Todd McCarthy
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Film critic, documentary filmmaker, blogger. Read my movie reviews at hollywoodreporter.com/movies/reviews
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Articles by Todd McCarthy
‘Old Dads’ Review: Bill Burr & Friends Scream, Yell And Curse Through A Way-Over-The-Top Netflix Comedy
Three fiftysomething jerks extend their adolescence way, way beyond the breaking point in Old Dads, a boorish and obnoxiously vulgar comedy that, since it can’t claim any other great distinction, might well have been expressly written to break the all-time record for use of the f-word in the major studio movie. Even Lenny Bruce might be twitching in his grave over this one.
‘Old Dads’ Review: Bill Burr & Friends Scream, Yell And Curse Through A Way-Over-The-Top Netflix Comedy
Three fiftysomething jerks extend their adolescence way, way beyond the breaking point in Old Dads, a boorish and obnoxiously vulgar comedy that, since it can’t claim any other great distinction, might well have been expressly written to break the all-time record for use of the f-word in the major studio movie. Even Lenny Bruce might be twitching in his grave over this one.
‘Fast Charlie’ Review: Pierce Brosnan, Morena Baccarin And The Late James Caan In Seriocomic Action Film That Hits What It Shoots At
(L-R) Pierce Brosnan and James Caan in 'Fast Charlie' Mill Valley Film Festival Rasty and nasty with a cherry on top, Fast Charlie is a down-home Southern gangster yarn with a staggering body count but a sweet taste awaiting the survivors at the end of the day.
‘Expendables 4’ Review: Jokey, Fight-Filled Last Hurrah Feels Like ‘Meg 2: Part 2’
Sequels, and sequels of sequels, have trouble differentiating themselves from their brethren from time to time. But Expendables 4 (or Expend4bles, as this fourth and final entry in the mercenary-based action series has been marketed), indisputably takes the cake for recycling previously used material in a not exactly fresh context.
‘Expendables 4’ Review: Jokey, Fight-Filled Last Hurrah Feels Like ‘Meg 2: Part 2’
Lachlan Murdoch 9 hours ago Rupert Murdoch's surprise exit from Fox leaves son Lachlan in line of succession at media empire Associated Press - DAVID BAUDER • 9h NEW YORK (AP) — Magnate Rupert Murdoch’s surprise announcement Thursday that he’s stepping down as leader of his two companies leaves his son Lachlan firmly in line of succession at Fox and the rest of the media empire.
‘Janet Planet’ Review: Julianne Nicholson Shines In Off-Beat Mother-Daughter Story From Pulitzer-Winning Playwright Annie Baker
“Hi, I’m gonna kill myself,” an 11-year-old girl proclaims to her mom over a pay phone in what is clearly an attention-getting gesture. Alarming as this may sound, it’s just part of the oddly arresting dynamics of Janet Planet, the distinctive first produced screenplay by Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Annie Baker, making her cinematic directorial debut.
‘Fingernails’ Review: Christos Nikou’s Head-Scratching English-Language Debut Squanders Fine Cast – Toronto Film Festival
Subscribe to our FREE Newsletter, or Telegram and WhatsApp channels for the latest stories and updates. A Haunting in Venice is an adaptation of Agatha Christie’s novel titled Hallowe’en Party. Shortly after the events of Death on the Nile, Kenneth Branagh’s Hercule Poirot is living comfortably in retirement and self-imposed exile in Venice, the most glamorous city in the world. In this film, Poirot wants nothing to do with any investigation after witnessing the carnage of war.
‘Fingernails’ Review: Christos Nikou’s Head-Scratching English-Language Debut Squanders Fine Cast – Toronto Film Festival
Vintage slang phrases we should definitely bring back If you hang around older relatives or watch older movies, then you've probably heard some hilarious old-fashion slang words. And while they may sound a bit odd, let's all admit that some antiquated slang terms can perfectly convey just about every mood. So why not bring them back to present times? Not only will it sound funny, but people will be impressed by your knowledge of linguistics and history, too! Curious?
‘Fingernails’ Review: Christos Nikou’s Head-Scratching English-Language Debut Squanders Fine Cast – Toronto Film Festival
The passing pleasures of watching the fine young actors Jessie Buckley, Riz Ahmed and Jeremy Allen White can’t make up for the increasing distaste that develops from contact with Fingernails, an irritating and, finally, ridiculous examination of relationship matchmaking carried far too far.
‘The Critic’ Review: Ian McKellen Underused In Potentially Juicy Tale That Lacks Urgency And Spice
This Critic might want to look for a different job. The prospect of seeing the great Ian McKellen take on the role of one of London’s most august theater critics of the 1930s must have looked tantalizing on paper, but sadly this is a show that deserved to close out of town.
‘The Pigeon Tunnel’ Review: Errol Morris’ John le Carré Documentary Is An Elaborate Film With An Abundant Narration
From every perspective, John le Carré lived a highly enviable life, a sense confirmed over and over again in The Pigeon Tunnel, Errol Morris’ elaborate, super-smart sizing up of one of the most successful writers of the past century.
‘Daddio’ Review: Sean Penn And Dakota Johnson Drive Breakthrough First Film From Christy Hall – Telluride Film Festival
Daddio is a knockout, the sort of breakthrough by a virtual unknown that many might dream about but only rarely takes place. Entirely set in a taxi stuck for a long time at night on a jammed highway heading from New York City’s JFK airport to Manhattan, debuting writer-director Christy Hall has created a marvelous two-hander between a veteran New York cabbie who’s seen it all and a young woman trying to figure things out.
‘Daddio’ Review: Sean Penn And Dakota Johnson Drive Breakthrough First Film From Christy Hall – Telluride Film Festival
Bagster, a French brand of aftermarket motorcycle accessories, is all about making rides easier, more convenient, and more comfortable. The brand has a wide selection of comfort saddles, luggage solutions, and weather-proofing solutions on its website. Its newest product goes back to basics, and takes the form of a simple yet versatile backpack called the Wind. A backpack is, without a doubt, the most popular type of luggage for most riders.
‘Wildcat’ Review: Ethan Hawke’s Oddball Character Study Cleverly Illuminates Life Of Flannery O’Connor – Telluride Film Festival
Symptoms men should never ignore Statistics tell us that men die sooner than women. There are a variety of reasons why men's life expectancy is shorter than women's, but one of the reasons is the lower rate of preventative healthcare measures taken. Indeed, men are less likely to seek medical assistance, and when they do it's usually later than they should. Many men tend to dismiss some health symptoms, but there are a few that should never be ignored. In this gallery, we list them.
‘Wildcat’ Review: Ethan Hawke’s Oddball Character Study Cleverly Illuminates Life Of Flannery O’Connor – Telluride Film Festival
September 2, 2023 12:11am Ethan Hawke's Wildcat TIFF Ethan Hawke has directed, written and/or acted in quite a few notably esoteric projects throughout his multi-faceted career, and he’s now come up with another in Wildcat. This one makes use of four Flannery O’Connor stories that tie in to aspects of the writer’s difficult life and truly do illuminate aspects of it in clever and plausible ways.
‘Rustin’ Review: Colman Domingo A Force In Biopic That Gives Civil Rights Leader His Due – Telluride Film Festival
Colman Domingo blows through the title role like a force of nature in Rustin, an exhilarating biographical drama about the highly significant but not widely known civil rights leader Bayard Rustin, whose career and reputation in the 1960s were minimized, at least in part, by his hardly disguised homosexuality. Director George C.
‘Rustin’ Review: Colman Domingo A Force In Biopic That Gives Civil Rights Leader His Due – Telluride Film Festival
The despicable unholy life of Pope Benedict IX He is one of the most controversial popes in papal history. A pontiff who was corrupt to the core, Benedict IX was barely out of his teens when he became leader of the Holy See. Totally unsuitable for the role as head of the Catholic Church, Benedict quickly won enemies with his disgraceful conduct and complete disregard for the institution he represented.
‘Saltburn’ Review: Emerald Fennell’s Latest Has An Undeniable Life Force Despite Its Split Personality – Telluride Film Festival
The haves and have-nots of Great Britain have always served as ripe subject matter for writers of every stripe and the tradition continues in Saltburn, a vibrant if rather familiar take on the class system circa 2006. Emerald Fennell, following up on her Oscar-winning script for Promising Young Woman, reveals a strong hand behind the camera, even if the trajectory of the story feels rather overwrought and familiar.
‘Saltburn’ Review: Emerald Fennell’s Latest Has An Undeniable Life Force Despite Its Split Personality – Telluride Film Festival
Welcome to Robertson Quay, the vibrant neighbourhood in River Valley that offers a delightful mix of delectable dining options, exciting activities, and fantastic accommodations. Whether you’re a food lover, an adventure seeker, or a culture enthusiast, Robertson Quay has something for everyone. Robertson Quay Restaurants Kubô: Experience Contemporary Filipino Cuisine in a Stunning Setting Located in Robertson Quay, Kubô is a new addition to the vibrant dining scene.
‘El Conde’ Review: Pablo Larraín’s Latest Is A Bold, Wildly Irreverent Sensational Creation – Venice Original
Pablo Larraín’s string of mostly 20th century biographical dramas hits a pinnacle of audacious brilliance with El Conde (The Count), a madly inspired reinvention of events embedded in the notion that longtime Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet became a vampire who ultimately tires of life and wants out after living some 250 years.
‘Gran Turismo’ Review: Fresh & Provocative Racing Car Drama That’s Different From The Others Original
Archie Madekwe stars in Columbia Pictures GRAN TURISMO. Gordon Timpen/Sony Working in an oft-traversed realm, Gran Turismo director Neill Blomkamp and writers Jason Hall and Zach Baylin have delivered a racing car drama that’s rather different from the others. With plenty of potent auto action, some well-defined characters and welcome fresh components, this is an engaging look at people who overcome their own doubts and perceived shortcomings to help pull off something genuinely unusual.
‘Meg 2: The Trench’ Review: Tedious Sequel Is Missing Original’s Bite And Gets Lost At Sea
After the 2018 Jason Statham-starring sci-fi action/horror extravaganza The Meg made an imposing global haul of roughly $530 million ($385 million of that from outside the U.S.), it became instantly inevitable that more giant deep-sea monsters would quickly be hatched to populate a sequel. It follows that some of these overgrown aquatic freaks might be very hungry, or perhaps just anti-social and angry that their population is being slightly decreased.
‘They Cloned Tyrone’ Review: John Boyega, Teyonah Parris & Jamie Foxx In Grim But Gutsy Genre Mashup
Rather resembling a blaxploitation-based cousin of Invasion of the Body Snatchers with a deeper sense of social consciousness, They Cloned Tyrone is a predominately grim yet intriguing account of constrained, little-hope lives victimized even further by nefarious secret attempts to transform them into obedient, well-behaved zombies.
‘Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One’ Review: Tom Cruise & Co. Take Excitement & Suspense To New Level Original
They should call it Mission: Exceptional. Given that this is a series that began on television 57 years ago and over the past 27 years has delivered seven big feature films, no one would be terribly surprised if it were to begin flagging a bit.
‘No Hard Feelings’ Review: Jennifer Lawrence In Comedy From Gene Stupnitsky
What starts out looking like it wants to be a gross-out comedy in the Porky’s vein eventually, and more gratifyingly, heads closer to The Graduate territory in No Hard Feelings. It seems like quite a while since we’ve seen an apparent sex-on-the-brain romp that actually has a bit more on its mind than just pushing the boundaries of vulgarity and gross-out comedy.
‘Extraction 2’ Review: Chris Hemsworth And Team Crank Up Everything In Next-Level Action Sequel
Although the title triggers thoughts of a highly unpleasant visit to the dentist, Extraction 2 more than measures up to expectations stirred by the gritty and massively lethal non-stop action of the initial entry last year. Stuntman-turned-director Sam Hargrove clearly made it his mission here to not only turn up the voltage even further but also to register a significant greater body count than he did the first time around.
‘The Machine’ Review: Bert Kreischer Leads Obnoxious But Quick-Witted & Increasingly Funny Action Romp
The Machine is loud, gross, obnoxious and overbearing. It’s also disarming, quick-witted, fast moving and becomes increasingly funny as it ends up in, of all places, Russia for its payoff scenes. Presided over, if that is the right term, by the irrepressible Bert Kreischer, the big-gutted comedian who goes by the name The Machine and prefers to appear without a shirt on whenever possible, has landed his first big feature film at age 50 and continues the same comic shtick he’s been doing for years.
‘About The Father’ Review: Sebastian Maniscalco & Robert De Niro Team In Unfunny Generational Comedy
If Sebastian Maniscalco really is the most popular comic in the country at the moment, you’d never know why from his film debut in About My Father. So unfunny it’s embarrassing, this is an over-the-top, under-achieving generational comedy that feels like it was written in the mid-to-late 1960s and has been moldering in a drawer ever since. At 79 the oldest person in the cast, Robert De Niro has the most energy of anyone in the cast and employs all the tricks he could think of to help the cause.
‘Asteroid City’ Review: Wes Anderson’s Latest Is Quirky, Creative & Obscure – Cannes Film Festival
“You can’t wake up if you don’t fall asleep,” people are advised more than once in Wes Anderson’s madly original 11th film, Asteroid City, which is both addictively stylized and, like this clever little quote, perhaps more than a tad obscure about what it’s ultimately driving at.
‘Fast X’ Review: Spectacle, Destruction, Madly Amusing Action & Jason Momoa Fuel Latest Sequel
Not too many film franchises stick around for more than two decades, but the insanely wild motorized antics of Fast X roar ahead without a thought of applying the brakes. With its seemingly inexhaustible supply of madly amusing action, this high-octane extravaganza attempts, and not infrequently succeeds, in obliterating any resistance with its disarming, outrageous and self-aware injections of often-hilarious camp.
‘The Mother’ Review’: Jennifer Lopez In Niki Caro’s Tough-As-Nails Action Movie That Strikes The Right Balance
The Mother is a mutha of an intimately scaled action film, a violent female-centric drama about a hardened combat veteran who has great difficulty adapting to being anything other than a tough soldier, and that includes being a mother.
‘R.M.N.’ Review: Cristian Mungiu’s Look At A Small Town’s Strains And Divides Is Fresh And Urgent Original
Editors note: This review originally published May 22, 2022 after the film premiered at the Cannes Film Festival. It opens in theaters Friday.
‘Big George Foreman’ Review: Boxing Biopic Takes Middleweight Swing At Heavyweight Story
So often thought of primarily as the big lug who was so dramatically dispatched by Muhammad Ali in the famous “Rumble in the Jungle” in Zaire in 1974, George Foreman is the main event in Big George Foreman.
‘Carmen’ Review: Melissa Barrera And Paul Mescal Star In Misguided Reimagining Of Classic Musical
Editors note: This review was originally published September 11, 2022 after its world premiere at the Toronto Film Festival. It opens in theaters today.
‘Everything Went Fine’ Review: François Ozon And Starry Cast Deftly Craft A Happy Ending
Editors note: This review was originally published in June 2021 after its world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival. The film opens in New York on Friday and in Los Angeles on April 21. Beautifully upholstered and decked out with a starry cast, Everything Went Fine (Tout S’est Bien Passé) is the sort of comforting, thoroughly mainstream commercial film not often seen in competition at the Cannes Film Festival.
‘A Good Person’ Review: Florence Pugh In Zach Braff’s Blunt And Honest Drama
A wily old pro teams up with one of the most exciting young actresses of the day in the emotionally loaded drama A Good Person. Zach Braff’s third feature excels at taking the measure of how people cope with personal tragedy and does so in a vital and engaging way that’s far more invigorating than depressing.
‘Champions’ Review: Woody Harrelson In Bobby Farrelly Comedy Movie
There’s scarcely a word or move in Champions that you haven’t seen somewhere else before, but in a very modest way this goofball minor-league basketball yarn throws off enough amiable and vaguely raucous charm to keep a smile on sports fans’ faces much of time. Woody Harrelson makes the exasperated most out his role as a been-around-the-block minor-league coach whose likely final hope at employment is to whip a bunch of physically challenged misfits into presentable shape.
Berlin Review: ‘Joan Baez I Am A Noise’
Folk music icon Joan Baez, who’s now 82, came of age just as musicians’ live gigs were often recorded and thereby preserved for the record, virtues that are used to advantage in Joan Baez I Am A Noise.
Tom Luddy Dead: Telluride Film Festival Co-Founder And Producer Was 79
Tom Luddy, co-founder of the Telluride Film Festival and producer of numerous films for Francis Coppola’s Zoetrope Studios, died February 13 at a nursing home in Albany, CA, where he had been under care for dementia. He was 79. The news comes two months after the death of another Telluride co-founder, Bill Pence.
Todd McCarthy: Intensive Research On Making Of DeMille’s ‘Ten Commandments’ In Egypt Is Backdrop For New Novel
The first time Cecil B. DeMille parted the waters of the Red Sea, to film the 1923 version of The Ten Commandments, he did it at Seal Beach, CA, just 30 miles down the Pacific coast from Santa Monica.
‘80 For Brady‘ Review: Lily Tomlin, Jane Fonda, Rita Moreno, Sally Field & Brady
The four indelible stars of 80 for Brady — Lily Tomlin, Jane Fonda, Rita Moreno and Sally Field — have a combined age of 335 years but are not the least bit inclined to act like it in this highly concocted but sassy, good-natured wish-fulfilment comedy. The film is as silly and contrived as all get-out and you can’t help feeling that, with a cast this good, it’s a shame that a script worthy of the actresses’ combined talents couldn’t have been found and put to much better use.
‘80 For Brady‘ Film Review: All-Star Cast Drives Timely Wish-Fulfillment Comedy
14 hours ago Ready for 1.21 gigawatts of sci-fi greatness? Time travel movies often make for the most mind-numbing sci-fi films with paradoxes aplenty. But it’s those confusing temporal gymnastics that make them so fun. We’ve rounded up our favorites, from classic films like Back to the Future and Bill and Ted’s …
‘Drift’ Review: Cynthia Erivo, Alia Shawkat In Anthony Chen’s Sundance Movie
Anyone who has traveled to seaside resort areas around the world will recognize them, the obvious foreigners who spend their days approaching tourists with assorted trinkets to sell and are most often ignored or shooed away by Westerners. Precious few films have put such figures centerstage, but Drift does that and quite a bit more as it examines a young woman whose currently forlorn position in the world masks the very different sort of life to which she was once accustomed.
‘The Accidental Getaway Driver’ Review: Sing J. Lee’s Little Saigon Sundance Movie
The Accidental Getaway Driver is one those rare, where-did-this-come-from films that every so often pops up to invigorate festivals and adventurous viewers on the lookout for something fresh and different. Generically, this is nothing new, a low-down gritty crime drama populated by cars, guns and desperate characters.
‘Bad Behaviour’ Sundance Review: Jennifer Connelly & Ben Whishaw In Alice Englert’s Feature Debut
Read full article There is talent to spare in Alice Englert’s feature directorial debut, Bad Behaviour, and that is its biggest problem — it’s all over the place, rather than being channeled and controlled in productive ways.
‘Bad Behaviour’ Sundance Review: Jennifer Connelly & Ben Whishaw In Alice Englert’s Feature Debut
There is talent to spare in Alice Englert’s feature directorial debut, Bad Behaviour, and that is its biggest problem — it’s all over the place, rather than being channeled and controlled in productive ways. A fine cast, intriguing avenues of exploration, numerous artistic outbursts and a pronounced interest in the unusual are all to be found in this compulsively creative work, but the elements are not seized and shaped in ways that might have ultimately produced a coherent and satisfying whole.
‘Bad Behaviour’ Sundance Review: Jennifer Connelly & Ben Whishaw In Alice Englert’s Feature Debut
Read full article There is talent to spare in Alice Englert’s feature directorial debut, Bad Behaviour, and that is its biggest problem — it’s all over the place, rather than being channeled and controlled in productive ways.
Sundance Review: Susanna Fogel’s ‘Cat Person’ Starring Emilia Jones & Nicholas Braun
Read full article Based on one of the most sensational and much-discussed short stories of recent times, which was heralded as the most-read story ever to appear in The New Yorker, Cat Person is a disarmingly creepy film with a disturbing edge that will surely trigger further discussion about contemporary dating and romantic protocols. Years ago, a little film like this would have found a modest but loyal following among young audiences.
Sundance Review: Susanna Fogel’s ‘Cat Person’ Starring Emilia Jones & Nicholas Braun
Based on one of the most sensational and much-discussed short stories of recent times, which was heralded as the most-read story ever to appear in The New Yorker, Cat Person is a disarmingly creepy film with a disturbing edge that will surely trigger further discussion about contemporary dating and romantic protocols. Years ago, a little film like this would have found a modest but loyal following among young audiences.
Sundance Review: Susanna Fogel’s ‘Cat Person’ Starring Emilia Jones & Nicholas Braun
Based on one of the most sensational and much-discussed short stories of recent times, which was heralded as the most-read story ever to appear in …
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