DIGGER Review — Damn the Naysayers, Tom Cruise’s Latest is Genius!
Lisa Johnson Mandell’s Digger review says the film is either brilliantly outrageous or outrageously brilliant. Canine Critic Rocky agrees. This is the controversial film you’ve been hearing so much about, in which Tom Cruise plays Digger Rockwell, an all-powerful, all-insane oil baron whose drilling has threatened the lives of millions of Europeans and then some.…
Now Playing — Canine Critic Rocky’s Reviews – 5 Favorite Films of Summer
The origin story of canine critic Rocky’s Reviews, and why it’s rapidly becoming the pick of the litter. Welcome to the Rocky Road to Hollywood! Little did I know that when I gave my Australian Labradoodle pup the cinematic name of “Rocky” — not for Balboa but for the charismatic, universe saving extra terrestrial in…
HEART OF THE BEAST Review — Wild Tears, Fears and Action
This Heart of the Beast review says Brad Pitt and his trusty dog Odin are an irresistible team, and Rocky the Canine Critic agrees. Whether you see it as manipulative or masterful, Heart of the Beast knows exactly where your soft spot is and leans into it with pure intent. Even if you think of…
Fabulous Crown Pigeon Island: The Latest Celebrity Must Have
Crown Pigeon Island in the Bahamas offers a cleverly designed golf course and eleven acres of luxe, private resort type amenities. What more could a multimillionaire desire? Larry Ellison has Lanai. Johnny Depp has Little Hall’s Pond Cay. David Copperfield has Musha Cay, and Richard Branson has Necker. Now a buyer whose fantasy runs to…
COYOTE VS ACME Review — The Anvils Drop, By Popular Demand
Lisa Johnson Mandell’s Coyote vs Acme review says that this animated/live action Looney Tunes movie is finally getting its closeup, and most fans will find it worth the wait. After three years of shelved release dates, a tax write-off, a fan uprising, and one very unlikely rescue by an independent distributor most audiences have never…
The Coyote vs Acme Movie — Fueled by Fervent Fan Furor
Twas the fans that saved the Coyote vs Acme movie from the evil clutches of a studio looking for a write-off. More Ketchup please! Some movies get greenlit, shot, and released in a tidy eighteen months. Coyote vs. Acme got greenlit, shot, finished, shelved, mourned, fought over, sold, and — three years, one tax write-off…
Critics Choice Association Reveals Honorees for the 6th Annual Celebración of Cinema and Television
The Celebración of Cinema and Television honors standout performances and work, both onscreen and offscreen, from the Latino and Hispanic entertainment community. The Critics Choice Association (CCA) just announced the full slate of honorees for the 6th annual Celebración of Cinema and Television, taking place on October 2, 2026, in Beverly Hills. It’s an exciting…
MUTINY Review — Unapologetically Familiar in All the Best Ways
Lisa Johnson Mandell’s Mutiny review says that even though Jason Statham’s latest film marches to a very familiar beat, it’s still an exciting comfort watch. You know exactly what you’re getting. Jason Statham is magic. I don’t say that lightly, and I definitely don’t say it because Mutiny is reinventing anything. It isn’t. This…
TONY Review — The Tasty Tale of Anthony Bourdain’s Seminal Summer of ’75
Lisa’s TONY review raves that the film adroitly defies conventional biopic tropes and sumptuously captures the moment when Anthony Bourdain found his insatiable passion. Before I was a film critic, I was a food critic. My family was involved in those two industries, among others, but these are the two that fascinated me. I grew…
Frank Gehry’s Benson House Hits the Market for Under $2 Million
The Benson House, one of iconic celebrity architect Frank Gehry’s earlier residences, is now on the Calabasas market for $1,745,000. It’s registered as a Calabasas Historical Landmark, and is sure to go quickly. If you’ve followed me for any amount of time, you know the reverence I hold for certain architects, among them Frank Gehry.…
