THE BOSS BABY Review — Alec Baldwin's Voice Spices Up the Animation
THE BOSS BABY Review by Lisa Johnson Mandell — The birth of yet another classic Alec Baldwin character Okay, before I even start, I just have to get this off my chest: Does anybody else see a likeness between Boss Baby and Presidential Press Secretary Sean Spicer? I know any…
BEAUTY AND THE BEAST Review — It's Your Loss if You Miss It
Beauty and the Beast Review: One of Disney’s greatest best live action fantasies yet, I see no reason for super conservatives to avoid it Readers, please! I know some of you are wondering about the ‘big gay moment’ you’ve heard so much about in Disney’s latest live action version of Beauty and the Beast. Let me…
LIFE Review — Are We Really Better Off Alone?
LIFE Review — by guest critic and sci-fi rocker James Mandell of Cereal Atomic Life belies your basic survival problems in outer space. Its log line pretty well sums things up: We Were Better Off Alone. Clever, but I was better off before I saw it. Once again, we’re given a sci-fi fantasy slate of suppositions we…
GET OUT Review — LOGAN Review — One is Brilliant, One is Brutal
Get Out Review — A brilliant cinematic surprise Horror never has been my favorite genre, but I’ve gone absolutely gaga over Jordan Peele‘s cunning, creepy and clever Get Out. It’s frightening in so many delicious ways and on so many different levels. The concept is this: White girl (Allison Williams) takes black boyfriend (Daniel Kaluuya) home to meet the parents. She…
THE GREAT WALL Review — A CURE FOR WELLNESS Review — A Good Wall and a Placebo
The Great Wall Review This is an important film in that it’s China’s most expensive production, it was helmed by Yimou Zhang China’s biggest director, and it was made with an international cast with a universal audience in mind. It stars Matt Damon, who is being billed as a “global superstar,” apparently one of the most popular…
A United Kingdom Review, Fifty Shades Darker Review — One is the Best Film of the Year So Far
A United Kingdom Review — The year is young, but this is by far the best so far A United Kingdom is a little bit like Hidden Figures in that you come away wondering “How could I have not heard this story before? I can’t believe it’s not being told until now!” It’s based on…
A Dog's Purpose Review, Gold Review — Mutts and McConaughey
In my A Dog’s Purpose Review and my Gold Review , I feel the love for one, but not so much for the other A Dog’s Purpose Review — All we need is love right now I know there’s controversy swirling around about the mistreatment of a German Shepherd during a swimming scene, but I don’t think…
New This Weekend: The Founder Review & Split Review — Burgers and the Boogieman
The Founder Review and Split Review — Lisa Johnson Mandell gives you two takes for the price of one. The Founder Review The Founder tells the fascinating story of Ray Kroc, the pseudo father of McDonalds. Too bad the film is not nearly as fascinating as it would, could or should be. Michael Keaton, who…
You Won't Believe What I Found in the Gift Bag at the Secret Room Events Red Carpet Style Lounge Honoring the Golden Globe Awards
Stars love this event because it’s like a box of chocolates: They never know what they’re gonna get in the gift bag at the Secret Room Event Secret Room Events Red Carpet Style Lounge Honoring the Golden Globe Awards It’s awards season again, and you know what that means: I share with you all the…
Lisa's List of Must See Movies Currently at a Theater Near You
Lisa Johnson Mandell gives you the run down on her picks for must see movies of the season So. The first thing everyone always asks me is, “Any must see movies out now?” I usually respond with a short list of one or two, but this time of year I have numerous suggestions — after all, ’tis…
