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Articles by Larry Carroll
Easter Eggs You Missed In Ghostbusters: Afterlife
We may receive a commission on purchases made from links. Depending on where and how you saw "Ghostbusters: Afterlife," you may have been greeted by a pre-show video message from writer/director Jason Reitman, as critics were at pre-release screenings. "If you're a 'Ghostbusters' fan," says the Oscar-nominated "Juno" filmmaker (and son of Ivan Reitman, director of the 1984 classic), "you're about to go on the greatest Easter egg hunt of your life." It's no empty promise.
Easter Eggs You Missed In Spider-Man: No Way Home
When "Spider-Man: No Way Home" was screened for critics a few days before release, it was preceded by a cute video featuring the film's stars. Tom Holland, Zendaya and Jacob Batalon reminded everyone to keep the cinematic experience pure, to not reveal any spoilers and let audiences enjoy the many surprises to be found in the film. Then the camera cut to Jamie Foxx, who was in agreement.
Characters In The Matrix Resurrections That Mean More Than You Realize
On one hand, the "Matrix" franchise was built on the strength of its ideas, envisioning a reality where humans are enslaved, needing to be awakened to the harsh reality that self-aware machines are using a simulated reality to assuage, pacify, and essentially milk us as an energy source. On the other hand, just like any good movie, its success rises and falls on the strength of its characters.
Angel Characters Ranked By Likability
Created by David Greenwalt and Joss Whedon, the under-appreciated supernatural series "Angel" has a lot of hidden depths. This noir-style, L.A.-based, spin-off of "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" which is one-part horror/crime, one-part dark comedy and one-part "classic workplace drama" is a consistent, compelling gem that often gets buried under the legacy of its sister show.
Biggest Unanswered Questions In The Matrix Resurrections
To enjoy the "Matrix" franchise has always meant to be comfortable having more questions than answers. Like Neo, you're through the rabbit hole, you've taken the red pill, you're prepared for a discomforting, incongruous reality — and prepared to savor the battle, because you might not always understand the blueprint. The more things change, the more they stay the same.
FUBAR Review: Commandon't
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FUBAR Review: Commandon't
23 hours ago ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER IS 75 years old and still looks like he could bench press a few adults, so you might be surprised by his workouts these days. While he pushed himself to the limit in his early years to attain his iconically muscular body, those days are over. He's now more focused on efficient …
Mrs. Davis Review: Jack Of All Trades, Master Of Nun
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Halloween Ends Review: Plot Coherence Dies Tonight
× Cookies help us deliver our Services. By using our Services, you agree to our use of cookies. Learn More. By Larry Carroll/Oct.
Confess, Fletch Review: A Lease With An Option To Buy
Remember when the lawnmower drove over that guy's foot? From there, "Confess" wants to lean heavily into a whodunit plot. There are multiple suspects, stolen art, people brandishing guns, and, of course, police detectives two steps behind every plot revelation. But the murder mystery is pedestrian at best, lazy at worst, so it quickly becomes a matter of whether the driver of this particular vehicle is worth taking the ride.
Thor: Love And Thunder Review: It Ragnaroks
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Minions: The Rise Of Gru Review: Return Of The Jibber Jabber
× Cookies help us deliver our Services. By using our Services, you agree to our use of cookies. Learn More. By Larry Carroll/July 1, 2022 9:24 am EDT EDITORS' RATING: 6/10 The kung-fu sequence is very funny Otto the new Minion is a winner The "Vicious 6" villains are fun and well-conceived The film doesn't aspire to do much more than embrace the franchise formula Five movies in, you know what you're getting at this point with the Minions.
The Black Phone Review: Don't Pick It Up
× Cookies help us deliver our Services. By using our Services, you agree to our use of cookies. Learn More. By Larry Carroll/June 27, 2022 9:22 am EDT EDITORS' RATING: 3/10 Creepy, revenge-fueled concept is a good hook No backstory for the film's outlandish flourishes Mediocre acting Too many stretches of disbelief Masked killers are creepy. Child abductors in vans are terrifying. Psychic kids and supernatural ghost stories can scare you so badly that you'll need to sleep with the lights on.
Beavis And Butt-Head Do The Universe Review: Heh ... Heh .... Fire
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Small Details You Missed In The Umbrella Academy Season 3
× Cookies help us deliver our Services. By using our Services, you agree to our use of cookies. Learn More. By Larry Carroll/June 22, 2022 6:25 am EDT Season 3 of "Umbrella Academy" has arrived, and the heroes are left with even more problems than when they first started. There are bizarre adventures aplenty to unpack after ten episodes of non-stop action, trippy musical sequences, alien robots and murderous crows, across three time lines, no less.
Spiderhead Review: A Generic Prescription
Whatever floats your boat Among the inmates are Jeff (Teller), a moody guinea pig whose daily sessions have him reflecting on all he's done wrong and/or having sex with various partners as Steve tests out what is essentially Love Potion Number 9, 2.0; Heather (Tess Haubrich), a troubled young woman; Lizzy (Smollett), another inmate who Jeff frequently flirts with; and other individuals as Etch-A-Sketchy as the kiddie toy Jeff ornately doodles with every night.
Jurassic World Dominion Review: Not So Dino-Mite
× Cookies help us deliver our Services. By using our Services, you agree to our use of cookies. Learn More. By Larry Carroll/June 8, 2022 3:01 pm EDT EDITORS' RATING: 6/10 Creative action sequences Solid supporting work The old team is back together Lazy series cliches don't leave much wiggle room Recently, I told a 7-year-old I was going to see the new "Jurassic Park" movie, and she asked what those were.
Chip 'N Dale: Rescue Rangers Review: Tooning In
× Cookies help us deliver our Services. By using our Services, you agree to our use of cookies. Learn More. By Larry Carroll/May 20, 2022 9:15 am EDT EDITORS' RATING: 4/10 A "Roger Rabbit"-like animation hybrid, the movie's strength is in its random cartoon cameos. The film treats its plot like a chore. Every comedy falls into one of three categories: the duds, the nose breathers, and the laugh-out-louds. There are far too few of the latter, and most sadly fall between the first two.
Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness Review: A True Marvel
× Cookies help us deliver our Services. By using our Services, you agree to our use of cookies. Learn More. By Larry Carroll/May 3, 2022 9:00 am EDT Movies have always been about good vs. evil, and there are certain villains every filmmaker has to overcome: The audience expectation that the lead characters won't die, vain actors concerned about how they will be perceived, plots that require dumbed-down moments of explanation and clear, simple, typically happy resolutions.
Fantastic Beasts Review: The Secrets Of Dumbledore Rediscovers The Magic
× Cookies help us deliver our Services. By using our Services, you agree to our use of cookies. Learn More. By Larry Carroll/April 7, 2022 9:28 am EDT Once upon a time, there was a magical franchise called "Harry Potter" that seemed like it could do no wrong.
Morbius Review: Beware The Bat, Man
× Cookies help us deliver our Services. By using our Services, you agree to our use of cookies. Learn More. By Larry Carroll/March 31, 2022 9:09 am EDT As you're watching "Morbius," you can already see it vanishing into the dollar bin of video stores long forgotten. It's one of those films like "Jonah Hex" or "The Phantom," something pop culture will occasionally refence in ten or 20 years and we'll all think "Oh, that's right.
Angel Characters Ranked By Likability
× Cookies help us deliver our Services. By using our Services, you agree to our use of cookies. Learn More. Mutant Enemy Productions/20th Television By Larry Carroll/March 10, 2022 1:10 pm EST Created by David Greenwalt and Joss Whedon, the under-appreciated supernatural series "Angel" has a lot of hidden depths.
Characters In The Batman With More Meaning Than We Realized
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The Batman Review: Mask Of The Fan Chasm
In 2005, Batman went darker than ever before. That was the year Christopher Nolan's "Batman Begins" hit theaters, and although it was obviously presaged (and influenced by) plenty of gritty, noirish, meditative Dark Knight comic book tales from the likes of Denny O'Neil and Frank Miller, Nolan leaned into two core themes that have since defined Gotham's hero: The villains must be plausible enough to seem real-world, and as often as possible, the point is driven home that being Batman ...
Kimi Review: Alexa, Play A Movie Worth Watching
A taut Hitchcockian thriller for the COVID era, "Kimi" is an odd beast of a film. It's anchored by a riveting performance from Zoë Kravitz, and when she's the only person onscreen (which is about 90 percent of the time), you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat and unable to look away.
× Cookies help us deliver our Services. By using our Services, you agree to our use of cookies. Learn More. NBC Universal By Larry Carroll/Feb. 10, 2022 3:22 pm EST A film that operates on multiple levels, "Marry Me" is for you if you're looking for reasons to hate J. Lo. If you're looking for reasons to love J. Lo, ditto.
Hotel Transylvania: Transformania Review: No Sandler, But Your Kids Won't Notice
× Cookies help us deliver our Services. By using our Services, you agree to our use of cookies. Learn More. Columbia Pictures By Larry Carroll/Jan. 18, 2022 2:52 pm EST Not long ago, a tweet went somewhat viral, with its author pointing out that the hardest thing about being a film critic wouldn't be writing about the small percentage of films that we all really love or really hate, but the vast majority of the leftovers. The ones we watch simply because sometimes it's enjoyable to watch a movie.
The Tender Bar Review: A Well Drink In A Fancy Glass
× Cookies help us deliver our Services. By using our Services, you agree to our use of cookies. Learn More. Amazon By Larry Carroll/Jan. 11, 2022 11:34 am EST A film content to take a snapshot rather than tell a story, "The Tender Bar" is like a time machine that brings you back to a '70s/'80s reality where everything feels so authentic you can smell the cigarettes. But is it worth the trip? That, and what you make of the film's central performance by Ben Affleck, is largely a matter of preference.
Characters In The Matrix Resurrections That Mean More Than You Realize
× Cookies help us deliver our Services. By using our Services, you agree to our use of cookies. Learn More. Warner Bros. By Larry Carroll/Dec. 22, 2021 7:47 am EST On one hand, the "Matrix" franchise was built on the strength of its ideas, envisioning a reality where humans are enslaved, needing to be awakened to the harsh reality that self-aware machines are using a simulated reality to assuage, pacify, and essentially milk us as an energy source.
The Ending Of The Matrix Resurrections Explained
× Cookies help us deliver our Services. By using our Services, you agree to our use of cookies. Learn More. Warner Bros. By Larry Carroll/Dec. 22, 2021 7:33 am EST It's a franchise we thought was concluded. It's a franchise beloved for mind-bending re-evaluations of reality, headache-inducing calisthenics of logic, and a nothing-is-what-it-seems aesthetic. Now the "Matrix" franchise is back — and if you're willing to take the red pill, we're gonna go there once again.
Biggest Unanswered Questions In The Matrix Resurrections
× Cookies help us deliver our Services. By using our Services, you agree to our use of cookies. Learn More. Warner Bros. By Larry Carroll/Dec. 22, 2021 8:05 am EST To enjoy the "Matrix" franchise has always meant to be comfortable having more questions than answers. Like Neo, you're through the rabbit hole, you've taken the red pill, you're prepared for a discomforting, incongruous reality — and prepared to savor the battle, because you might not always understand the blueprint.
The Matrix Resurrections Review: A Hard Pill To Swallow
"Resurrections" is set some 20 years after we last saw Thomas Anderson/Neo. He has settled back into the office worker tedium we all recall, but at least now he is a boss, and a somewhat respected one at that, having created a series of successful "Matrix" video games.
Easter Eggs You Missed In Spider-Man: No Way Home
× Cookies help us deliver our Services. By using our Services, you agree to our use of cookies. Learn More. Marvel Studios By Larry Carroll/Dec. 17, 2021 7:55 am EST When "Spider-Man: No Way Home" was screened for critics a few days before release, it was preceded by a cute video featuring the film's stars. Tom Holland, Zendaya and Jacob Batalon reminded everyone to keep the cinematic experience pure, to not reveal any spoilers and let audiences enjoy the many surprises to be found in the film.
Lines In Spider-Man: No Way Home That Mean More Than You Realize
× Cookies help us deliver our Services. By using our Services, you agree to our use of cookies. Learn More. Marvel Studios By Larry Carroll/Dec. 17, 2021 7:48 am EST The average screenplay contains somewhere between 7500 and 20,000 words. Some words, however, are more important than others. It is with this thought that we reflect on "Spider-Man: No Way Home," seemingly destined to become one of the most successful films of the year.
The Ending Of Spider-Man: No Way Home Explained
× Cookies help us deliver our Services. By using our Services, you agree to our use of cookies. Learn More. Marvel Studios By Larry Carroll/Dec. 16, 2021 10:30 am EST/Updated: Dec. 16, 2021 12:59 pm EST It's one of the most anticipated films of the year, and it's also one of the most secretive films of the year.
Spider-Man: No Way Home Review: Petered Out
× Cookies help us deliver our Services. By using our Services, you agree to our use of cookies. Learn More. Sony Pictures By Larry Carroll/Dec. 14, 2021 6:26 am EST Stuffed from beginning to end with crowd-pleasing cameos, in-jokes, Easter eggs and MCU building, "Spider-Man: No Way Home" is a movie that is so much fun, it doesn't need to be good.
The Beatles: Get Back Review: Reality Leaves A Lot To The Imagination
If you're a Beatles diehard, watching hour after hour of this footage will give you the best indication yet of how these legends lived, talked, and created.
8-Bit Christmas Review: Nostalgia's Punch Out
× Cookies help us deliver our Services. By using our Services, you agree to our use of cookies. Learn More. HBO Max By Larry Carroll/Nov. 29, 2021 2:38 pm EST A harmless trifle assembled like a Frankenstein monster from the parts of other, far better films, "8-Bit Christmas" is a good movie to turn on in the background as you decorate the tree, occasionally getting a laugh from its easy-to-follow, lighthearted plot.
The Squid Game Challenge You'd Be Best At Based On Your Zodiac Sign
× Cookies help us deliver our Services. By using our Services, you agree to our use of cookies. Learn More. Netflix By Larry Carroll/Nov. 23, 2021 3:32 pm EST Based on the carnage that can be glimpsed throughout Netflix's hit series "Squid Game," the best way to survive the contest is to not enter it in the first place. Before a winner is crowned, hundreds are incinerated, with a few bearing the indignity of having their corpses harvested for organs.
Clerk Review: He's Not Even Supposed To Be Here
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Red Notice Review: The Con Is On
× Cookies help us deliver our Services. By using our Services, you agree to our use of cookies. Learn More. Netflix By Larry Carroll/Nov. 22, 2021 3:24 pm EST For decades in Hollywood, movies have come along every now and again that seem to exist solely for the poster pairing a couple of huge Hollywood heavyweights together, stars that wouldn't normally appear opposite someone of equal A-list status, blowing your mind with the concept of them coming together in the same project.
Easter Eggs You Missed In Ghostbusters: Afterlife
× Cookies help us deliver our Services. By using our Services, you agree to our use of cookies. Learn More. Sony Pictures By Larry Carroll/Nov. 19, 2021 7:46 am EST Depending on where and how you choose to see "Ghostbusters: Afterlife," you may be greeted by a pre-show video message from writer/director Jason Reitman, as critics were at pre-release screenings.
Ghostbusters: Afterlife Review: Chasing Ghosts
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Lines In Eternals That Mean More Than You Realize
× Cookies help us deliver our Services. By using our Services, you agree to our use of cookies. Learn More. Marvel Studios By Larry Carroll/Nov. 4, 2021 10:15 pm EDT Even though its runtime is well over two hours, writer/director Chloe Zhao's "Eternals" feels like it still has far more information to convey than it is frequently able to get across. This is particularly true in much of the dense, exposition-heavy dialogue. Lines are unceremoniously dropped, only to later reveal far more depth.
Easter Eggs You Missed In Eternals
× Cookies help us deliver our Services. By using our Services, you agree to our use of cookies. Learn More. Marvel Studios By Larry Carroll/Nov. 4, 2021 10:16 pm EDT For fans of the Eternals, as the MCU has rolled along, it must have felt like seeing their heroes on the big screen was taking an ... eternity (sorry, not sorry). But now, the "Eternals" film is finally here, and it has enough characters, scope and backstory to feel almost like a trilogy, condensed into one feature film.
Eternals Characters That Mean More Than You Realize
× Cookies help us deliver our Services. By using our Services, you agree to our use of cookies. Learn More. Marvel Studios By Larry Carroll/Oct. 29, 2021 7:37 am EDT Chloe Zhao's "Eternals" is a big movie, with big heroes, an epic storyline and cinematography screaming to be seen in IMAX. As such, it's easy to lose track of the film's smaller characters.
Eternals Review: Gods Among Us
× Cookies help us deliver our Services. By using our Services, you agree to our use of cookies. Learn More. Marvel Studios By Larry Carroll/Oct. 25, 2021 9:31 am EDT/Updated: Oct. 25, 2021 2:26 pm EDT The 26th MCU film is audacious in a way unlike anything that has come before it.
Halloween Kills Review: If It Bleeds, We Can Kill It
If you're not familiar with the "Halloween" films ... well, all you really need to have seen is the 2018 film to keep up with the plot. But seriously, go track down at the very least the first two films — oh, and "Season of the Witch" too. At this point, we finally catch up with the Strode girls, as they ride away from the burning death trap created for Michael — and watch in horror as a team of firefighters race toward the scene. "No!" a distraught Laurie screams.
Venom: Let There Be Carnage Ending Explained
× Cookies help us deliver our Services. By using our Services, you agree to our use of cookies. Learn More. Sony Pictures By Larry Carroll/Oct. 1, 2021 7:45 am EDT Rarely has the ending of a movie had as much riding on it as the final moments of "Venom: Let There Be Carnage." The previous franchise film, 2018's freaky, frightful, Tom Hardy tour de force "Venom," spent its final moments introducing Woody Harrelson as Cletus Kasady, with the character promising: "When I get out of here, and I will ...
The Biggest Unanswered Questions In Venom: Let There Be Carnage
× Cookies help us deliver our Services. By using our Services, you agree to our use of cookies. Learn More. Sony Pictures By Larry Carroll/Oct. 1, 2021 7:48 am EDT/Updated: Oct. 1, 2021 1:52 pm EDT With "Venom: Let There Be Carnage," Marvel movie fans finally get all kinds of answers. How is the new alliance between Eddie Brock and Venom working out? Will Anne ever dump Dr. Dan and get with a hero instead of a zero?
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