Carlson
film festivals, film reviews

Sibling rivalry and self-loathing power this coiled Western set against the stark Montana prairie.

TIFF 2021 film review: 'The Story of My Wife'
Sep 12

Sep 12 TIFF 2021 film review: 'The Story of My Wife'

Paul Carlson
film festivals, film reviews

No film needs nearly three hours to lay out why an impulsive wedding made on a dare would somehow result in a struggling marriage.

TIFF 2021 film review: 'Violet'
Sep 12

Sep 12 TIFF 2021 film review: 'Violet'

Paul Carlson
film festivals, film reviews

Justine Bateman’s psychological thriller speaks directly to anyone who has ever felt like a failure trapped by fears.

TIFF 2021 film review: 'All My Puny Sorrows'
Sep 12

Sep 12 TIFF 2021 film review: 'All My Puny Sorrows'

Paul Carlson
film festivals, film reviews

Two sisters grapple with generational depression and the lingering pall of suicide.

TIFF 2021 film review: 'Petite Maman'
Sep 11

Sep 11 TIFF 2021 film review: 'Petite Maman'

Paul Carlson
film festivals, film reviews

A little girl grieves the loss of her grandmother and emotional isolation from her mother in Céline Sciamma's latest drama.

'The Card Counter' film review: Insert 'witty poker pun about film that bluffs but just has a pair of 2s' here
Sep 9

Sep 9 'The Card Counter' film review: Insert 'witty poker pun about film that bluffs but just has a pair of 2s' here

Paul Carlson
film reviews

Oscar Isaac stars as a guilt-ridden ex-con turned gambler trying to put a troubled young man on the right track.

'Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings' film review: Phenomenal action, even better drama
Sep 1

Sep 1 'Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings' film review: Phenomenal action, even better drama

Paul Carlson
film reviews

MCU-infused Wuxia flick expands the Marvel Universe into new genres & new worlds.

'Neon Genesis Evangelion' explained: 'Angel Attack' thru 'Rebuild'
Aug 24

Aug 24 'Neon Genesis Evangelion' explained: 'Angel Attack' thru 'Rebuild'

Paul Carlson
movie diary

Here's everything you need to know about 'Evangelion' - the plot and the meaning of the original TV series, the feature-length conclusion and the follow-up reboot.

'Evangelion: 3.0+1.0 Thrice Upon a Time' film review: The true end of Evangelion
Aug 9

Aug 9 'Evangelion: 3.0+1.0 Thrice Upon a Time' film review: The true end of Evangelion

Paul Carlson
film reviews

The ambitious reimaging of arguably the greatest anime series of all-time ends with the long-awaited movie that is both familiar and surprising.

'The Green Knight' film review: Eerie, surreal realization of a medieval tale
Jul 29

Jul 29 'The Green Knight' film review: Eerie, surreal realization of a medieval tale

Paul Carlson
film reviews

For an Arthurian story packed with the supernatural, the Knights of the Round Table and witches ... this medieval fantasy is a surreal and fantastical hero's story.

'Old' film review: M. Night's family psycho horror flick is shallow, absurd & hollow
Jul 22

Jul 22 'Old' film review: M. Night's family psycho horror flick is shallow, absurd & hollow

Paul Carlson
film reviews

Shyamalan's latest robs the audience of two hours they will never get back.

North Bend Film Festival movie review: 'Ayar'
Jul 17

Jul 17 North Bend Film Festival movie review: 'Ayar'

Paul Carlson
film festivals, film reviews

This indie experimental drama defies storytelling conventions in a snapshot of life in the Land of Opportunity amid a life-disrupting pandemic.

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““No subject is terrible if the story is true, if the prose is clean and honest, and if it affirms courage and grace under pressure.””
— "Midnight in Paris"

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