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

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  • Paul Carlson
Escape Into Film
'Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3' film review: Thrilling, harrowing swansong for Marvel's unlikeliest heroes
May 5

May 5 'Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3' film review: Thrilling, harrowing swansong for Marvel's unlikeliest heroes

Paul Carlson
film reviews, Comic Book flicks

Marvel's band of misfit heroes get one heck of an emotionally exhausting rollercoaster of a send-off.

'Beau Is Afraid' film review: Modern Odysseus tale - if he had crippling anxiety, guilt & fear
Apr 19

Apr 19 'Beau Is Afraid' film review: Modern Odysseus tale - if he had crippling anxiety, guilt & fear

Paul Carlson
film reviews

Writer-director Ari Aster's intentionally bizarre third film is one coward's three-hour panic attack guilt trip disguised as an absurd road trip .

'The Super Mario Bros. Movie' film review: Powered-up, pixel-perfect celebration of all things Nintendo
Apr 5

Apr 5 'The Super Mario Bros. Movie' film review: Powered-up, pixel-perfect celebration of all things Nintendo

Paul Carlson
film reviews

Illumination wholly embraces gaming’s beloved plumber iconic in a fun, breezy romp.

'Cocaine Bear' film review: Gory, silly slasher just falls short of its ridiculous premise
Feb 24

Feb 24 'Cocaine Bear' film review: Gory, silly slasher just falls short of its ridiculous premise

Paul Carlson
film reviews

A coked-up bear tearing up nature lovers in a national park works just fine when the drug-addicted bear is front and center.

'Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania' film review: Wild ride, chilling debut for an evil conqueror
Feb 16

Feb 16 'Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania' film review: Wild ride, chilling debut for an evil conqueror

Paul Carlson
film reviews, Comic Book flicks

The literal smallest Avenger finds himself thrown into a strange world ruled by a terrifying conqueror.

'Somebody I Used to Know' film review: Franco & Brie's angsty drama escapes rom-com trappings
Feb 10

Feb 10 'Somebody I Used to Know' film review: Franco & Brie's angsty drama escapes rom-com trappings

Paul Carlson
film reviews

Real-life spouses Dave Franco and Alison Brie craft the existential drama of a workaholic reconsidering the many choices her made in pursuit of her career.

'Babylon' film review: Damien Chazelle's bloated ode to old Hollywood excess & orgies
Dec 23

Dec 23 'Babylon' film review: Damien Chazelle's bloated ode to old Hollywood excess & orgies

Paul Carlson
film reviews

Think 'La La Land' - but a darker, needlessly vulgar tale of dreamers navigating old Hollywood.

'Avatar: The Way of Water' film review: Stunning CGI fails to distract from epic-scale mediocrity
Dec 15

Dec 15 'Avatar: The Way of Water' film review: Stunning CGI fails to distract from epic-scale mediocrity

Paul Carlson
film reviews

The long-delayed sci-fi flick will tests audience's palette for a sequel to a 13-year-old movie ... that doesn't radically advance the story or the characters. But the CGI is pretty (again).

'Violent Night' film review: Basically 'Die Hard' - but with drunk, bitter Santa
Dec 2

Dec 2 'Violent Night' film review: Basically 'Die Hard' - but with drunk, bitter Santa

Paul Carlson
film reviews

A drunken, cynical Santa Claus must take out hostage-taking terrorists in this gleefully bloody holiday action comedy.

'Black Panther: Wakanda Forever' film review: MCU matures with a poignant, emotional tribute
Nov 10

Nov 10 'Black Panther: Wakanda Forever' film review: MCU matures with a poignant, emotional tribute

Paul Carlson
film reviews

The death of Chadwick Boseman and T'Challa looms over this soulful, heartfelt and resonant epic.

'Good Night Oppy' film review: Exhilarating tribute to a resilient, pioneering Mars mission
Nov 2

Nov 2 'Good Night Oppy' film review: Exhilarating tribute to a resilient, pioneering Mars mission

Paul Carlson
film reviews

Harrowing and inspiring Mars rover documentary reignites the irrepressible passion for exploration.

'The Banshees of Inisherin' film review: Farrell, Gleeson are sublime in dry, dark break-up tragicomedy
Oct 28

Oct 28 'The Banshees of Inisherin' film review: Farrell, Gleeson are sublime in dry, dark break-up tragicomedy

Paul Carlson
film reviews

Two drinking buddies have a sudden falling out in this unexpectedly funny and wryly melancholic drama.

'TÁR' film review: Engrossing character study captivates from its first note to its last
Oct 21

Oct 21 'TÁR' film review: Engrossing character study captivates from its first note to its last

Paul Carlson
film reviews

Cate Blanchett captivates in the provocative 'cancel culture' drama.

'Amsterdam' film review: Cluttered, meandering mystery-thriller-comedy fails A-list ensemble
Oct 5

Oct 5 'Amsterdam' film review: Cluttered, meandering mystery-thriller-comedy fails A-list ensemble

Paul Carlson
film reviews

David O. Russell's latest film is a tonally inconsistent, meandering murder-mystery bloated with excess quirk that wastes a stellar ensemble cast.

'Bros' film review: Romance in the age of Grindr
Sep 29

Sep 29 'Bros' film review: Romance in the age of Grindr

Paul Carlson
film reviews

The hilarious and bawdy Apatow-produced comedy rejects its label as merely a rom-com with same-sex characters - it proudly and unapologetically asserts its gayness.

'Don't Worry Darling' film review: Pugh shines in shallow, unfocused high-concept thriller
Sep 22

Sep 22 'Don't Worry Darling' film review: Pugh shines in shallow, unfocused high-concept thriller

Paul Carlson

Olivia Wilde's psychological drama dips its toes into layers of tantalizing social commentary before devolving into a stock thriller.

'Three Thousand Years of Longing' film review: Modern take on the 'magical three wishes' story
Aug 25

Aug 25 'Three Thousand Years of Longing' film review: Modern take on the 'magical three wishes' story

Paul Carlson
film reviews

George Millers twist the timeless "genie in a bottle" story into a rumination of love, hope and loneliness

'Spin Me Round' film review:  The Olive Garden of Italy-based comedies
Aug 15

Aug 15 'Spin Me Round' film review: The Olive Garden of Italy-based comedies

Paul Carlson
film reviews, film festivals

A manager who spent far too long managing a mediocre Italian restaurant wins a trip to sun-soaked Tuscany.

'Vengeance' film review: B. J. Novak's dry satire focuses on humanity behind true crime
Jul 28

Jul 28 'Vengeance' film review: B. J. Novak's dry satire focuses on humanity behind true crime

Paul Carlson
film reviews

'The Office' star’s filmmaking debut drops a smug podcast investigator into a Texas-sized noir mystery.

'Nope' film review: UFO thriller chills - even if its themes fall flat
Jul 22

Jul 22 'Nope' film review: UFO thriller chills - even if its themes fall flat

Paul Carlson
film reviews

Jordan Peele's latest cranks up the horror, despite being thin on story & characters.

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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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