Film & TV
March 25, 2021
‘The Last Blockbuster’ Is a Fond Farewell to the Nearly Defunct Video Chain
Each blue VHS box was a transmission from another planet that promised there were others like me somewhere.
Film Review
Music
March 17, 2021
Demi Lovato’s ‘Dancing With the Devil’ Is a Brutal, Stunning Portrait of Addiction and Recovery
In her latest documentary, the Dallas-raised singer bravely confronts her demons.
Film & TV
February 26, 2021
‘Judas and the Black Messiah’ Is a Dazzling Thriller and a Meditation on Survival
With Dallas-born Jesse Plemons as a villainous FBI agent, the historical drama tells how informant William O’Neal’s betrayal led to the assassination of Black Panther Fred Hampton.
Film & TV
November 6, 2020
Did Melissa Lucio, the First Hispanic Woman on Death Row in Texas, Kill Her Daughter? An Uneven New Documentary Raises More Questions Than Answers.
‘The State of Texas vs. Melissa’ creates empathy for Lucio, but the film lacks a clear and balanced exposition of the deeply troubling facts of the case.
Film & TV
October 28, 2020
‘Bad Hair’ Is a Contemporary Black Fable and Devilishly Fun Satire
Houston native Justin Simien's bloody second film has a social message, but it's at its best when it embraces absurdity and camp.
Film & TV
May 22, 2020
‘AKA Jane Roe’ Finally Gives Norma McCorvey the Nuanced Portrait She Deserves
A new documentary urges viewers to see McCorvey’s essential humanity, not just her role as a symbol in the abortion wars.
Film & TV
December 30, 2019
Terrence Malick’s ‘A Hidden Life’ Is Inspiring But Hard to Learn From
The Austin director’s war film is notable for its near-total absence of politics.
Film & TV
November 4, 2019
‘Ford v Ferrari’ Is the Imperfect Racing Movie for Our Times
Watching Carroll Shelby and Ken Miles take on their bosses feels prescient.
Film & TV
September 27, 2019
Texas Is Inextricable From Film Festival Darling ‘The Vast of Night’
Andrew Patterson’s small-town science fiction standout was filmed in Whitney, Texas.
Film & TV
March 18, 2019
‘The Curse of La Llorona’ Summons a Centuries-Old Ghost—With Mixed Results
The Latin American folk tale has frightened generations, but its big-screen adaptation relies too heavily on repetitive scares.
Film & TV
March 11, 2019
‘The Highwaymen’ Is a Take on Bonnie and Clyde That Feels Truly Texan
The film, directed by Longview native John Lee Hancock, focuses on the legend of Texas’s most famous bank robbers—and our collective fascination with them.
Film & TV
March 7, 2019
SXSW Award Winner ‘Short Term 12’ Has Become This Generation’s ‘Dazed and Confused’
The micro-budget feature launched a number of A-list careers.
Film & TV
February 26, 2019
‘My Stretch of Texas Ground’ Is the Very Bad Movie We Didn’t Know We Needed
“Two men, both alpha males, from vastly different cultures, are about to collide. . . HARD.”
Film & TV
July 31, 1996
Shooting on the Border
THERE IS AN OBLIGATORY SCENE in every movie about the border between Texas and Mexico: A man draws a line in the dirt with his boot. The line means something different in each movie, and yet, there it is, a narrow little rut in the ground that the characters gesture
Film & TV
April 1, 1996
After Thoughts
The big-screen bungling of Rosellen Brown’s Before and After.
Film & TV
August 31, 1992
Why Unforgiven?
YOU COULD HEAR A GASP from the audience when Clint Eastwood suddenly appeared on the screen. It was just a preview of his new movie, Unforgiven, but there he was in a long, dark slicker, his face in profile, staring menacingly from beneath a dark hat with a flat rim:
Film & TV
July 1, 1991
Texas Movies: Texas Videos
‘Giant’ is just one of the best movies about Texas.
Film & TV
July 31, 1976
A Midsummer’s Nightmare
If you thought this summer’s film lineup looked promising, pinch yourself. "The Big Bus" and "Logan's Run," are anything but a reviewer's dream.
Film & TV
April 30, 1974
Maim!
Another big money musical is another disaster and cop stories are a too-familiar tune.
Film & TV
March 31, 1974
Comic Cowboys and Other Heroes
Cops, sci-fi, and westerns get served up as leftovers, and only one still tastes good. Meanwhile, Robert Altman has another dazzling film.
Film & TV
February 28, 1974
Devil Without a Cause
Lots of spooky movies this month as a new reviewer takes the wheel.
Film & TV
January 31, 1974
Of Nebbishes and Kings
Whether evading the law, loosening the bonds of marriage, or traveling to the future, escape is the watchword for this group of films.
Film & TV
January 1, 1974
Classics Illustrated
Neither fish nor fowl, filmed theater is a whole new art form.
Film & TV
June 30, 1973
Variations on the Confidence Game
Ryan O'Neal, Adolph Hitler and Tom Sawyer have a lot in common. Trust us, you'll see.
Film & TV
April 30, 1973
Remaking History Hollywood Style
Old films and old themes come uneasily back to life.
Film & TV
April 1, 1973
Two-Stepping to The Last Tango
Marlon takes it off and movies will never be the same.
Film & TV
March 1, 1973
Welsh Rabbit and a Mixed Bag
Dylan Thomas and Ingmar Bergman top some films of varying quality.
Film & TV
February 1, 1973
European Class, American Cheek
LUIS BUNUEL’S THE DISCREET CHARM of the Bourgeoisie is a deliciously pungent concoction by the 72-year-old filmmaker and his young co-scenarist, Jean-Claude Carriere, that will set your spirits soaring and your mind aglow. Never before has this always fascinating artist been quite so tantalizing, so tongue-in-cheek and so deft in