Review: ‘Hubie Halloween’ Has No Real Tricks, But Many Treats

Last year, while being interviewed by Howard Stern, Adam Sandler said if he didn’t get a Best Actor nomination for Uncut Gems, he would make a film that was bad on purpose. Hubie Halloween is Sandler’s first film since not getting nominated, so it would appear this is the promised revenge movie, but I am “pleased,” for lack of a better word, to report that this film is not terrible. It isn’t great, but for a Sandler comedy, this is notably good. Continue reading “Review: ‘Hubie Halloween’ Has No Real Tricks, But Many Treats”

Review: The Safdie Brothers Master the Nonstop Thriller with ‘Uncut Gems’

Before going to see this film, I revisited Josh and Benny Safdie’s previous directorial effort, Good Time, and it reminded me why I was so excited to see Uncut Gems. From that film alone, it’s easy to see all the potential for the Safdie brothers both as writers and directors. Uncut Gems is the embodiment of that potential; they have found a type of narrative that they can tell extraordinarily well and a style that perfectly coincides with that narrative.

Continue reading “Review: The Safdie Brothers Master the Nonstop Thriller with ‘Uncut Gems’”